Overview
Olivier Vermeulen is Office Chair of the Paris office of Paul Hastings and head of the Global Finance department. With a focus in banking and finance, he has extensive experience in leveraged financing (senior, second lien, mezzanine, unirate/unitranche, and SSRCF/high-yield financings), fund financing (EBF and capital call facilities), structured finance (securitization), debt negotiations, and Islamic finance.
Mr. Vermeulen advises both sponsors and borrowers (private equity and infrastructure funds as well as large corporate funds) as well as financial institutions (senior/mezzanine lenders and debt funds).
His strengths in innovation are very clearly demonstrated through the creation of a new product for the French bank finance market in the form of the equity bridge finance facility for European funds.
Mr. Vermeulen joined the firm from another law firm where he was head of the Finance practice. Prior to that, he worked for two other international law firms as counsel and part of the finance team.
Recognitions
- Olivier Vermeulen is ranked as a Leading Individual in Banking & Finance by The Legal 500 EMEA 2023
- ‘Olivier Vermeulen is a technical expert with excellent negotiation skills.’ - The Legal 500 EMEA
- Shorlisted as Private Equity Law Firm of the Year by Private Equity Magazine, 2023
- Ranked as Leading Firm in Private Equity - Acquisition Financing by Décideurs 2023
- Ranked as Highly Recommended in Banking & Finance by Décideurs 2022
- Shortlisted for European Banking & Finance Deal of the Year, The Lawyer European Awards 2015
- Ranked in the top ten “Most Innovative Firms in Finance” in Europe and received “Highly Commended” status, FT Innovative Lawyers Report 2014
Education
- Cornell Law School, LL.M.
- University of Paris I – Panthéon Sorbonne, DEA (pre-doctoral degree) in French and European Business and Financial Law
- University of Paris I – Panthéon Sorbonne, Master's in Business Law
Representations
Leveraged Finance Transactions
- Advising the Euro PP bondholders of Pierre & Vacances S.A. in connection with the implementation of a new financing for the Pierre et Vacances – Center Parcs Group
- Advising Tikehau Investment Management on the acquisition of a majority stake in the transportation group Groupe Sterne
- Advising Tikehau in the unitranche financing of the LBO on the Carso Group, structured by ArchiMed
- Advising Tikehau and Ares Management Ltd on the unitranche financing of the acquisition of the Marlink Group
- Advising Tikehau on the unitranche refinancing of Delpharm’s debt
- Advising Eurazeo on the unitranche refinancing of Dessange International’s debt
- Advising Idi and Pechel on the financing of the acquisition of Dubbing Brothers (management buy-out)
- Advising Tikehau on the unitranche financing of the acquisition of Pennel & Flipo by IDI and Cabestan Capital
- Advising Colisée Patrimoine on the full senior refinancing of its debt
- Advising CM-CIC on the mezzanine refinancing of ECF’s debt
- Advising Idinvest on the acquisition of Homeperf by Parquest Capital
- Advising Tikehau on the unitranche financing of the acquisition of Maesa by its managers and Winch Capital and of P2 by Maesa
- Advising IK Investment Partners on the senior refinancing of the Trigo Group’s debt and the financing of the acquisition of the PIC Group
- Advising 21 Centrale Partners on the unitranche and SSRCF refinancing of Oberthur’s debt
- Advising Tikehau on the unitranche financing of the acquisition of Ba&Sh
- Advising Equistone Partners on the refinancing of existing senior and mezzanine debt of Breteche Industries
- Advising Lion Capital on the senior/mezzanine financing of the acquisition and the further high yield/SSRCF refinancing of the Afflelou Group
- Advising Lion Capital on the financing of the acquisition and the further high yield/SSRCF refinancing of the Picard Group
- Advising Finachef on the unitranche financing of the acquisition of the Group Salins du Midi
- Advising Léon de Bruxelles on its senior and mezzanine debt refinancing
- Tikehau in the unitranche financing of the LBO on the Carso Group, structured by ArchiMed.
Fund Financing
- Advising Astorg Partners on the equity bridge financing made available to Astorg VI managed by Astorg Assets Management
- Advising PAI Partners on the equity bridge financing granted by Lloyds Bank plc to the funds PAI Europe VI-1 FPCI and PAI Europe VI-2 FPCI
- Advising Caceis on the equity bridge financing for Logistics (managed by AEW)
Project Finance
- Advising a private company on the financing of a railway line in Africa
- Advising a private company on the financing of a port development in Africa