Sean Darling’s practice focuses on a broad range of international corporate and financial transactions with a focus on leveraged, infrastructure and acquisition financing transactions and bespoke structures. Sean joined Ropes & Gray in 2018 having previously worked at another international law firm in London and Hong Kong.

Sean spent one year on secondment to Partners Group (2020/2021) negotiating, structuring and executing private debt, special situations, infrastructure, co-investment, impact, fund financing, minority and growth equity transactions.

Sean has a particular interest in ESG and sustainable deal structures and mechanics. 

Experience

Selected Deal Experience

  • American Industrial Partners on the financing arrangements in respect of the acquisition of AquaShip.
  • American Industrial Partners on the financing arrangements in respect of the acquisition of Intership.
  • DigitalBridge, Liberty Global and AtlasEdge on a EUR 725 million hybrid infrastructure and leverage financing. 
  • Baring Private Equity Asia/EQT on the financing arrangements in connection with its USD 1 billion investment in Lumenis including a dividend recapitalization transaction in connection with the sale of Lumenis’s surgical business. 
  • Partners Group on its financing aspects of the joint venture with Host Student Housing to build up a £1 billion UK purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) and co-living platform and on the joint venture’s first acquisition of a four-asset seed portfolio. 
  • The BidFair group on the financing for its USD 3.7 billion acquisition of Sotheby’s. 
  • Altice in connection with the entry into a EUR 1.9 billion senior secured credit facilities to finance the deployment of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) internet infrastructure across France. 
  • A family office on the EUR 500 million acquisition, development and financing of one of the world’s largest data centers and its associated letting to a major international tech company. 
  • PG Impact Investments/Blue Earth Capital in relation to its debt investments in Africa, South America and Asia.
  • Smurfit Kappa on the English law financing aspects of its proposed merger with WestRock.
  • Athyrium on its convertible loan note investment in uMotif, the patient data capture and decentralized clinical trials platform. 
  • Silverfleet Capital on the acquisition of CARE Fertility, the UK’s leading fertility services provider. 
  • Epiris on its acquisition of Diamorph AB (publ), a supplier of advanced material solutions. 
  • Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken in connection with a €1.8 billion super-senior revolving facility and SEK 2 billion senior secured revolving facility refinancing for Intrum AB (publ).
  • UPC Holding and its subsidiaries on a successful debt buyback transaction pursuant to a modified Dutch auction process, comprising a concurrent solicitation of offers in respect of outstanding senior notes, senior secured notes and senior secured term loans ~ €855 million.
  • Advice in relation to a potential rescue financing supported by material real estate assets in the hospitality sector. 
  • Advice to the lender on the potential debt restructuring of a European energy producer’s transition (fossil fuel to biodiesel) financing arrangements. 
  • A series of bespoke holdco financings.
  • A PIK holdco financing for a European private debt fund. 
  • A leading provider of on demand, multimedia and multi-platform digital content on its convertible loan note investment in an award winning producer of digital content for children. 
  • A multinational corporate in relation to a potential debt to equity convertible investment in a European sustainable energy supplier. 
  • A family office in respect of a rescuing financing for a growth business in the prop tech space. 
  • The Brazilian Development Bank in its first Green Bond offering USD 1 billion.*
  • Spanish gaming group Codere on the issuance of €865 million high-yield bonds and €95 million super senior revolving credit facility.*
  • TAG Group Limited on the financing aspects of the GBP 275 million reorganization of the shareholding in McLaren Group.*
  • Loxam on its EUR 795 million financing of its all-cash offer for Lavendon plc, a UK-listed company regulated by the UK Takeover Code.*
  • Alpha Capital Partners on the EUR 350 million leveraged buyout of European insulation business Ipcom.* 

*Prior to joining Ropes & Gray

Areas of Practice

    Disclaimer

    Ropes & Gray International LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in Delaware, United States of America and is a recognised body regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (with registered number 521000).