Geoffrey Bailhache is a Partner in Simpson Thacher’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice. Geoff has deep experience as former General Counsel for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Blackstone, where he spent more than 10 years advising their Private Equity and Tactical Opportunities, Energy and Infrastructure Groups on complex, cross-border private equity mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, take private transactions and dispositions, among other corporate matters. Based in London, he has extensive experience spanning across geographies and industries.
Geoff is recognized by Chambers UK for Private Equity and was recently named to Private Equity News’ list of the “Twenty Most Influential Private Equity Lawyers” for 2024. He was named among the top 5 private equity bankers and lawyers in EMEA for 2023 and Europe’s top M&A and finance lawyers for 2022 by MergerLinks. In 2023, Geoff was included in The Lawyer’s Hot 100.
Read Full Biography...
Work Highlights
- EQT and its portfolio company, EdgeConneX, in connection with a substantial minority investment in EdgeConneX by Sixth Street
- CVC Capital Partners on its acquisition of M Group Services
- Blackstone Capital Partners in its investments in Civica, Desotec, Huws Gray and Esdec Solar Group
- Blackstone Energy Transition Partners in its acquisition of SEVES Group
- Blackstone Infrastructure Partners in its acquisition of Atlantia SpA and Autostrade per l'Italia
- Blackstone Tactical Opportunities in its investments in Currencies Direct, Superbet and Lazeo
- Technology Crossover Ventures on its investments in Adevinta and Believe SA
- Corsair Capital in its strategic minority investment by British Columbia Investment Management Corporation
- Huws Gray in its acquisition of the generalist builders’ merchanting business of Grafton Group plc
- Five Arrows Principal Investments in its investment in Causeway Technologies
- Bourne Leisure, a portfolio company of Blackstone, in its agreement to sell Butlin’s, the British chain of seaside resorts, to a newly formed company backed by the Harris family
Accolades
-
Chambers UK, Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above (2024-2025)
-
The Lawyer, Hot 100 (2023)
-
Private Equity News, “Twenty Most Influential Private Equity Lawyers” (2024)
-
Financial News, In-house Counsel of the Year: Asset Management (2015)
-
Financial News, 40 Under 40: Private Equity (2013)
-
Financial News, 40 Under 40: Legal Services (2013)
Education
-
University of Nottingham, 2001 LL.B.
Associations
- Former Board Member, Invest Europe
Geoffrey Bailhache is a Partner in Simpson Thacher’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice and advises on clients on complex, cross-border private equity mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, take private transactions and dispositions, among other corporate matters. Based in London, he has extensive experience spanning across geographies and industries.
Prior to joining Simpson Thacher, Geoff was General Counsel for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Blackstone. In that role, he provided transactional advice for more than 10 years to Blackstone’s Private Equity and Tactical Opportunities, Energy, Infrastructure and Growth Equity Groups. Geoff also previously spent several years in private practice.
Geoff is recognized by Chambers UK for Private Equity and was recently named to Private Equity News’ list of the “Twenty Most Influential Private Equity Lawyers” for 2024. He was named among the top 5 private equity bankers and lawyers in EMEA for 2023 and Europe’s top M&A and finance lawyers for 2022 by MergerLinks. In 2023, Geoff was included in The Lawyer’s Hot 100.
Geoff is a member of the Firm's Pro Bono Committee and is a former member of the Board of Invest Europe.
Recent work highlights include:
-
EQT and its portfolio company, EdgeConneX, in connection with a substantial minority investment in EdgeConneX by Sixth Street
- CVC Capital Partners on its acquisition of M Group Services
- Blackstone Capital Partners in its investments in Civica, Desotec, Huws Gray and Esdec Solar Group
- Blackstone Energy Transition Partners in its acquisition of SEVES Group
- Blackstone Infrastructure Partners in its acquisition of Atlantia SpA and Autostrade per l'Italia
- Blackstone Tactical Opportunities in its investments in Currencies Direct, Superbet and Lazeo
- Technology Crossover Ventures on its investments in Adevinta and Believe SA
- Corsair Capital in its strategic minority investment by British Columbia Investment
- Management Corporation
- Huws Gray in its acquisition of the generalist builders’ merchanting business of Grafton Group plc
- Five Arrows Principal Investments in its investment in Causeway Technologies
- Bourne Leisure, a portfolio company of Blackstone, in its agreement to sell Butlin’s, the British chain of seaside resorts, to a newly formed company backed by the Harris family