/Passle/69038f535e183f94cf091320/SearchServiceImages/2026-02-05-21-25-54-627-69850ae2d97369bdf1cc4fa8.jpg)
A combination of macroeconomic uncertainty, geopolitical shifts and volatile oil prices had an impact on M&A activity in the oil & gas...
This browser is not actively supported anymore. For the best passle experience, we strongly recommend you upgrade your browser.
Akin Gump
SR
Simon Rootsey
Partner
London, Abu Dhabi, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates
About me
Address: London: Eighth Floor, Ten Bishops Square, London E1 6EG
Areas of Focus: Mergers & Acquisitions; Corporate; Sovereign & Government Investors; Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances; Projects & Energy Transition; Private Equity Transactions; Capital Solutions
Biography:
Simon is an experienced private equity and M&A lawyer who works with private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds, infrastructure investors and corporates on complex cross-border M&A and private equity transactions across a broad range of sectors and in multiple regions.
Simon’s corporate experience covers:
- All aspects of M&A and private equity transactions.
- Consortium, JV and co-investment deals.
- Complex carveout deals where he has considerable experience.
- Public takeovers.
- IPO exits acting for selling shareholders/investors.
- Late-stage venture capital.
- The corporate side of special situations and financial restructurings/workouts.
Representative Work:
- Vitol Investment Partnership and/or Vitol Group (one of the world’s largest commodity trading houses) in relation to its $1.15 billion sale of 50% of the VTTI Group (one of the largest independent global energy terminal businesses) to New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) listed Buckeye Partners.
- Helios Investment Partners (a leading Africa-focused private investment firm) in relation to the $1.45 billion IPO of Helios Towers Africa (a leading Sub-Saharan independent tower company) on the premium-listing segment of the London Stock Exchange.
- Vitol Investment Partnership/Vitol Group and Helios Investment Partners in relation to Vivo Energy’s approximately £2 billion IPO on the London Stock Exchange and Johannesburg Stock Exchange (being one of the largest ever Africa-focused IPOs).
- Formation Capital (a United States (U.S.)-based private investment management firm) in relation to its $763 million acquisition of the HC-One Group (the U.K.’s largest elderly health care home group).
- Nikkei Inc (the Japanese media organization) in relation to its $1.3 billion acquisition of the Financial Times from Pearson (a FTSE (Financial Times Stock Exchange) 100 member).
Credentials:
Education: LL.B. (Hons), University of Western Australia, 2005; B.Com., University of Western Australia, 2005
Bar Admissions: Solicitor, England and Wales, 2009
Recognitions:
- The Legal 500 EMEA , Commercial, Corporate and M&A, UAE.
- Law.com International , Private Equity Rising Star, 2023.
- The Legal 500 UK , Projects, Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas, 2017-2024, M&A Upper Mid-Market and Premium Deals, 2017-2021 and 2023-2024; Private Equity: Transactions, 2021-2023.
- Acritas , Acritas Star, 2019 and 2020.
- Euromoney, Institutional Investor PLC, IFLR1000 : The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms , M&A, United Kingdom, 2018-2020.
- M&A Advisor, European Emerging Leaders Award, 2015.
Affiliations:
-
Insights:
- Akin Lawyers and Practices Recognized in the Legal 500 EMEA 2026 Guide (March 25, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/press-releases/akin-lawyers-and-practices-recognized-in-the-legal-500-emea-2026-guide
- Oil & Gas in 2026: Emerging Trends & Predictions (February 5, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/articles/oil-and-gas-in-2026-emerging-trends-and-predictions
- Oil & Gas in 2026: M&A and Joint Venture Activity (February 5, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/articles/oil-and-gas-in-2026-manda-and-joint-venture-activity
- Akin Advises Energy Equation Partners and Stonepeak in €2.5 Billion Acquisition of Majority Interest in JET (May 16, 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/press-releases/akin-advises-energy-equation-partners-and-stonepeak-in-euro25-billion-acquisition-of-majority-interest-in-jet
- Akin Lawyers and Practices Recognized in The Legal 500 EMEA 2025 Guide (March 26, 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/awards-and-accolades/akin-lawyers-and-practices-recognized-in-the-legal-500-emea-2025-guide
- Oil & Gas in 2025: M&A and Joint Venture Activity (February 5, 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/blogs/speaking-energy/oil-and-gas-in-2025-manda-and-joint-venture-activity
- Oil & Gas in 2025: Emerging Trends & Predictions (January 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/articles/oil-and-gas-in-2025-emerging-trends-and-predictions
- Akin Advises Pharmakon Funds on Sale of LumiraDx Point of Care Technology to Roche (August 1 2024): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/press-releases/akin-advises-pharmakon-funds-on-sale-of-lumiradx-point-of-care-technology-to-roche
- Akin Lawyers and Practices Recognized in The Legal 500 EMEA 2024 (March 27 2024): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/awards-and-accolades/akin-lawyers-and-practices-recognized-in-the-legal-500-emea-2024
- The Road Ahead for Private Equity: Energy Transition (March 12, 2024): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/articles/the-road-ahead-for-private-equity-reflections-and-predictions-energy-transition
- The Road Ahead for Private Equity: Reflections and Predictions (March 12, 2024): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/articles/the-road-ahead-for-private-equity-reflections-and-predictions
- The Road Ahead for Private Equity: Workforce Management (March 12, 2024): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/articles/the-road-ahead-for-private-equity-reflections-and-predictions-copy