Christos Ierna
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Christos Ierna

Senior Associate

Christos focuses on a wide range of domestic and cross-border M&A and private equity transactions, with a particular focus on LBO transactions.
Christos regularly advises international investment funds and companies across jurisdictions and in multiple sectors in connection with the acquisition or sale of their interests in privately-owned businesses.
 
Prior to joining A&O Shearman, Christos practiced for 6 years in an international law firm in Paris working on similar matters. 

Experience

Representative matters

  • Sensient Technologies, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of colors, flavors, and other specialty ingredients, on its acquisition of Biolie, a raw material manufacturer specializing in white biotechnology.
  • Yusen Logistics Group, a global logistics provider, on its acquisition of the healthcare activities of the Walden Group. (Ongoing)
  • Sia Partners, a global, next-generation independent management and AI consulting firm, in a minority investment from Blackstone.
  • PAI Partners and the management, on their reinvestment in Infra Group, a leading multi-disciplinary network infrastructure service provider.
  • Titan Group, a leading international group in the building and infrastructure materials industry, in its acquisition of Vracs de l’Estuaire, a company with state-of-the-art facilities, including a grinding plant located at the port of Le Havre, France. (Ongoing)
Relevant experience prior to joining A&O Shearman includes advising:
  • General Catalyst on its investment in the Series A and Series B financing rounds of Mistral AI, a French start-up specializing in generative artificial intelligence.
  • Inari Medical on its acquisition of LimFlow, a medical device company developing minimally invasive venous revascularization medical devices to treat lower limb ischemia.
  • ArchiMed and Natus Medical Incorporated (portfolio company) on their acquisition of Micromed, a global provider of neurophysiology solutions.
  • A company on its investment in the Seed financing round of a French start-up developing a software for the management of crypto assets (Undisclosed).
  • A company on its investment in the pre-Seed financing round of a French start-up developing a digital mobile voice communication application (Undisclosed).
  • Astorg Partners on its acquisition of a majority stake in CordenPharma, a leading pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization, from International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG).
  • A portfolio company on their acquisition of CHD Expert, a global provider of food service operator data from its founders (Undisclosed).
  • TA Associates on its acquisition of a majority stake in DL Software, a French-based provider of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software from 21 Centrale Partners and other shareholders.
  • Atomico on its investment in the Series B financing round in Sorare, the largest ever in the non-fungible token (NFT) space.
  • A company on its acquisition of Swania, a French-based manufacturer of eco-friendly cleaning products from Milestone Investisseurs and other shareholders (Undisclosed).
  • Ardian on the sale of the Kersia group (global leader in biosecurity and food safety), other co-investors, and managers to IK Investment Partners.
  • Ardian on its acquisition of a majority stake in the Inula Group, a European leader of natural therapies.
  • A company on its acquisition of three French-based vineyards in Bordeaux (Undisclosed).
  • Bregal and SHD (portfolio company) on their acquisition of a majority stake in Pragma Informatique, a French-based manufacturer of eco-friendly cleaning products from Milestone Investisseurs and other shareholders.

Qualifications

Admissions

Attorney at Law, France, France, 2020 
 
Attorney and Counselor at Law, State of New York, US, 2018 

Academic

LLM, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, 2017
 
Business & Law Certificate, The Wharton School, 2017
 
Master Finance and Strategy, Sciences Po, 2017
 
DLS, Magdalen College, University of Oxford, 2014
 
Master 1 of Law, Université Paris II Panthéon Assas, 2014
 
License of Law, Université Paris II Panthéon Assas, 2013
 

Languages

English, French, Greek, Italian
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.