SJ Berwin funds partner to join TDR Capital

European corporate law firm SJ Berwin has lost private equity fund formation partner Blair Thompson, who is to join UK mid-market firm TDR Capital as chief operating officer.
 
Thompson told PEO that he has resigned but that no date has currently been set for his departure.
 

It’s sad that Blair is going, but we’re pleased that he’s joining an important client and we hope that we can extend the work we do with them. Jonathan Blake, senior partner, SJ Berwin

The move, said Thompson, was no reflection on SJ Berwin or its practice. “It’s simply a case of moving, it certainly wasn’t an issue with SJ Berwin,” he said. “It’s more a case of seeing private equity clients for the past ten years and seeing if I can do what they’ve always done. It’s a new challenge and one I’m looking forward to.”
 
At TDR Capital, established in 2002 by founding partners Manjit Dale and Stephen Robertson, Thompson said he will be responsible for the firm’s legal and compliance activities, as well as the overall operation of its back office.
 
Thompson joined the corporate finance department of SJ Berwin in 1997, having previously worked at New Zealand law firm Buddle Findlay. He was made partner at SJ Berwin in 2002.
 
While at the firm, Thompson has specialised in structuring and raising pan-European private equity, venture capital and mezzanine funds. These include: Apax Europe VI, which closed last July with commitments of €4.4 billion ($5.3 billion); Electra Partners Europe’s €1.25 billion second vehicle in the same month; Bridgepoint Europe III, which closed on €2.5 billion last May; and Permira Europe III, which closed on €5.1 billion in October 2003.
 

Thompson: new challenge at TDR Capital

Jonathan Blake, senior partner at SJ Berwin, said in an interview. “It’s sad that Blair is going, but we’re pleased that he’s joining an important client and we hope that we can extend the work we do with them,” he said. “It’s a significant loss but the team is larger than any one person.”
 
Following Thompson’s departure, SJ Berwin will have five partners dedicated to fund formation in its London office. Thompson said internal promotions will take place during the firm’s next partner promotions round at the beginning of May.
 
SJ Berwin’s London office previously lost a senior member of its private equity funds group in January 2004 when partner John Daghlian left the firm to join rival law firm O’Melveny & Myers.