Michael Anastasio is a partner in the New York office of Latham & Watkins and a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. Michael has significant experience with transactions in a broad cross-section of industries, including media and entertainment, sports, technology, energy, and hospitality.
Michael’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
Experience
Michael’s representative experience includes advising:
Strategic Transactions
Endeavor in:
Its US$13 billion sale to Silver Lake
Its sale of ATP and WTA tennis tournaments, including the Madrid Open and the Miami Open, to MARI
Its sale of Frieze to MARI
Its sale of IMG ARENA to Sportradar
Its sale of Professional Bull Riders, On Location, and IMG to TKO in an all-equity transaction valued at US$3.25 billion
Its US$21 billion merger of UFC and WWE
Its US$1.25 billion sale of IMG Academy
Its acquisition of a majority stake in Barrett-Jackson, and subsequent sale to MARI
Its US$800 million acquisition of OpenBet from Light & Wonder
Its US$775 million sale of 80% of Endeavor Content to CJ ENM
The combination of its IMG College business with Learfield Communications*
Endeavor, Silver Lake Partners, and KKR in their acquisition of UFC*
TKO in its launch of a boxing promotion with HE Turki Alalshikh and Sela
Authentic Brands Group in its:
Pending US$1.4 billion acquisition of Guess?
Acquisition of Champion
Acquisition of Boardriders (Quicksilver, Billabong)
Acquisition of Reebok
Acquisition of Sports Illustrated*
Vacasa in its acquisition by Casago
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
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:
As part of a consortium, in the pending US$55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts
In its US$12.5 billion acquisition of Qualtrics
In its US$500 million investment in Shadowbox Studios
Funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management in numerous transactions, including:
Acquisition of Barnes Group Inc. for approximately US$3.6 billion
US$1.4 billion offer by Concord Chorus Limited for Hipgnosis Song Fund Limited
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
Qualifications
Bar Qualification
New York
Education
JD, Columbia Law School, 2008 Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
Latham-led transactions named among the most influential deals of the year by the entertainment trade publication, including Studio Merger of the Year (Skydance/Paramount).
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