Key Takeaways
- • Gideon Sharp, senior partner and former co-head of International Private Equity at Simmons & Simmons, joined Sheppard as of June 1, 2026, and will serve as London office managing partner, strengthening the firm's European cross-border capabilities.
- • Sharp brings over a decade of experience in complex mid- and large-cap private equity M&A transactions, positioning Sheppard to better serve U.S. and international sponsors on sophisticated, high-profile deals across the capital stack.
- • Sheppard has added more than 150 corporate, private equity, and tax lawyers globally over the past four years, reflecting strategic expansion driven by rising client demand for cross-border M&A and private equity support across international markets.
- • The hire reinforces Sheppard's decade-long London presence and signals the firm's commitment to addressing evolved client needs in an increasingly active cross-border investment environment.
Summary
Sheppard announced the appointment of senior partner Gideon Sharp to its Corporate practice group and Private Equity industry team on June 1, 2026. Sharp will assume the dual role of private equity counsel and managing partner of Sheppard's London office, marking a significant expansion of the firm's European capabilities in response to intensifying client demand for cross-border transactions.
Sharp transitions to Sheppard from Simmons & Simmons, where he served as co-head of the International Private Equity practice for more than a decade. His background centers on complex mid- and large-cap M&A and joint venture transactions—a skill set positioned to enhance Sheppard's ability to serve multinational sponsors and their portfolio companies across the continent. According to Luca Salvi, chair of Sheppard, Sharp's arrival "reinforces the growing demand of our most sophisticated clients for support on their cross-border matters" and represents "another important step in our strategic growth."
The hire reflects broader organizational momentum. Over the preceding four years, Sheppard expanded its transactional capabilities by recruiting more than 150 corporate, private equity, and tax lawyers across its global platform. While the firm has maintained a London presence for over a decade, the Sharp appointment signals an acceleration of that footprint in response to accelerating cross-border M&A activity and private equity investment flows across key international markets. Sharp joins an established roster of private equity practitioners at the firm who execute large-scale transactions across multiple capital stack positions for domestic and international clients.
The move aligns with market conditions heading into mid-2026, a period when private equity activity is anticipated to remain steady across deal flows, fundraising, and exit activity. Sheppard's expanded London presence and seasoned private equity leadership position the firm to capture elevated demand from sophisticated sponsors navigating increasingly complex European regulatory and transaction landscapes.
Sharp transitions to Sheppard from Simmons & Simmons, where he served as co-head of the International Private Equity practice for more than a decade. His background centers on complex mid- and large-cap M&A and joint venture transactions—a skill set positioned to enhance Sheppard's ability to serve multinational sponsors and their portfolio companies across the continent. According to Luca Salvi, chair of Sheppard, Sharp's arrival "reinforces the growing demand of our most sophisticated clients for support on their cross-border matters" and represents "another important step in our strategic growth."
The hire reflects broader organizational momentum. Over the preceding four years, Sheppard expanded its transactional capabilities by recruiting more than 150 corporate, private equity, and tax lawyers across its global platform. While the firm has maintained a London presence for over a decade, the Sharp appointment signals an acceleration of that footprint in response to accelerating cross-border M&A activity and private equity investment flows across key international markets. Sharp joins an established roster of private equity practitioners at the firm who execute large-scale transactions across multiple capital stack positions for domestic and international clients.
The move aligns with market conditions heading into mid-2026, a period when private equity activity is anticipated to remain steady across deal flows, fundraising, and exit activity. Sheppard's expanded London presence and seasoned private equity leadership position the firm to capture elevated demand from sophisticated sponsors navigating increasingly complex European regulatory and transaction landscapes.
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