Ashurst grows Continental European corporate offering with partner hire in Luxembourg
22 January 2024
Global law firm Ashurst announces the appointment of Jean-Philippe Smeets as a partner in the corporate team based in Luxembourg with effect from February 2024, as the firm continues to invest in and expand its global corporate and M&A offering.
With more than 20 years’ experience, Jean-Philippe has significant expertise in a variety of domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions (buy- and sell- side), private equity and commercial transactions both in Luxembourg and Belgian law. His client base includes international and local corporate groups, private equity funds, financial institutions and private investors across a broad range of industries such as financial services, real estate and digital media.
Antonios Nezeritis, Managing Partner of Luxembourg, said: "We are pleased to welcome very shortly Jean-Philippe to Ashurst. Since launching five years ago our Luxembourg practice has gone from strength to strength, and Jean-Philippe's arrival, which follows the promotion of Arnaud Julien, further boosts our growing platform. With the firm's dedicated focus on financial services and real estate, Jean-Philippe's expertise is perfectly aligned, and enables us to expand our capabilities and respond to rising client demand as Luxembourg establishes itself as a key corporate and M&A jurisdiction in Europe."
"Jean-Philippe's appointment is a further demonstration of the firm's continued strategic focus on growing our global corporate and M&A practice, and our commitment to invest in our business to strengthen and deepen our capabilities. His experience and technical background in private M&A and deal structuring will complement and add bench strength to our existing Luxembourg and Belgian corporate and M&A offering", added Jorge Vázquez, Global Co-Head of Corporate.
Jean-Philippe Smeets, said: "I'm excited to join the Ashurst team. The firm's global outlook, strength and expertise in the Luxembourg market and industry focus makes it a compelling platform for me to continue to build and expand my practice. I am eager to embrace the firm's strong collaborative culture, and look forward to working with the team to continue to drive forward the growth of the Luxembourg office and wider global corporate and M&A practice.”
The hire follows a series of recent appointments to Ashurst's UK & Continental European corporate team, including partners Stefan Bruder and Marina Arntzen in Munich and Gavin Weir who joined the firm as UK Head of Financial Institutions M&A.
With more than 20 years’ experience, Jean-Philippe has significant expertise in a variety of domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions (buy- and sell- side), private equity and commercial transactions both in Luxembourg and Belgian law. His client base includes international and local corporate groups, private equity funds, financial institutions and private investors across a broad range of industries such as financial services, real estate and digital media.
Antonios Nezeritis, Managing Partner of Luxembourg, said: "We are pleased to welcome very shortly Jean-Philippe to Ashurst. Since launching five years ago our Luxembourg practice has gone from strength to strength, and Jean-Philippe's arrival, which follows the promotion of Arnaud Julien, further boosts our growing platform. With the firm's dedicated focus on financial services and real estate, Jean-Philippe's expertise is perfectly aligned, and enables us to expand our capabilities and respond to rising client demand as Luxembourg establishes itself as a key corporate and M&A jurisdiction in Europe."
"Jean-Philippe's appointment is a further demonstration of the firm's continued strategic focus on growing our global corporate and M&A practice, and our commitment to invest in our business to strengthen and deepen our capabilities. His experience and technical background in private M&A and deal structuring will complement and add bench strength to our existing Luxembourg and Belgian corporate and M&A offering", added Jorge Vázquez, Global Co-Head of Corporate.
Jean-Philippe Smeets, said: "I'm excited to join the Ashurst team. The firm's global outlook, strength and expertise in the Luxembourg market and industry focus makes it a compelling platform for me to continue to build and expand my practice. I am eager to embrace the firm's strong collaborative culture, and look forward to working with the team to continue to drive forward the growth of the Luxembourg office and wider global corporate and M&A practice.”
The hire follows a series of recent appointments to Ashurst's UK & Continental European corporate team, including partners Stefan Bruder and Marina Arntzen in Munich and Gavin Weir who joined the firm as UK Head of Financial Institutions M&A.