Ropes & Gray Bolsters London Private Equity with Partner Paul Armstrong Hire

Ropes & Gray Bolsters London Private Equity with Partner Paul Armstrong Hire

In a move further solidifying its position as a leading player in the private equity market, Ropes & Gray is pleased to announce the addition of Paul Armstrong as a Partner in its London office, effective January 2024. This follows a period of robust performance and strategic team building of the firm.

Armstrong joins Ropes & Gray from global investment firm Permira, where he served as a Managing Director in London for 16 years. Throughout his tenure, he played a pivotal role in structuring and executing a wide range of complex, cross-border private equity transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, growth investments, and take-private transactions. Additionally, he held a position within Permira's Equity Capital Markets group, offering expert counsel on all aspects of public markets transactions and listed company governance on a global scale. Prior to his time at Permira, Mr. Armstrong honed his skills in private practice, focusing on sponsor-backed public and private company mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and other investments.

Armstrong strengthens the ranks of Ropes & Gray, renowned for its strong private capital practice. In 2022 alone, the firm's 300+ private equity and M&A lawyers facilitated 325 transactions with a combined value of $186 billion. The London team, with its impressive track record of over 80 transactions worth £67 billion, further underscores the firm's global reach and expertise in serving private equity houses, asset managers, and sovereign wealth funds across Europe, Asia and North America.

“Paul’s experience at Permira, and in private practice, is matched with the agency and ambition that makes him a trusted adviser to the world’s leading funds,” Julie Jones, Chair of Ropes & Gray, said.

David Blittner, Chair of Ropes & Gray’s Global Private Equity Transactions Group, stated: “Paul is a seasoned advisor and the breadth of his 25+ years’ experience and insight will bolster our London team and further strengthen our leading global private equity offering. We are excited to have him onboard.”

Jane Rogers, Managing Partner of Ropes & Gray’s London office expressed his delight at Armstrong joining the firm. “His arrival, which follows the addition of four partners to our team in London last year, reflects our notable trajectory and our ambition for further growth,” Rogers added.

Paul Armstrong said: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join such a high-quality firm and team during a period of strong growth. Ropes & Gray’s leading practice and global capabilities give clients access to high quality, sophisticated, client-centric advice, and I look forward to leveraging my experience to help clients navigate the broad array of opportunities and challenges that they are presented with.”