Mark Knight

Advises clients on complex, multi-jurisdictional workouts and restructurings.
Mark co-leads our restructuring practice in London. He has deep experience in complex, multi-jurisdictional workouts and restructurings, acting for both creditors and debtors. He works with private equity houses, hedge funds and other investors with respect to the acquisition and reorganization of stressed and distressed businesses. His practice includes all stages of the restructuring life cycle, including investment structuring, contingency planning and strategy, negotiations, implementation, post-restructuring, optimization of existing investments and exit.
Mark is ranked by industry publications including Chambers UK and Legal 500 UK. A source quoted by Chambers says, “Mark’s advice, commercial awareness and willingness to get a deal done give a client the best outcome.” Other sources describe him as “a great team player” and “a first-rate lawyer and adviser on large, complex restructuring situations.”
Experience
Mark’s representations prior to joining Davis Polk include:
- Sino Ocean on its English restructuring plan and Hong Kong scheme of arrangement
- One Equity Partners and Buckthorn Partners in their acquisition of the Acteon Group
- Coupang in the completion of its acquisition of the business and assets of Farfetch Holdings plc via a pre-pack administration
- Sunac China Holdings Limited in its $10.2 billion offshore debt restructuring
- China Fortune Land Development Co., Ltd. in its $4.96 billion offshore debt restructuring
- Modern Land (China) Co., Limited in the restructuring of its $1.34 billion offshore dollar-denominated notes
- Merced Capital on the restructuring and acquisition of the Telford Offshore Group
- The Learning Network on the completion of its sale to Dutch investment company Intersaction and its associated restructuring
- RiseSun Real Estate Development Co., Limited and its subsidiaries in the restructuring of the group’s offshore dollar-denominated notes
- Travelex on its financial and operational restructuring via a pre-packaged administration sale
- TowerBrook Capital Partners on the acquisition of the Azzurri Group and of CarTrawler via a consensual restructuring
- GLAS on numerous matters, including in connection with the:
- acquisition of the shares in Inter Milan Football Club by Oaktree Capital
- restructuring of Galapagos Holding S.A.
- sale of Young’s Seafood Limited to Karro Food Group
- KKR in connection with its €241 million debt investment and acquisition of a 24% stake in the Spanish pizza chain TelePizza
- Centerbridge on the restructuring of the Apcoa group implemented, in part, through two separate scheme of arrangement procedures
- Bayside and H.I.G. Capital on their acquisition of the Estro business by way of a Dutch ‘pre-pack’ bankruptcy process
- Auto-Teile Unger (ATU) in relation to the restructuring and reduction of its debt facilities by over €600 million
- Strategic Value Partners on the €1.2 billion junior-led debt-for-equity restructuring of the Klbckner Pentaplast Group
- First Lien Coordinating Committee of lenders to eircom in relation to the restructuring of its €4.1 billion debt facilities, principally through the Irish Examinership regime
- The Mezzanine Steering Committee of TeleColumbus GmbH in relation to its financial restructuring through a scheme of arrangement
News
Recognition
Chambers UK – Restructuring/Insolvency
Legal 500 UK – Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency
Private Equity News – “Rising Stars of Private Equity,” 2018
Education
Prior experience
- Partner, Sidley Austin, 2019-2024
- General Counsel, Pillarstone, 2017-2018
- Partner, Kirkland & Ellis, 2014-2017
- Associate, Kirkland & Ellis, 2008-2014
- Trainee Solicitor, DLA Piper, 2006-2008
Qualifications and admissions
- England and Wales