Linklaters today announced that Rahul Chatterji will join as a partner in the firm’s Asia Banking practice, further strengthening its existing leveraged finance capability.
Rahul, who joins from Shearman & Sterling where he was a partner in their London office, is a market-leading debt finance lawyer with extensive experience in advising both lenders and borrowers across a wide range of complex cross-border financing transactions, including leveraged buyouts, public-to-private transactions, investment grade borrowings and special situations transactions.
He has a strong track record in offshore Indian transactions and will focus on the fast-growing India and Southeast Asia leveraged finance market, working closely with the firm’s well-established global team, specifically in Singapore and London, to support clients across Asia.
His skills and expertise will also complement the firm’s strong cross-practice offering in Asia across the Capital Markets, Restructuring & Insolvency, Energy & Infrastructure and Dispute Resolution practices, as well as the team’s existing relationships with financial investors.
Rahul will join Linklaters in May 2023. He will initially join the firm in London before relocating to Singapore later this year.
David Irvine, Co-Head of Leveraged Finance, commented:
“We are delighted to have Rahul on board. Leveraged finance is a key growth area for the firm, reflected by the three internal promotions and four strong lateral hires into our team over the past year. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to support our clients’ needs.”
Narayan Iyer, Partner, Head of India Group and Philip Badge, Asia Head of Banking, commented:
“The Indian economy is one of the fastest growing in the world and offers exciting opportunities for our clients to realise their global ambitions. Rahul’s cross-jurisdictional expertise in advising on leveraged finance matters and familiarity with the India market enhances our India-facing offering and provides synergies with the existing leveraged finance team in London and China, as well as with other practices in the region. We are thrilled to welcome Rahul to the Asia Banking practice where his skillset will strengthen a targeted area of growth.”
Amit Singh, Head of South and Southeast Asia Capital Markets, commented:
“Rahul is a fantastic addition to the team. He will be integral in developing the firm’s existing India-facing structured lending business alongside its well-established Capital Markets team in Singapore.”
Rahul Chatterji, Banking Partner, commented:
“Linklaters is a market-leading platform for finance work in India and Southeast Asia, and I am delighted to be joining such a fantastic team. The next few years will be a very exciting time for India’s amazing growth story, and the team at Linklaters is brilliantly placed to help clients navigate this key market.”
Linklaters’ global Leveraged Finance group is at the cutting edge of the market and continues to advise on some of the biggest, most complex and innovative global deals.
The move reaffirms Linklaters’ continued investment in its global Leveraged Finance offering, as Rahul Chatterji’s appointment follows the team hire of Noel Hughes, Giacomo Reali and Christianne Williams, who joined the firm’s Leveraged Finance practice in London last year.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The global Leveraged Finance practice advises financial sponsors, banks and credit funds on their most complex and challenging financing transactions. The practice has dedicated leveraged finance partners and teams in Benelux, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Italy, New York, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
- We have been recognised as Band 1 for Banking and Finance: Lenders and Borrowers (Chambers UK, Europe and Global, 2022), Tier 1 for Acquisition Finance (Legal 500 UK, 2022) and Band 1 for Capital Markets (Chambers UK, Europe and Global 2022).
- Globally, the Banking practice promoted six to partner in 2023: Rhéa Christophilopoulos (Paris), Diego Esposito (Milan), James Godfrey (London), Sam Mahboubian (London), Begoña Martinez (Madrid) and Gonçalo Veiga de Macedo (Lisbon). Rhéa, Diego and Begoña are part of our global Leveraged Finance practice. This follows a strong promotions round for the practice in 2022, when 11 were promoted to partner across the global Banking network, including five with a focus on leveraged finance.
- Our global Leveraged Finance practice also bolstered its offering last year by welcoming lateral hires and market-leading high yield lawyers Noel Hughes, Giacomo Reali and Christianne Williams to its team in London.
- The Banking practice globally has had a record-breaking couple of years and continues to work with the biggest players in the industry. Recent deals advised on by our leading Leveraged Finance practice includes advising Tereos on the first high-yield transaction in the European market in 2023, advising the banks on LimaCorporate’s refinancing transactions, advising Triton on the financing for its public tender offer for Caverion Corporation, advising Hg on the financing for its £1.06bn recommended cash offer for Ideagen plc, advising the arrangers on financing for the EUR18.6bn merger between MasMovil Group and Orange Spain and advising the arrangers on the financing for CVC’s acquisition of Unilever Teas, advising the initial purchasers and mezzanine purchasers on the financing for Carlyle’s acquisition of Hexaware (the first ever bridge to bond financing for an Indian LBO, the first ever holdco mezzanine debt financing for an Indian LBO and, at the time, the largest ever Indian LBO), to name a few.
