Max Schleusener advises companies and private equity sponsors on a range of transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and corporate governance matters.

Max delivers pragmatic counsel to public and private companies, private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies. Combining experience in M&A and general corporate matters, he develops business-oriented strategies for clients’ most critical transactions. 

Max regularly advises on both bet-the-company M&A transactions, including mergers of equals, as well as complex carve-outs and joint ventures. His experience in domestic and multi-jurisdictional transactions spans a multitude of industries, from the insurance, automotive, and manufacturing sectors to professional services and pharmaceuticals. 

Max also handles a variety of general corporate matters on behalf of public and private companies. He brings particular experience navigating thorny governance issues arising in joint ventures and whole company business combinations, including cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, Max counsels clients on shareholder activism and defense.

Max's experience includes representing:

Strategic M&A

  • Actuant, a provider of engineering solutions for position and motion control systems, in the sale of its engineered components and systems segment to One Rock Capital Partners 
  • Aon in its US$80 billion merger of equals with Willis Towers Watson, a global advisory, broking, and solutions company (terminated)
  • Aon in its acquisition of Stroz Friedberg, a provider of digital forensics services and cybersecurity consultancy worldwide (terminated prior to consummation)
  • Aspen Skiing Company and KSL Capital Partners in their US$1.5 billion acquisition of Intrawest Resorts Holdings, a North American mountain resort and adventure company
  • Athene in its all-stock merger with Apollo Global Management at a value of US$11 billion
  • Atos in its acquisitions of Maven Wave and Nimbix
  • Baxter International in its US$900 million acquisition of the Oncaspar® product portfolio of Sigma-Tau Finanziaria, a multi-agent chemotherapy regimen to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia
  • Bosch in its acquisition of substantially all the assets of TSI Semiconductors
  • Bosch Rexroth in the expansion of its hydraulics business with its acquisition of HydraForce, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of hydraulically powered mobile equipment
  • Bunge Limited, a global grains merchant manufacturer, in its planned US$34 billion merger with Viterra
  • CenterPoint Energy in its: 
    • US$850 million sale of Miller Pipeline, a provider of infrastructure services to the natural gas and electric industries
    • Sale of Minnesota Limited, a contractor of pipeline construction and gas distribution services
  • CrossFit in its sale to XFit Holdings and Berkshire Partners 
  • DB Schenker, a logistics service provider, in its US$435 million business combination with USA Truck, a capacity solutions provider
  • Delphi Automotive in the: 
    • US$727 million sale of its thermal systems business, an automotive parts manufacturer, to MAHLE
    • US$4.5 billion tax-free spin-off of its Powertrain Systems Segment to its shareholders
  • Ellen S. Bresky, the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Seaboard Corporation, and other members of the Bresky family, in its US$600 million sale of common stock back to Seaboard, a diversified group that operates in agricultural and ocean transport businesses 
  • Imago BioSciences, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing new medicines for the treatment of bone marrow diseases, in its US$1.35 billion sale to MerckironSource, a business platform that empowers mobile content creators, on its all stock merger with Unity Software, a platform for creating and operating interactive, real-time 3D (RT3D) content, at a value of US$4.4 billion
  • FMC Technologies in its US$13 billion merger of equals with Technip, a France-based designer and developer of offshore oil and gas processing facilities, via the EU cross-border merger regime
  • Lazard as financial advisor in the acquisition of Evoqua Water Technologies, a provider of critical water treatment solutions, by Xylem, a global water technology company, at a value of US$7.5 billion
  • Level Access, a digital accessibility solutions provider, in acquiring UserWay, a publicly traded pioneer in accessibility AI technologies
  • Safeway in its US$830 million sale of Property Development Centers, its property development subsidiary, to Terramar Retail Centers
  • Stericycle in its: 
    • Sale of its Communication Solutions business to Carenet Health, a provider of healthcare consumer engagement solutions US$462.5 million sale of its Domestic Environmental Solutions Business, a hazardous waste transportation provider, to Harsco
    • Sale of its operations in Chile, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil to three buyers 
  • Tenneco in sale to affiliates of Apollo Global Management at an enterprise value of US$7.1 billion (pending)Thomson Reuters in the:
    • Sale of its Legal Managed Services business to Ernst & Young 
    • Sale of its Manatron government software business to Harris Computer Systems 
  • Trustmark Mutual Holding Company, a third-party health benefits administrator, in its US$400 million sale to Health Care Service Corporation
  • William Blair as financial advisor in the all-stock merger of PowerFleet and MiX Telematics, a South Africa-based provider of fleet and mobile asset management solutions

Private Equity M&A

  • GTCR in a variety of transactions, including in the: 
    • Purchase of AssuredPartners, a US insurance brokerage firm
    • Purchase of Cole-Parmer, a US medical device company
    • Purchase of Onvoy, a telecommunications services company
  • Sale of Onvoy to Sinch AB for US$1.14 billion
  • Onvoy, a portfolio company of GTCR, in several acquisitions, including its US$786 million take-private acquisition of Inteliquent, an interconnection partner for communication service providers of all types
  • The Carlyle Group in its:
    • Acquisition of Apollo Aviation Group, a global commercial aviation investment and servicing firm with US$5.6 billion in assets under management, including 243 aircraft owned, managed, or committed to purchase, which became a new business line within Carlyle’s Global Credit Segment
    • Acquisition of CBAM Partners' CLO business and portfolio of assets for US$615 million in cash and approximately 4.2 million newly issued common shares
    • Acquisition of Novetta Solutions, a provider of data analytics solutions for the defense, intelligence, and security services sectors
  • Sidewalk Infrasructure Partners ("SIP") in a variety of transactions, including:
    • Purchase of Dense Air Networks, a wireless infrastructure as a service company
    • Investment in SIP by StepStone Group
    • Financing rounds for the SIP-founded connected roads and infrastructure company, Cavnue
  • Vestar Capital Partners in its acquisition of Nonni’s Food Group, a manufacturer and marketer of baked goods
  • Silver Lake in its US$12.5 billion acquisition of Qualtrics, an experience management software provider

Activism Defense

  • Sinovac Biotech in its defense against certain actions by dissident shareholders seeking board seats and other changes
  • Stericycle in its negotiated resolution of a campaign by Saddle Point Management

Bar Qualification

  • District of Columbia
  • Illinois
  • New York

Education

  • MBA, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, 2011
  • J.D., University of Chicago Law School, 2009
  • BA in Philosophy, University of Chicago, 2005
    Dean's List, with honors

Languages Spoken

  • English