Ariel Yehezkel

Ariel Yehezkel is a partner and head of Sheppard Mullin’s Private Equity industry team. Ariel’s practice focuses on advising Private Equity funds and private and public companies and their board of directors on transactional and strategic matters, including mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, special situations, growth equity transactions, equity and debt financing transactions, fund formation, capital markets transactions, joint ventures and commercial arrangements.

Ariel’s Private Equity practice also includes the representation of portfolio companies in connection with add-on acquisitions, dividend recapitalization, reorganizations, exit preparation, and corporate governance matters.

Ariel developed extensive knowledge and expertise advising clients at the intersection of Private Equity and the Consumer Health, Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS), and Food and Beverage industries. Ariel’s practice combines Private Equity knowledge and expertise and Sheppard Mullin’s strong industry capabilities, covering both transactional and regulatory matters in those industries.

Ariel is also Team Leader of the firm’s Israel Practice and has extensive experience with legal and business issues involving Israel.

Experience

Notable Representations

Consumer Health/Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS):

• Represented US Pharma Lab, a leading US-based supplements CDMO in connection with its acquisition by Biofarma, a leading Italy-based CDMO and a portfolio company of Ardian
• Represented Microbe Formulas, a wellness platform that provides dietary supplements and other natural solutions for gut health, in a sale of the company transaction with a private equity investor
• Represented Geneden Biotech, a probiotics company and the developer of BC30, a lactic acid producing bacteria that has been used as an ingredient in functional foods, dietary supplements, and medical foods, in the sale of the company transaction to Kerry Group
• Represented Physicians Exclusive (also known as Microbiome Labs), a probiotic bacteriotherapy company with a comprehensive portfolio of proprietary probiotic and microbiome solutions for the consumer health industry, in its sale of the company transaction to Novozymes A/S, a Denmark-based biotechnology company
• Represented Locus Fermentation Solutions, a leading developer of customized biosurfactant solutions that are used by its clients to achieve sustainability and ESG goals, in various corporate matters
• Represented Physician’s Choice, a probiotic and plant-based supplements company, in its withdrawn sale of the company transaction
• Represent other businesses in connection with mergers and acquisitions, equity financing, and other corporate and commercial matters

Food and Beverage and other Consumer Products:

• Represented Verlinvest in connection with the Initial Public Offering of its portfolio company, The Vita Coco Company
• Represented Verlinvest in connection with the sale of its interest in Sambazon, a manufacturer and seller of acai-based food and beverage products
• Represented Verlinvest in connection with its acquisition of Pedego, Inc., a leading electric bicycle brand
• Represented L Catterton, a leading private equity fund focused on consumer products, in the sale of Hampshire Pets Products, a pet food co-packer, to Red Collar Pet Foods, a portfolio company of Arbor Investments
• Represented L Catterton, a leading private equity fund focused on consumer products, in the sale of Targeted Pet Solutions, a pet food co-packer, to Wind Point Partners
• Represented GreyLion Capital in connection with corporate matters related to its portfolio company Luna Grill, a Mediterranean restaurant chain
• Represented LNK Partners in its $250 million acquisition of Au Bon Pain, a casual dining restaurant chain
• Represented L Catterton and Starwood Hotels and Resorts in their respective sales of interests in Culinary Concepts by Jean-Georges
• Represented L Catterton growth fund in multiple investments and the subsequent sale of interest in Beanito, a healthy snack manufacturer
• Represented TriPointe Capital Partners in its acquisition of Hale and Hearty, a casual dining restaurant chain
• Represented E-Land Footwear in the sale of its shoe and apparel brands (K-Swiss, Palladium) to Xtep International, a China-based sports brand
• Represented LNK Partners and MSD Capital in their joint PIPE investment into PVH, a public fashion company
• Represented Apax Partners in its acquisition of the shoe and apparel company Cole Haan
• Represented RLH Equity in a sale of Total Woman, a fitness club chain, to Town Sports International
• Represented Sundial Brands, a leading skin care and cosmetics company, in its recapitalization transaction with Bain Capital

Healthcare:

• Represented a private equity fund in its acquisition of a business services company providing services to ambulatory surgery centers
• Represented Centre Partners in connection with several transactions in the healthcare industry
• Represented RLH Equity in its acquisition of Biorasi, Inc., a full-service contract research organization (CRO)
• Represented a private equity fund in its withdrawn acquisition of a chronic care management provider
• Represented Apax Partners in its $1.4 billion take-private acquisition of TriZetto, a healthcare information technology services provider
• Represented Professional Hospital Supply, Inc., a healthcare products supply company in its sale of the company transaction with Medline Industries
• Represented ABRY Partners in its acquisition of a leading provider of subrogation and recovery services in the U.S.
• Represented ABRY Partners and its portfolio company Source Medical in an add-on acquisition transaction

Tech and Telecom and Media:

• Represented Clearlake Capital and its portfolio company Perforce Software in the acquisition of Perfecto Mobile, an Israeli-based technology company
• Represented Apax Partners in the $1.1 billion acquisition of Paradigm, an Israel and Houston software company
• Represented Apax Partners in its $2 billion simultaneous acquisition and take-private of Activant Solutions and Episor Software and the subsequent merger of those companies into the new Epicor
• Represented Apax Partners in its $571 million all cash going private acquisition of Bankrate, a financial services company
• Represented a private equity fund in its approximately $550 million acquisition of a leading provider of data, information services and workflow solutions to the automotive service and repair industry
• Represented Danaher Corporation in its acquisition of a software business
• Represented Danaher Corporation in its acquisition of a network security provider from a group of VC funds
• Represented Danaher Corporation in its acquisition of a digital content monitoring solutions provider
• Represented Danaher Corporation in its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of a technology company
• Represented a telecom company in the out-of-court restructuring of $1.3 billion of its outstanding senior and subordinated debt
• Represented Newsmax Media, Inc. in connection with various corporate and governance matters

Business Services:

• Represented RLH Equity in the sale of its portfolio company in the business services space to a large technology company
• Represented a high-end private security company in multiple investment transactions by a private equity fund
• Represented a high-end private security company in connection with the sale of its enterprise security business to a global security company
• Represented a private equity fund in its equity investment into an integrated global supply chain management solutions business
• Represented a payroll services provider owned by a private equity fund in a pre-IPO reorganization and related transactions
• Represented a private equity fund in its approximately $550 million acquisition of a leading provider of data, information services and workflow solutions to the automotive service and repair industry

Industrials and Manufacturing, Mortgage and Other:

• Represented NY Fuel Holdings and its affiliates in connection with the sale of 75 gas stations in the NY Metro area to a strategic investor
• Represented Littlejohn & Co. and Platinum Equity in connection with the sale of their portfolio company Interior Logic Group to Blackstone
• Represented Seadrill Partners in connection with its in-court restructuring and other corporate related matters
• Represented a portfolio company of a private equity fund in its add-on acquisition of the manufacturer and importer of home improvement products
• Represented The Carlyle Group in its acquisition of Service King, the owner and operator of auto body and collision repair centers in various states
• Represented L Catterton in the acquisition and subsequent disposition of Heartland Recreational Vehicles, a manufacturer and seller of recreational vehicles
• Represented L Catterton in its sale of a home safe manufacturer and seller to a publicly held conglomerate
• Represented an international public company in the chemical space its $1 billion withdrawn acquisition of an international manufacturer and seller of pesticides
• Represented TPG in a transaction with a strategic investor involving a mortgage originator and servicer
• Represented a mortgage servicer and originator in the $200 million sale of substantially all of its assets to a competitor
• Represented WestStar Mortgage, a privately held mortgage originator and servicer, in its cash and stock sale to The J.G. Wentworth Company
• Represented Verlinvest in connection with the sale of Collegewise, a college admissions counseling business, to Crimson Education

Honors

Recommended Lawyer - M&A: middle-market, Legal 500 US, 2021

Mergers, Acquisitions and Buyout, Legal 500 US, 2014, 2019-2020

Articles

Corporate & Securities Law Blog Posts

• "The Impact of COVID-19 on M&A Transactions — Part II: Deal Terms," July 27, 2020

• "The Impact of COVID-19 on M&A Transactions — Part I: Due Diligence and Operational Issues," July 27, 2020

• "The Increased Role of Sustainability in the Food and Beverage Industry," November 15, 2020

• "Fiduciary Duties in the Context of Dent v. Ramtron Int’l Corp.," September 2, 2014
• "Delaware Court of Chancery Rejects Indemnification Sleight of Hand," July 22, 2014
• "Delaware General Corporation Law Amended to Speed Up the Consummation of Two-Step Merger Transactions," August 27, 2013
• "Delaware Chancery Court Finds Merger "Entirely Fair" to Common Stockholders Despite the Merger Leaving Common Stockholders With No Consideration for Their Shares," August 27, 2013

Government Contracts, Investigations, and International Trade Blog

• "U.S. Targets Private Equity Funds for FCPA Scrutiny," June 30, 2016

Media Mentions

Speaking Engagements

• Speaker, "M&A and Private Equity Investments in the Consumer Health Market," 2024 Consumer Health Summit (CHS), May 9, 2024
• Presenter, “M&A Transactions with a Private Equity Fund: What the Target Company Needs to Know,” FurtherEd/Lawline Webinar, February 19, 2015
• Speaker, "Legal and Business Developments in Israel," DePaul University College of Law, December 4, 2013

Events

Digital Media