Jacob Durkin

Based in London, Jacob Durkin is a Partner in Simpson Thacher’s Banking and Credit Practice. He focuses his practice on complex Private Credit financings, including leveraged, acquisition and fund finance, and leads the office’s Private Credit Practice group. 

Jacob regularly acts for financial institutions and private investment funds on cross-border financing transactions and restructurings, and has advised Private Credit funds on some of the most high profile financings of recent times, including take-privates. In addition to Private Credit work, Jacob represents financial sponsors including Apax, Carlyle, InvestIndustrial and KKR, providing him with a unique understanding of the needs of both sponsors and their debt providers.

Jacob has advised clients on all major types of private investments as well as innovative products, including: (i) unitranche and stretched senior, (ii) privately placed first and second lien, (iii) holdco PIK, preferred equity, mezzanine, convertible and other hybrid instruments, (iv) ARR, and (v) NAV and asset-based financings.

Jacob’s recent work highlights include:

• KKR Credit funds on multiple unitranche, junior capital and other direct lending transactions for various financial sponsor
• Advising credit fund investors including Apollo, Park Square Capital and KKR Credit on private placed notes investments to a Cinven portfolio company
• Advising both sponsors and private investment funds on multiple fund-level and asset backed financings
• Angelo Gordon on a cross-border €250m senior secured term loan facility for Glatfelter Corporation
• Apax Credit on its ARR unitranche financing investment for data and analytics firm Kpler
• Funds advised by Riverstone Credit on the sustainability-linked unitranche facility for Hoover Circular Solutions
• KKR on its £300 million equity investment in PureGym, the leading operator of value gyms in the U.K.
• JPMorgan on the financing for EIG’s c.$4.8 billion acquisition of a 25% stake in Repsol’s upstream oil and gas assets
• Apollo Global Management in its significant capital commitment in Yondr Group
• Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book-Running Managers in LATAM Airlines Group’s $2.75 billion Debtor-in-Possession to Exit financing
• Lead Arrangers in their $1.5 billion revolving credit facility for Capri Holdings Limited and Michael Kors (USA), Inc.
• Funds advised by Apax Partners in their agreement to sell idealista, the leading online real estate platform in Spain, Italy and Portugal, to the EQT IX fund for a transaction value of €1.3 billion

In 2021, Jacob spent a year on secondment with the Credit and Markets team in KKR’s London office.

Jacob received his LL.B from the College of Law – London, and his B.A. Hons. from the University of Leeds. He is admitted to practice in England and Wales.