Brian Parness

Leader of Simpson Thacher’s Sponsor Transactions and Advisory Practice, Brian Parness represents some of the world’s preeminent asset managers, private equity sponsors and institutional investors on the significant strategic transactions and advisory matters that shape the alternative asset management industry. He has buy-side and sell-side experience and advises on asset management M&A transactions, GP-stake transactions, GP-led secondary transactions, continuation fund vehicles, strategic investments and partnerships, succession planning and governance matters. He has experience representing some of the world’s leading asset managers, including Blue Owl, Brookfield Asset Management, Goldman Sachs and TPG, among others.

Brian was named a 2024 “Rising Star” for Private Equity by Law360 and a 2024 “Next Generation” attorney by Lawdragon. He was also named to the 2021 “40 Under 40: Future Leaders of Private Equity” list by Private Equity International, a 2022 “Emerging Leader” by The M&A Advisor and a 2022 “Rising Star” for M&A by Expert Guides. In 2020, he was named a Secondaries “Next Generation Leader” by Secondaries Investor. He is also widely recognized by Chambers USA, IFLR1000 and Legal 500 US.

Earlier in this career, Brian was responsible for executing strategic M&A at Goldman Sachs Asset Management and advised the Secondaries, GP-stakes and growth equity business units.

His experience prior to joining Simpson Thacher includes advising:

• Brookfield Asset Management in multiple transactions, including the approximately $3 billion acquisition of a 26% remaining stake in Oaktree Capital Management; the separation of Brookfield Corporation and Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. and the listing of a 25% interest in Brookfield Asset Management Ltd., resulting in a standalone asset management business with a $50 billion market capitalization as of the separation date; the $4.8 billion acquisition of a 61.2% stake in Oaktree Capital Group; and the acquisition of DWS’ Private Equity Secondaries business.
• Goldman Sachs in multiple transactions, including the acquisition of Industry Ventures, a leading venture capital focused Secondaries firm, for up $965 million; the strategic partnership with T. Rowe Price which involved a $1 billion equity investment in T. Rowe Price; the $1.04 billion equity investment and subordinated debt financing in World Insurance Associates LLC; as founding and largest shareholder of Global Atlantic Financial Group Limited, in KKR’s acquisition of a controlling interest in Global Atlantic in a transaction valued at approximately $4.7 billion; the sale of its Personal Financial Management unit to wealth management firm Creative Planning; and the acquisitions of Rocaton Investment Advisors, Aptitude Investment Management, Honest Dollar, Imprint Capital, Pacific Global Advisors’ OCIO business, Verus Investors’ OCIO business and Deutsche Bank’s stable value business.
• TPG in multiple transactions, including its approximately $2.7 billion acquisition of Angelo, Gordon & Co.; its $1.1 billion IPO and related reorganization and governance matters; its $660 million acquisition of Peppertree Capital Management, Inc.; its strategic partnership with Jackson Financial Inc., involving a minimum $12 billion AUM commitment from Jackson and TPG investment of $500 million in Jackson; and its agreement with Sixth Street Partners, to become independent, unaffiliated businesses, with TPG retaining a passive minority economic stake in Sixth Street.
• Allied Capital Corp. in its $650 million all-stock merger with Ares Capital Corporation.
• American Securities in the sale of AS Birch Grove to Third Point LLC.
• Blue Owl in its minority investment in Cresset.
• British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) in the sale of European-focused alternative asset management firm Hayfin Capital Management to Arctos Partners.
• CBAM in the sale of a portfolio of its assets to The Carlyle Group, in a transaction valued at approximately $800 million.
• Genstar Capital, together with TA Associates, in the acquisition of Orion Advisor Solutions and the simultaneous acquisition of Brinker Capital.
• Georgian Partners Growth in its $100 million sale of a minority stake to Navigator Global Investments Limited.
• The Hartford in the pending $1.9 billion sale of Hartford Funds to Wellington Management.
• InfraRed Capital Partners in its $396 million sale of a majority stake to Sun Life Financial Inc.
• IPC Holdings in its $1.7 billion sale to Validus Holdings.
• Irradiant Partners in its pending sale to Apollo affiliate Redding Ridge Asset Management.
• ITE Management, L.P. in a strategic minority investment from Blackstone.
• Sculptor Capital Management Inc. in its sale to Rithm Capital Corp.
• Stone Ridge in its acquisition of Wincoram Asset Management.
• Thomas H. Lee Partners in the sale of THL Credit Advisors LLC to First Eagle Investment Management, LLC.
• A diverse group of secondary investors on continuation fund and other liquidity solutions transactions, including, among others, BlackRock, Blue Owl, CPPIB, Goldman Sachs and Leonard Green & Partners. 

Brian received his J.D., magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law in 2008, where he was Order of the Coif. He received his B.A. from University of Delaware in 2005, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He is admitted to practice in New York.