Willkie Farr & Gallagher has added a second partner in a month to its London based private equity (PE) team.
François Feuillat joins the firm from Vinson & Elkins where he advised on M&A and corporate finance matters. He has a particular focus on the energy sector including renewables, oil and gas and infrastructure work in both Europe and Africa. He is admitted in England and Wales.
Recent work includes heading up a Vinson & Elkins team in London and Moscow that advised the Russian firm Eurasia Drilling Company on its de-listing from the LSE, combination with EDC Acquistion Company, and the subsequent sale of a minority stake to Schlumberger.
The move is the second PE addition in a month for Willkie following the hire of former O'Melveny & Myers London managing partner and private funds specialist Solomon Wifa in June (June 15).
That move itself came almost a year after the launch of the London practice when the firm took Matthew Dean and Claire McDaid from Kirkland & Ellis (July 14).
Private equity additions have become a theme of the summer in the London laterals market following Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson's acquistion of a funds team from Kirkland (May 27); Proskauer Rose's acquistion of Baker & McKenzie partner Bruno Bertrand-Delfau; Morrison & Foerster's move for Graeme Sloan from Latham & Watkins (July 1); and Goodwin Procter's addition of Simon Fulbrook from King & Wood Mallesons (July 1)