Debevoise & Plimpton have become the latest firm to add to its private equity bench strength with the addition of a new partner in London.
Simon Witney will join the team at the end of the month from King & Wood Mallesons. He focuses on private equity, funds and investment management.
The move is the latest departure from KWM's London office in the midst of the firm's restructuring, with several firms looking to acquire its European operations.
The firm has also lost investment funds partners Michael Halford, Jonathan Pittal and Andrew Wingfield, real estate partners William Naunton, Cornelius Medvei, Bryan Pickup, Ed Page, George Burrha and Jeremy Brooks, M&A partners Clive Jones, Michael Goldberg and David Fitzgerald and private equity funds partners Steven Cowins and Marc Snell.
The move is also another sign of London firm's appetite for private equity experience. The market saw a string of private equity hires in 2016 including Dechert's capture of Ross Allardice from White & Case; Gibson Dunn's hire of James Howe from Proskauer Rose; Akin Gump's hire of Igor Krivoshekov from Dentons; Proskauer's move for Eleanor Shanks also from Dentons; Ropes & Gray's acquisition of Helen Croke from Travers Smith; Weil Gotshal's move for James MacArthur from Herbert Smith Freehills; and Kirkland & Ellis's move for Stuart Boyd from Linklaters.