Freshfields’ PE head to take helm at firm’s GFI group

Freshfields, Bruckhaus Deringer’s head of private equity, Adrian Maguire, is to co-head the firm’s global financial investors group.

GFI was launched in 2012 and is one of Freshfields’ eight sector groups. It covers private equity funds, infrastructure funds, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and alternative capital providers. It consists of about 100 partners and 200 associates worldwide.

London-based Maguire will work alongside Markus Paul, who is in the firm’s Frankfurt office.

Maguire’s clients include Warburg Pincus, Cinven and Advent. He recently acted for Warburg Pincus and Poundland on the IPO of Poundland, the discount retailer, and oversaw Advent’s disposal of Domestic and General to CVC.

He succeeds David Higgins, who is stepping down in January, but will remain in full-time practice with Freshfields. Higgins has been with the firm for 15 years, acting for financial investors on both public and private mergers and acquisitions.