Michael Nicklin is a partner in the Hong Kong office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and Co-Chair of the firm’s Global Finance Practice Group.  He has worked in the debt markets in Asia-Pacific, Europe and the USA for over 24 years.

Mr. Nicklin’s practice covers a broad range of debt financing transactions across the Asia-Pacific region.  He has particularly extensive experience in cross-border leveraged finance and regularly advises top-tier private equity sponsors and other sophisticated investors on complex leveraged financing including, cross-border acquisition financings (including public to private transactions) recapitalizations and workouts.

He has acted for many of the leading private equity sponsors active in the Asia-Pacific region, including Advent International, Bain Capital, Baring Private Equity Asia, Blackstone, Carlyle, Goldman Sachs, Hillhouse Capital, I Squared Capital, KKR and TPG.

He also has significant experience in special situations transactions, direct lending, bridge financing, margin financing, rescue financing, real estate financing, junior capital, convertible debt, fund-level financings, restructurings and other event-driven financings.

Mr. Nicklin is consistently recognized as one of Asia-Pacific’s leading finance lawyers in all of the major legal directories. Chambers Asia Pacific and Chambers Global both rank Mr. Nicklin for Leveraged & Acquisition Finance.  He is also recognized as a “Leading Individual” and member of the “Hall of Fame” for Banking & Finance by Legal 500 Asia Pacific and as a “Leading Lawyer” for Private Equity by IFLR1000.  Euromoney’s Expert Guides has named Mr. Nicklin to its Banking, Finance and Transactional Guide.  Recent recognitions include:

• “Michael Nicklin is one of the best” (Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021)
• “Michael Nicklin has a great grasp of market positions and always drives for the best possible terms for his borrower clients who are often financial sponsors” (Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021)
• “‘Michael is instrumental in helping me craft financing solutions,’ says one happy client, adding: ‘He’s very creative and can be a great thought partner.’” (Chambers Asia Pacific 2021)
• “one of the best negotiators I have ever worked with” (Chambers Asia Pacific 2017)
• “a recognised leader in leveraged finance, and ‘very good lawyer’” (Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017)
• “interviewees admire his ability to ‘get the best terms for his clients on deals, drawing on his experience from transactions in a range of jurisdictions’ especially as he has negotiating ability and tenacity’” (Chambers Asia Pacific 2016)
• “a leader in sponsor-side leveraged finance, thanks to the presence of Michael Nicklin” (Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2016)
• “Michael Nicklin is admired for his in-depth knowledge of acquisition finance. He is praised for his ‘encyclopaedic market knowledge, incisive brain’ and ability to ‘recognise the commercial needs of the situation’” (Chambers Asia Pacific 2015)
• “Leveraged specialist Michael Nicklin is recommended” (Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2015)

Mr. Nicklin is a frequent speaker and author on leveraged finance, syndicated lending and private equity.

Mr. Nicklin gained his LL.B. from Hertfordshire University in 1995 and his PG Dip from Staffordshire University in 1996. He is admitted to practice in Hong Kong, the State of New York and England and Wales.

Before joining Gibson Dunn in 2017, Mr. Nicklin led the Asia Finance at Ropes & Gray LLP in Hong Kong where he practiced since 2011 and prior to that was a finance partner in the London office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

Representative Matters

• Bain Capital led consortium on its acquisition financing for its acquisition of Trans Maldivian Airways, the largest seaplane operator in the Maldives
• Bain Capital
  • on its acquisition financing for its acquisition of MYOB
  • on its acquisition financing for its acquisition of Skylark
  • on its acquisition financing for its acquisition of BankLink New Zealand
  • on its acquisition financing for its acquisition of Retail Zoo
  • on its acquisition financing for its acquisition of Only About Children
  • on its acquisition financing for its acquisition of Camp Australia
  • on its acquisition financing for its majority acquisition of Carver Korea Co., Ltd
  • on its acquisition financing for its acquisition of a 50% stake in Jupiter Shop Japan Co., Ltd
  • on its acquisition financing relating to L&T Holdings
• Baring in connection with its acquisition of a 40% stake in Weetabix
• Blackstone on its acquisition financing for its take-private acquisition of Pactera Technology International Ltd.
• Carlyle on its proposed acquisition financing for its acquisition of Metropolis Healthcare Limited
• CPPIB on the acquisition financing relating to its acquisition of an approximately 20% stake in Homeplus, Tesco’s South Korean business
• CPPIB as consortium member in connection with its first lien/second lien Term Loan B acquisition financing for its take-private acquisition of Nord Anglia Education, Inc.
• Goldman Sachs as consortium member with PIA, QIC and Pagoda Investments on its acquisition financing for its acquisition of Icon Cancer Care
• KKR on a dividend recapitalization of an Indian company through a share-backed financing
• TPG on its acquisition financing for its take-private acquisition of ShangPharma Corporation
• Bellsystem24 Corporation (a portfolio company of Bain Capital) in connection with leveraged refinancings and recapitalizations
• Camp Australia (a portfolio company of Bain Capital) in connection with its dividend recapitalization first lien/second lien Term Loan B facilities
• D&M Holdings (a portfolio company of Bain Capital) in connection with its senior, senior mezzanine and junior mezzanine facilities
• Hong Kong based financial services company in a connection with a pre-IPO financing structured as a convertible loan
• Icon Group (a portfolio company of Goldman Sachs PIA, QIC and Pagoda Investments) in connection with its first-lien / second-lien Term Loan B refinancing.
• Jupiter Shop Japan Co., Ltd (a portfolio company of Bain Capital) in connection with refinancings and recapitalizations
• MEI Conlux (a portfolio company of Bain Capital and Advantage Partners) in connection with its senior and mezzanine facilities
• MYOB (a portfolio company of Bain Capital) in connection with an ASX-listed retail notes issuance, multiple refinancings, recapitalizations and cross-over credit facilities
• Retail Zoo (a portfolio company of Bain Capital) in connection with refinancings and recapitalizations
• Netease in connection with its revolving corporate loan facility
• Multiple asset managers in connection with confidential loan-to-own transactions
• Multiple Global Private Equity Funds in connection with confidential margin financings, back-leverage facilities and restructurings
• Multiple Private Equity Funds in connection with capital call and subscription facilities
• Regional bank on a bespoke and unique confidential financing
• Sovereign wealth fund in connection with multiple confidential leveraged financings
• The Proprietary Trading Desk of a Global Investment Bank in connection with a proposed acquisition of an Indian debt portfolio
• The Special Committee of ChinaEdu Corp. in connection with the company’s take private transaction
• The Special Committee of JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd in connection with the company’s take private transaction
• The Proprietary Trading Desk of a Global Investment Bank in connection with the acquisition of debt issued in connection with the restructuring of a leading investment company in Kuwait
• The Proprietary Trading Desk of a Global Investment Bank in connection with a number of balance sheet restructurings involving new money investments through secured redeemable non-convertible debentures in Indian conglomerates
• Multi-National Hedge Fund in connection with the acquisition of distressed investments in Vietnam
• Multi-National Hedge Fund in connection with the acquisition of distressed investments in China
• Multi-National Hedge Fund in connection with the acquisition of distressed investments in Africa
• Multi-National Hedge Fund in connection with the acquisition of distressed investments in UAE