Michael Rackham is a counsel in the Singapore office of Latham & Watkins and a member of the Corporate Department.

Michael is an experienced adviser to private equity investors and corporations on complex, cross-border corporate matters in the Asia-Pacific region, including mergers and acquisitions, disposals, auctions, private equity and leveraged buyouts, take-privates, spin-offs, and joint ventures.

His recent recognitions include being named among Asian Legal Business' Singapore Rising Stars 2024 and Rising Star Lawyer of the Year at the IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2019.

Prior to joining Latham, Michael worked for 10 years in the Hong Kong and London offices of two other US law firms.

Michael’s experience includes advising:

  • Ares Management Corporation on the US$3.7 billion acquisition of GCP International, the international business (excluding operations in Greater China) of GLP Capital Partners, an alternative asset manager
  • ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, a leading data center colocation services provider, on its SGD1.75 billion (approximately US$1.3 billion) investment from global investment firm KKR (through its Asia Pacific Infrastructure Investors II Fund), and Singtel, Asia’s leading communications technology group. The transaction marks the largest digital infrastructure investment in Southeast Asia to date in 2024
  • British Columbia Investment Management Corporation, as part of a global leading infrastructure investors consortium led by Macquarie Asset Management, on the raise of ¥150 billion to ¥300 billion (US$1-2 billion) in funds for the sale and leaseback of a portion of Rakuten Mobile’s mobile network assets
  • Platinum Equity, a global private equity investment firm, on the acquisition of Inventia Healthcare, a pharmaceutical development and manufacturing company of solid oral drug delivery systems
  • CVC on its acquisition of a majority stake in Professional Services, Inc. (“PSI”) (The Medical City), a Philippines-based network of private hospitals and clinics
  • BPEA EQT Funds V and VI and portfolio company Vistra (BPEA EQT) on the merger of Vistra with Tricor, an existing BPEA EQT Fund VIII portfolio company, in a transaction which values the combined company at an enterprise value of US$6.5 billion; this transaction was named Private Equity Exit of the Year (Large Cap) by The Asian Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards 2023
  • A large Asia-headquartered fund on its:
    • Acquisition of InCorp Global, a Singapore-based provider of general business and management consultancy services, and other corporate services businesses
    • US$11.6 billion take-private acquisition, together with HOPU, founder Ming Mei’s SMG, Bank of China Group Investment, and China Vanke, of Global Logistic Properties*
    • Joint venture with Peet’s Coffee & Tea to operate coffee and tea retail outlets in Greater China under the Peet’s Coffee brand*
    • Acquisition of a minority stake in a newly formed company that acquired Carestream’s dental digital business from Onex Corporation in partnership with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice*
    • Pre-IPO financing round of a global artificial intelligence platform*
  • Alta Capital, an Indian investment and asset management firm, on its investment in:
    • Table Space, India's leading managed office service provider
    • Good Host Spaces, a pan-India student housing platform
  • TPG on its:
    • Acquisition of a controlling stake in Malaysia’s Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation, a premier private university
    • Acquisition, together with Hong Leong Group, of International Medical University (IMU) from IHH Healthcare Bhd
    • Disposal, through Trinugraha Capital & Co, of a controlling stake in PT BFI Finance Indonesia Tbk, an Indonesia-based multifinance company, to a consortium led by Jerry Ng and Boy Thohir
    • US$2 billion acquisition of Cushman & Wakefield by the consortium's portfolio company, DTZ, as part of a consortium including PAG Asia Capital and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan*
    • SGD175 million investment in Singapore-based online property selling and sales group, PropertyGuru*
  • Partners Group on its:
    • Disposal of Straive, a leading global provider of technology-driven content and data solutions, to Baring Private Equity Asia, including its reinvestment into funds managed and advised by Baring Private Equity Asia
    • Disposal of CSS Corp (now known as Movate), a digital technology and customer experience services company, to Capital Square Partners*
    • US$300 million investment in DJ New Ease Group, a developer and operator of logistical and industrial real estate projects and asset manager in the PRC, majority-owned and controlled by Warburg Pincus and its founder, Sun Dong Ping*
  • Warburg Pincus on its:
    • Series C financing for Mynt, a leading digital financial solutions provider in the Philippines and the company behind the GCash payment services app
    • Series D financing into Advance Intelligence Group Limited, a leading Al-driven technology company headquartered in Singapore
    • US$250 million investment in Converge ICT Solutions, a Philippines-based telecommunications provider* 
  • The Carlyle Group, CITIC, and CITIC Capital Holdings in the US$2.08 billion acquisition of the McDonald’s operations in China and Hong Kong and negotiation of a 20-year master franchise agreement*
  • GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, in the more than US$1 billion co-investment with Equinix in the form of a limited liability partnership to develop and operate xScale™ data centers in Japan*
  • Apax Partners and its portfolio company, Azentio Software, in its acquisition of the software products business of 3i Infotech, a listed Indian IT solutions company, and on its binding agreement to acquire Beyontec, a leading insurance technology company*
  • L Catterton on its US$250 million investment in Jio Platforms, a next-generation Indian technology company and subsidiary of Reliance Industries*
  • A Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund in its investment in the US$14 billion Series C equity financing of Ant Financial*
  • Cartesian Capital Group in investments in its portfolio company and joint venture with Restaurant Brands International, Tim Hortons China, by Tencent, Sequoia Capital, and Eastern Bell Capital*

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

 

 

Bar Qualification

  • England and Wales (Solicitor)

Education

  • LPC (Distinction), The College of Law
  • BCL, Oxford University
  • LLB (First Class Honours), University of Exeter

Languages Spoken

  • English