Edward Ford

Ed Ford, based in the Firm’s London office, is a Partner in the Funds team focusing on the structuring and negotiation of highly complex secondary market solutions. He counsels clients on complex private markets transactions, including fundraisings, GP-led continuation funds, tenders, strip sales, NAV-financings and preferred/structured equity financings, as well as LP-led secondary activity across the capital structure.

Notable recent experience includes representing:

• CVC Capital Partners on the proposed extension of its partnership with Multiversity, the leading Italian online higher education provider, through a €multi-billion transfer of the business from CVC Capital Partners VII to a CVC managed continuation fund and CVC Capital Partners VIII.
• Cinven on the extension of its partnership with the Barentz Group, the global specialty ingredients solution provider, through a €multi-billion transfer to a GP-led continuation fund and the Eighth Cinven Fund.
• Astorg on the extension of its partnership with Normec, the leading testing, inspection and certification business, through a €multi-billion transfer of the business to a GP-led continuation fund.
• A leading European sponsor on the extension of its partnership with a leading data business through a €multi-billion transfer of the business to a GP-led continuation fund and the sponsor’s flagship fund.
• A leading European sponsor on a €hundreds of millions preferred equity financing of a mature portfolio of four private equity assets held in its third fund, with the proceeds used to trigger a liquidity event for LPs.
• J-STAR on the first GP-led secondary in Japan, being the extension of its partnership with Harita Metal (a metal recycling business), Sanwa Group (a car dealership business), Sincere Holdings (a recycling and building maintenance business) and SNK holdings (a waste oil treatment business) through a ¥multi-billion transfer from three legacy private equity funds to a GP-led multi- asset continuation fund and the J-STAR No4 Investment Limited Partnership.
• Various sponsors on preferred equity and structured equity financings in order to finance GP commitments and/or incremental investments into their sponsored funds.
• Boots Pension Scheme on the disposal of the illiquid assets by the scheme in connection with the £4.8 billion full buy-in transaction by Legal & General Group plc.
• Rothesay Life plc on the acquisition and disposal of the illiquid assets of the Thales UK Pension Scheme in connection with a £2.7 billion full buy-in transaction.
• A leading fund of funds on numerous GP-led secondary transactions, including a $confidential structured exit of a mature portfolio of co-investment assets.

In addition to his focus on secondaries transactions, Ed has significant experience in advising GPs on fund formation and carried interest structuring across a range of alternative strategies, including private equity, growth equity, venture capital, private debt/credit, special situations, infrastructure and real estate.

Highly regarded in the secondaries space, Ed is praised by clients in The Legal 500 who say that “he takes the time to understand clients’ business needs and uses it to exercise strong commercial judgment.” He was recognized as a “Next Generation Partner” by The Legal 500 and also featured among Private Equity International’s “Next Gen Leaders of Secondaries: Class of 2022.”