KWM’s Witney to join Debevoise & Plimpton

Simon Witney is to join Debevoise and Plimpton as a consultant in its London office on 16 January.

He joins the firm from ailing King & Wood Mallesons, where he has worked as a consultant since stepping down as partner in 2013.

“I will be helping Debevoise in their work with industry associations, including the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association and Invest Europe. The firm is a strong supporter of the private equity industry, and I will work with the team to continue that,” Witney told pfm.

“I will also work with clients on matters I have specific expertise on, including corporate governance and fund structuring, especially as regulatory scrutiny of the industry increases,” he added.

Alongside his new role, Witney will continue working on his PhD on corporate governance issues in private equity-backed companies at the London School of Economics, which he expects to finish this year. He has been working on the thesis since he resigned from the KWM partnership.

Witney is a prominent figure in the private equity legal world, and sister title Private Equity International named him one of the 30 most influential lawyers in global private equity.

He has advised private equity clients and the UK government on a wide range of fund and transactional matters over the past two decades.

Witney has also held senior positions in the BVCA over a number of years. He is currently a member of its Council, responsible for strategic direction and oversight, and previously chaired the BVCA’s Legal and Accounting Committee. He is also a past Chair of Invest Europe’s tax, legal and regulatory committee and has been a member of the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association’s legal and regulatory council.