Travers Smith LLP has announced today the hire of Ryan Ayrton as an infrastructure debt partner in the Finance team, further strengthening its cross-practice Infrastructure sector group.
Ryan joins Travers Smith from Watson Farley & Williams where he has been an infrastructure partner since 2022. Prior to this, Ryan was with Linklaters for over a decade where he focussed on energy and infrastructure finance. His expertise in advising on a range of structured finance transactions, with a particular focus on infrastructure financings and related M&A, and advising sponsors and all types of funders, will enable the firm to grow its business in this area.
Ryan will be part of the firm's cross-practice Infrastructure Sector Group, working particularly closely with Corporate Partners Spencer Summerfield, Jonathan Walters and Hugh Hutchison, who have long-standing experience advising infrastructure funds. The team's existing infrastructure sponsor clients include Ancala Partners, Arjun Infrastructure Partners, Basalt Infrastructure Partners, DIF Capital Partners, Daiwa International Capital Partners Limited, Arcus Infrastructure Partners, Northleaf Capital Partners and GLIL Infrastructure.
Managing Partner Edmund Reed commented:
"I am delighted to welcome Ryan to the partnership. Our strategy is to invest in talented lawyers in our core strategic areas, both by developing and promoting our own people and through targeted lateral hires. The upcoming arrival of Joel Grossmark and now Ryan, in addition to our strong round of partner promotions, shows we are executing this plan successfully and we will continue to push it forward."
Head of Travers Smith's Finance Department, Charlie Bischoff, said:
"I am looking forward to welcoming Ryan to the Finance team as a partner. Ryan's arrival will enhance our finance offering, bolstering our ability to offer our infrastructure fund clients expert advice carefully tailored to their sector, and win new infrastructure clients, both on the borrower side, acting for sponsors and other market participants, and, on the lender side, acting for banks, debt funds and other financial institutions."
Ryan Ayrton commented:
"I am very excited to be joining Travers Smith. The firm has a standout reputation for helping its international client base to navigate complex infrastructure transactions across sub sectors and geographies. The firm goes to market as an integrated Infrastructure Sector group, with expertise in M&A, finance, funds, asset management and operational risk. I look forward to working closely with my new colleagues to further develop the firm’s infrastructure finance practice in what is an exciting and busy time for the asset class.”
Head of Travers Smith’s Corporate Department and Infrastructure Sector Group, Spencer Summerfield said:
"We are really excited to welcome Ryan to our Infrastructure Sector group. We have a long held record of advising infrastructure funds on M&A deals and related financings. Infrastructure debt is a specialised market, and Ryan is among a small group of specialists in London who have the expertise and experience to advise on both lenders and borrowers on infrastructure financings."
Recent highlights for the Travers Smith Infrastructure team have included advising:
- Ancala Partners on a number of transactions including the recent sale of its 50% interest in Dragon LNG Group to VTTI and on the acquisition of a significant majority stake (75%) in the leading Norwegian supply base Fjord Base Group.
- Management on the sale of a 50.01% stake in Edinburgh Airport for £1.27 billion to VINCI Airports, a VINCI Concessions subsidiary.
- Zegona Communications plc on its proposed €5.0 billion acquisition of Vodafone Spain.
- BUUK Infrastructure on its acquisition of Levelise, a home energy management system that links high numbers of domestic battery systems to a suite of advanced algorithmic controls.
- Ancala Partners on its new growth fund's investment into Portsmouth Water, Biogen and Leep Utilities.
- DIF Capital Partners on its investment in Hemiko, a leading UK district heating platform.
- Basalt Infrastructure Partners and Fiera Infrastructure on the refinancing of UK ferry operator Wightlink.
- On multiple refinancings including that of Ludlow, the care home business owned by Ancala and that of Leep Utilities, jointly owned by Ancala and Peel.
- Allianz, Carlyle and MetLife on a €370 million private placement for Igneo Infrastructure Partners' refinancing of Spanish car park operator Parkia.
