Hector Sants advises clients on strategic cross-border M&A and joint ventures, particularly within the technology, sports, and energy industries.

Mr. Sants has extensive experience supporting public and private companies, with a particular focus on complex cross-border matters involving the UK, Europe, and the US, on:

  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Joint ventures
  • Public takeovers
  • Public and private financings
  • Corporate governance

Before joining Latham, Mr. Sants worked at another international law firm, where he completed a secondment on the M&A team at a FTSE 100 company.

Mr. Sants regularly writes on topics at the intersection of company M&A and private equity, including public and private investments and the application of technology to dealmaking.

Mr. Sants’ experience includes representing:

Technology

  • Farfetch on numerous matters, including:
    • Its sale to Greenoaks and Coupang via a UK pre-pack administration process, as well as the negotiation of a committed first lien delayed draw term loan facility of up to US$500 million
    • The establishment and expansion of its Luxury New Retail partnership, including Farfetch’s proposed acquisition of 47.5% of YOOX Net-a-Porter from Richemont, as well as the agreement for Richemont and YNAP to each adopt Farfetch Platform Solutions
    • Its global strategic partnership and China joint venture with Alibaba Group and Richemont
    • Its acquisition of certain assets of Opening Ceremony, an American multi-brand retailer
  • NVIDIA on its proposed US$40 billion acquisition of Arm Limited, the Cambridge-headquartered semiconductor and software design company, from SoftBank
  • Viasat on its proposed US$7.3 billion combination with Inmarsat

Sports

  • TWG Global and Billie Jean King Enterprises on their partnership agreement with the International Tennis Federation to form the Billie Jean King Cup Limited
  • The consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital on its £4.25 billion acquisition of Chelsea Football Club
  • 888 Holdings PLC on its £2.2 billion acquisition of William Hill International from Caesars Entertainment
  • A group of US sports and media investors in a strategic partnership with the International Basketball Association (FIBA) to invest in the Basketball Champions League (BCL) and other global basketball competitions
  • Multiple clients in joint ventures, investments, and M&A in the international sports market across numerous disciplines, including sports betting, football, basketball and tennis

Other M&A

  • One of the lead financial advisors to UBS on its proposed takeover of Credit Suisse
  • The Carlyle Group on its potential US$825 million acquisition of Occidental’s entire onshore portfolio in Colombia
  • NRG Energy on its US$3.625 billion acquisition of Direct Energy, a North American subsidiary of Centrica
  • Total on the expansion of strategic partnership with Adani Group via its acquisition of a 37.4% controlling interest in Adani Gas Limited
  • Fortress Investment Group on the sale of Florida East Coast Railways to Grupo Mexico*
  • GlaxoSmithKline on:
    • Forming a world-leading consumer healthcare joint venue with Pfizer*
    • Its three-part interconditional Vaccines, Oncology, and Consumer Healthcare joint venture with Novartis*
  • Shire on its:
    • US$32 billion acquisition of Baxalta*
    • US$5.9 billion acquisition of Dyax*
  • Talisman Energy on its:
    • North Sea joint venture with Addax/China Sinopec*
    • US$8.3 billion takeover by Repsol*

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

Bar Qualification

  • England and Wales (Solicitor)

Education

  • Legal Practice Course, BPP Law School, London, 2012
  • Graduate Diploma in Law, BPP Law School, London, 2011
  • MA in History, The University of Oxford, Pembroke College, 2010