Akin Gump to Welcome Africa-Focused Private Equity Partner in London
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(London) – Akin Gump is delighted to announce that private equity partner Weyinmi Popo will join the firm's London office from Orrick later in October, 2019.
Mr. Popo advises U.K. and international clients on private equity, M&A, infrastructure and energy transactions with an emphasis on Africa. His experience includes advising Africa-focused private equity sponsors, strategic investors and family offices on complex cross-border investments.
“Weyinmi’s transactional private equity experience will complement our recent hires in London and the firmwide Africa practice,” commented Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “He will also add depth to the firm’s corporate, private equity and funds teams, and I am delighted he will be joining the firm.”
His appointment follows that of corporate M&A and private equity transactional partner, Gavin Weir, who joined Akin Gump in London in September 2019, and that of energy-focused transactional corporate and private equity partners, Shaun Lascelles and Simon Rootsey, who recently joined the firm in London.
Sebastian Rice, partner in charge of Akin Gump’s London office, added: “Weyinmi will join the firm at an exciting time, as we continue to broaden our offerings across the energy and private equity sectors, with Africa becoming of increasing interest to our clients.”
Qualified in both England and Wales and New South Wales, Australia, Mr. Popo received his LLB from Bristol University in 1995. He is recommended in The UK Legal 500 for Finance and Emerging Markets, as well as in the EMEA Legal 500 for his experience in Ghana. He is a regular commentator on legal and related issues regarding cross-border transactions in Africa.
About Akin Gump in London
Akin Gump's London office is the hub for the firm’s international practice. The firm’s strategy in London is to grow practices that complement its core strengths. This has resulted in the growth of a fully integrated office, advising clients at the top of their respective markets.
Core strengths on which the office is founded include financial restructuring, corporate transactions (including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and private equity), finance, global project finance, energy and natural resources, debt and equity capital markets, financial services regulatory, disputes and international arbitration, investment funds (hedge, private equity, real estate and infrastructure), EU competition, international trade and tax.
The integrated nature of the practice means that the firm’s London lawyers work closely, and on a regular basis, with their counterparts across the globe. The work of the firm’s London lawyers has been recognized in leading legal and industry publications, including Chambers UK, The Legal 500 UK, IFLR1000 and numerous others.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
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