Stephenson Harwood advises Kudu Investment Management on investment

Founded in 2015, New York-based Kudu provides long-term capital solutions – including generational ownership transfers, management buyouts, acquisition and growth finance, as well as liquidity for legacy partners – to independent asset and wealth managers globally. Established in 2016, Apera is a UK-based pan-European mid-market private debt manager, which manages more than €2.6 billion in assets on behalf of institutional investors in Europe, Canada, and the US.

Apera will use Kudu's investment to accelerate the growth of its business, among other internal uses.

Apera is Kudu's third partnership in the UK and Europe. In 2018, Kudu invested in Fair Oaks Capital, a London-based alternative credit manager, and in 2019, Kudu invested in London-based Warwick Capital Partners, a global special situations manager. The Stephenson Harwood team advised Kudu on both of these transactions.

"It has been exciting to advise Kudu on another UK/European-focused investment, and we wish this Kudu-Apera partnership every success," said Carolyn Hall, partner, Stephenson Harwood. "This work further illustrates our expertise in, and knowledge of, the private capital and funds space – one of the firm's areas of focus."

The Stephenson Harwood team was led by partner Carolyn Hall. Further support was provided by partners John Meehan, William Saunders, William Robertson and Sarah De Ste Croix, and associates Eric Brouwer and Poppie Bouch. The Stephenson Harwood team worked alongside Brett Cotler at Seward & Kissel LLP, who advised Kudu on US tax aspects, and Tony Lane and Oliver Orton at Carey Olsen (Guernsey) LLP, who advised Kudu on Guernsey law aspects.