Jake Thornton

Jake is a Managing Associate in Linklaters’ Private Equity and Financial Sponsors team, based in London.

Jake advises private equity houses, financial sponsors and large corporates on domestic and cross-border M&A, co-investments, disposals, carve-outs, consortium and joint-venture arrangements, management investment plans, restructurings, and general corporate advisory matters, across a variety of sectors, with a particular focus on the technology, healthcare & life sciences, and financial services sectors.

Work highlights

Jake’s work highlights include advising:

• Waystone Group (a portfolio company of Montagu and Hg) on the proposed bolt-on acquisition of BIL Manage Invest, a Luxembourg-based management company, from Banque Internationale à Luxembourg
• Brookfield on its minority preferred equity investment in GEMS Education, a UAE-based education and ancillary services provider
• EXA Infrastructure (a portfolio company of I Squared Capital) on the carve-out and sale of seven edge data centre businesses across the UK, Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland, to nLighten, another I Squared portfolio company
• Telemos Capital on the acquisition of a majority stake in Vittoria S.p.A., a leading Italy-based manufacturer and distributor of performance bicycle tyres, from Wise Equity and management sellers
• Montagu: 
  • on the bolt-on acquisition of KB Associates by its portfolio company, the Waystone Group from ECI Partners and management sellers;
  • on the syndication of 50% of its interest in the Waystone Group to Hg
• Kinetic and Globalvia on their c. £669 million recommended cash offer for international bus and railway operator The Go-Ahead Group plc.

Prior to joining Linklaters, Jake was a Senior Associate at a leading global law firm in Sydney.

Jake has been recognised with the following industry awards:

• Australasian Lawyer, Rising Star – Winner (2022)
• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Australia (Corporate Law) – Winner (2022)

Jake holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Macquarie University in Australia. Jake also holds a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (Australia).

Jake is qualified in New South Wales, Australia.