Image

Christopher Zochowski

Partner

Chris is US Co-Head of Private Equity and Private Equity Sector Lead – US. He has extensive experience in mergers & acquisitions, capital markets and general corporate transactions, both domestically and internationally.

He regularly advises private equity, corporate strategic, asset management and investment bank clients in structuring, negotiating and executing transactions. Chris is a general corporate practitioner who works extensively with both domestic and international clients with respect to:

Mergers and acquisitions, including segment or carve-out transactions, public mergers and acquisitions, take-private transactions, distressed and 363 transactions, complex stock and asset transactions, reincorporation mergers, proxy solicitations and issuer self-tender offers.

Public and private securities transactions, including initial, follow-on and secondary public offerings, shelf registrations, 144A and Reg S transactions, public debt offerings and offerings under medium-term note programs.

Permanent capital and specialty finance transactions, including those for Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs), Business Development Companies (BDCs), Permanent Capital Acquisition Partnerships (P/CAPs), Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs), Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and a variety of both public and private hybrid structures involving long-term or other permanent capital.

Cross-border and domestic project and structured finance transactions involving a wide range of energy technologies, including gas, coal, nuclear, geothermal, solar, wind and biomass. Debt restructurings, including consent solicitations and exchange offerings.

Chris has worked across a wide range of practice areas, industries and sectors, with a particular focus on the financial services, energy, manufacturing and industrial sectors. He also has extensive experience in structuring and negotiating transactions on behalf of private equity and asset management clients, as well as in structuring and negotiating specialty finance transactions for sponsors in the public markets.

In addition, Chris has advised clients on matters relating to: periodic reporting and disclosure requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 compliance with the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq; Delaware corporate law matters; and other general corporate matters.

Experience

Representative matters

Private Equity

Atlas Holdings in connection with its acquisition of US Farathane from The Gores Group.

Atlas Holdings in connection with its acquisition of substantially all the operating assets of the Americas business of Exide Technologies, LLC in a court-supervised sale process pursuant to Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy code.

Atlas Holdings in connection with the reverse public merger of its portfolio company, Greenidge Generation Holdings Inc. with Support.com Inc., and subsequent initial public offering and listing.

Siris Capital Group LLC and its portfolio company, Trident Private Holdings III LLC, a holding company of Transaction Network Services, in a minority investment by Koch Equity Development LLC and co-investors Eaglehill Advisors LLC and MSD Capital, L.P.

Perella Weinberg Partners in the sale of Northpoint Commercial Finance, LLC.

Atlas Holdings, in connection with its:

– its disposition by Ivex Specialty Paper LLC of its US and Canadian assets to IndusPac.

– its acquisition of AGI Media and its affiliates, comprising the specialty packaging division of MeadWestvaco Corporation in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Holland, Germany, Austria, Poland and Australia.

– its acquisition of Shorewood Packaging Corporation and its affiliates, comprising the specialty packaging division of International Paper Company, in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Korea, Mexico, Poland and Canada, and subsequent consolidation with AGI Media to create ASG, specialty packaging company.

Atlas Holdings portfolio companies:

– ASG, a specialty packaging company, in connection with:

–The stock and asset disposition by the AGI Shorewood Group of companies of packaging businesses and assets in China, Mexico and the United States to Multi Packaging Solutions.

–The asset acquisition by AGI Media Warszawa Sp. z.o.o. of packaging assets from MWV Graz GmbH.

–The asset acquisition by AGI Polymatrix LLC of packaging assets from Infiniti Media Inc.

–The stock and asset disposition by the AGI Shorewood Group of companies of its gravure packaging businesses and assets in China, Korea, Mexico and the United States, to Amcor.

– Greenidge Generation Holdings Inc., a vertically integrated bitcoin mining and power generation company, in connection with:

– its merger with Support.com Inc. to become the first publicly traded, vertically integrated bitcoin mining company in the world.

– its subsequent initial public offering, and multiple additional debt and equity offerings.

– Iconex, a specialty paper converting company, in connection with its acquisition of RiteMade Paper Converters.

– Motus Integrated Technologies, an auto supply company, in connection with:

– The sale of its certain operating businesses in France, Mexico and the U.S. to Shanghai Daimay Automotive Interior Co. Ltd.

– the sale of its operating assets in Uberherrn, Germany to Nobo Automotive System Co., Ltd.

– its acquisition of the Janesville Fiber Solutions business of Jason Industries, Inc.

– Stryten Manufacturing, a battery manufacturing company, in connection with:

– its acquisition of Galvion Power Systems with operations in Ontario, Canada.

– its acquisition of Tulip Richardson Manufacturing, with operations throughout the mid-West and Northeast United States.

American Residuals Group and American Industrial Services Group in the sale of their specialty waste and environmental recycling and disposal services business to TPG Growth.

The Olayan Group in its acquisition of a non-controlling interest in PurposeBuilt Brands, Inc.

Compass Diversified Trust in its acquisition of CBS Personnel Holdings, Inc., Crosman Acquisition Corporation, Compass AC Holdings, Inc, and Silvue Technologies Group, Inc., each of which were acquired in connection its initial public offering.

Special Purpose Acquisition Vehicles

Skillz, Inc. in connection with its US$3.5 billion business combination with Flying Eagle Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition vehicle.

Alkuri Global Acquisition Corp. in connection with its US$4.2 billion business combination with Babylon Holdings Limited, a digital-first value-based care company.

Ark Global Acquisition Corp. in its US$345 million initial public offering.

Kingswood Acquisition Corp. in its US$115 million initial public offering.

MDH Acquisition Corp. in connection with

– its US$960 million business combination with Paylink Direct and Olive.com, a payment service and online vehicle protection plan company.

– its US$276 million initial public offering.

Mergers & Acquisitions

BP America in connection with its sale of multiple tankers.

The sale of Care Investment Trust Inc., a publicly traded REIT, to Tiptree Financial Partners, L.P.

The sale of a REIT loan portfolio by Care Investment Trust Inc. to CapitalSource Bank

The acquisition of a trading contract portfolio by Macquarie Cook Energy LLC from Constellation Energy Commodities Group, Inc.

The acquisition of a trading contract portfolio by Macquarie Cook Energy LLC from Integrys Energy Services, Inc.

The tax equity and debt financing of a geothermal energy facility by Merrill Lynch and certain affiliates.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. in the unwind of the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Company with Luminant.

MorganFranklin Consulting, a leading finance and technology advisory firm, in its sale to Vaco, a global talent & solutions firm.

Capital Markets

The shelf registration and debt offering by Allied Capital Corporation for US$1 billion and US$400 million, respectively (Merrill Lynch as lead underwriter).

The universal shelf registration by Allegheny Energy, Inc., Allegheny Capital Trust I, II and III of US$1.5 billion of securities.

Multiple private placements of notes by American Tower Corporation totaling approximately US$1.2 billion (Credit Suisse First Boston represented the Initial Purchasers).

The initial public offering by Compass Diversified Trust for approximately US$200 million and the acquisition of four portfolio companies with the proceeds thereof (Ferris, Baker Watts was the lead underwriter).

The initial public offering by Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. for approximately US$78 million (JMP Securities was the lead underwriter).

Multiple private placements of debt by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) totaling approximately US$8 billion (various Initial Purchasers).

Various follow-on equity offerings by MCG Capital Corporation for approximately US$110 million (various lead underwriters).

The initial public offering by Oxford GlycoSciences Plc of American Depositary Shares for approximately US$215 million (Lehman Brothers was lead underwriter).

The rights offering for Ordinary Shares and the initial public offering by Pearson plc of American Depositary Shares for approximately US$2.5 billion (Goldman Sachs as lead underwriter).

The rights offering by Technology Investment Capital Corp. for approximately US$44 million (UBS Securities as lead rights manager).

Published Work

  • Quest for Permanent Capital (Three Part Series), Private Equity Law Report, 2020 (Quoted In)

Awards

  • 500 Leading Dealmakers in Americs, Lawdragon Inc., 2021
  • M&A: Middle Market ($500M–999M), Legal 500 US, 2016–2020
  • Corporate/M&A & Private Equity – District of Columbia, Chambers USA, 2015
  • Corporate/Strategic Acquisition of the Year ($100M–$1B), M&A Advisor, 2013
  • Corporate/Strategic Acquisition of the Year ($100M–$200M), M&A Advisor, 2012

Qualifications

Admissions

Florida (Inactive Status), 1997

District of Columbia, 1999

New York, 2005

Academic

B.A., Government International Relations, Georgetown University, 1993

J.D., Law, George Washington University, Highest Honors, 1997

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.