Zachary Smith

Associate, Chicago

Biography

Overview

Zach Smith focuses his practice on venture capital, strategic mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments and other complex business transactions. He has extensive experience advising privately held and high growth companies, as well as venture capital funds, private equity funds and corporate strategics, in connection with equity and debt financings, mergers, acquisitions, divestures, corporate restructurings, and general corporate matters.

Prior to joining White & Case, Zach graduated cum laude from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.

Bars and Courts
Illinois
Education
JD
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
BA
Business Administration
University of Missouri
Languages
English

Experience

The venture capital arm of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT), the world's largest construction-equipment manufacturer, in connection with its equity investments in dozens of strategic targets and the sale of minority equity stakes in various Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc. portfolio companies.

Air France-KLM, in its consortium investment of $1.2 billion in restructuring aid to Scandinavian airline SAS AB, replacing previous debtor-in-possession Apollo Global Management.

Jersey Mike's Subs, a leading franchisor of fast-casual submarine sandwich stores in the United States, on its sale of a majority ownership position to private equity funds managed by Blackstone.

CVC Capital Partners in the acquisition of a significant ownership position in Epicor, a global provider of industry-specific enterprise software to promote business growth, from CD&R.

NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) in its US$2.8 billion acquisition of Vivint Smart Home, Inc., a leading smart home platform company, for a total transaction value of US$5.2 billion, including the assumption of debt.

NRG Energy, Inc. in connection with its issuance of US$650 million of preferred stock, the proceeds of which were used to partially fund NRG's US$2.6 billion acquisition of Vivint Smart Home, Inc.

A special purpose acquisition company (SPAC ) Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: IPAX) on its consummation of a US$700 million business combination with Intuitive Machines, LLC, a leading space exploration, infrastructure and services company. Upon the closing of the transaction, the combined company is now named Intuitive Machines Inc.

HighPost Capital, LLC, a private equity firm specializing in the global consumer and consumer technology sectors, on its US$65 million investment in the Series B fundraising of Magic Spoon.