Santiago Lardiés

I am a partner in Bird & Bird's Corporate/Private Equity department in the Madrid office.

I am a corporate and M&A lawyer with extensive experience in private equity, venture capital and cross-border transactions. I usually advise in the real estate, healthcare, infrastructure, energy and food & beverage sectors.

I particularly focus on every aspect of the private equity industry, from legal and tax advice in connection with the fund formation process to due diligence and transactional advice. I usually work with local and international private equity houses, venture capital investors and sponsors in all types of M&A transactions, investments and divestments (LBOs, MBOs, MBIs, BIMBOs, joint ventures, share deals and asset deals). During the last fifteen years, I have been involved in more than one hundred M&A and private equity transactions (many of them cross-border transactions involving several jurisdictions), including some of the most relevant M&A transactions in Spain and the EU.

I build strong relationships with my clients and obtain in-depth knowledge of their businesses so that I can provide enhanced legal services to them. I am often appointed as secretary to the board of directors of the portfolio companies for my private equity clients, which allows me to accompany them during their venture.

Before joining Bird & Bird in February 2019, I worked for other domestic and international law firms. In 2008, I was seconded to Dubai for one year, and there, I advised on unique real estate and infrastructure projects (such as Palm Jumeirah and The World) acting for one of the world's largest real estate developers.

I am an occasional lecturer at some of the most prestigious Spanish business schools and usually contribute to publications on corporate, M&A and private equity related topics.