Latham & Watkins LLP is pleased to announce that Kem Ihenacho will be joining the firm’s London office as a partner in the Corporate Department. Ihenacho joins Latham & Watkins from the private equity practice at Clifford Chance, where he advised private equity houses and their portfolio companies on a wide range of UK and other international transactions, with particular experience in Africa.

Nick Cline, Latham & Watkins’ London Office Managing Partner, said: “We are now the only firm in the UK market to have top-ranked bank and bond practices and are building a market leading private equity team to capitalise on this strength. Kem is a rising star with a great reputation and a broad range of experience that makes him an excellent addition to our private equity team,”

“Having market-leading capability on both sides of the Atlantic stands us apart from many of our competitors. Kem’s arrival further strengthens our reputation in the European PE market,” added Dan Lennon, Global Chair of Latham & Watkins’ Corporate Department.

Ihenacho is the sixth partner hire announced by Latham’s London office since May last year, following the appointments of Tom Evans and David Walker from the private equity practice at Clifford Chance; Dean Naumowicz from Norton Rose Fulbright; Simon Bushell from Herbert Smith Freehills; and Nick Benson from Weil Gotshal & Manges. The office now has 250 fee earners including over 60 partners.

Latham’s leading private equity practice represents some of the world’s pre-eminent private equity houses, including The Carlyle Group, Hellman & Friedman, EQT, Advent International, BC Partners, KKR, Charterhouse, Nordic Capital and PAI Partners, among others. Recent deals include advising Hellman & Friedman on the EUR2bn acquisition of a 70% stake in Scout24; The Carlyle Group’s acquisitions of Addison Lee and Chesapeake Packaging; and BC Partners’ acquisition of Allflex Holdings.

Ihenacho joined Clifford Chance as an associate in 1999 and in 2007 was promoted to partner.