Michael Anastasio is a partner in the New York office of Latham & Watkins and a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. Mr. Anastasio has significant experience with transactions in a broad cross-section of industries, including media and entertainment, sports, technology, energy, and hospitality.

Mr. Anastasio’s practice includes advising on:

  • Public and private M&A transactions
  • Leveraged buy-outs
  • Co-investments
  • Joint ventures
  • Carve-outs
  • Restructuring transactions
  • General corporate matters, including corporate governance and takeover defense

Mr. Anastasio’s representative experience includes advising:

Strategic Transactions

  • Endeavor in its US$21 billion merger of UFC and WWE
  • Endeavor in its US$1.25 billion sale of IMG Academy
  • Endeavor in its acquisition of a majority stake in Barrett-Jackson
  • Endeavor in its US$800 million acquisition of OpenBet from Light & Wonder
  • Endeavor in its US$775 million sale of 80% of Endeavor Content to CJ ENM
  • Endeavor, Silver Lake Partners, and KKR in their acquisition of UFC*
  • Endeavor in the combination of its IMG College business with Learfield Communications*
  • Authentic Brands Group in its acquisition of Boardriders (Quicksilver, Billabong)
  • Authentic Brands Group in its acquisition of Reebok
  • Authentic Brands Group in its acquisition of Sports Illustrated*
  • LeanIX in its sale to SAP
  • Hyundai Motor Group in its acquisition of an 80% interest in Boston Dynamics from SoftBank in a transaction valuing Boston Dynamics at US$1.1 billion
  • Hyundai Motor Group in its US$4 billion joint venture with Aptiv to form an autonomous driving platform
  • Rackspace Hosting in its acquisitions of Datapipe and Tricore Solutions*
  • Virtu Financial in its acquisition of KCG Holdings for approximately US$1.4 billion*
  • Earthlink Holdings in its acquisition by Windstream Holdings for approximately US$1.1 billion*
  • The Kraft Heinz Company in its acquisition of Primal Nutrition*
  • NuStar Energy in the sale of 50% of its asphalt business and entry into a joint venture with Lindsay Goldberg*

Private Equity Transactions

  • Silver Lake in its US$12.5 billion acquisition of Qualtrics
  • Silver Lake in its US$500 million investment in Shadowbox Studios
  • Funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management in numerous transactions, including:
    • Acquisition of Rackspace Hosting for approximately US$4.3 billion*
    • Acquisition of The ADT Corporation for approximately US$6.9 billion*
    • Sale of Vectra’s EaglePicher business to affiliates of GTCR*
  • General Atlantic in numerous transactions, including:
    • Acquisition of Too Faced Cosmetics*
    • Strategic investments in:
      • Aimbridge Hospitality Holdings*
      • Opendoor Labs*
      • Alkami Technology*
      • Avant*
      • Barteca Holdings*
    • Sale of Aimbridge Hospitality Holdings to Advent International*
    • Sale of Barteca Holdings to Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group*
  • Cornell Capital in its acquisition of WKI Holding Company (now Corelle Brands)*
  • GP Investments in its acquisition of Bravo Brio Restaurant Group (now called FoodFirst Global Restaurants)*
  • Prime Clerk in its acquisition by funds managed by affiliates of The Carlyle Group, and subsequently in its acquisition by Duff & Phelps*

SPAC Transactions

  • Transfix in its US$1.1 billion merger with G Squared Ascend I (terminated)
  • Vacasa in its US$4.5 billion merger with TPG Pace Solutions
  • Bird Rides in its US$2.3 billion merger with Switchback II Corporation
  • The Beachbody Company in its US$2.9 billion merger with Forest Road Acquisition Corp. and Myx Fitness
  • Opendoor Labs in its US$4.8 billion merger with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings II

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

Bar Qualification

  • New York

Education

  • JD, Columbia Law School, 2008
    Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
  • BA, Yale University, 2004
    with distinction