Marco V. Masotti is recognized as one of the country’s leading lawyers in the private equity industry. For over 25 years, Marco has led and built the firm’s private funds team into one of the elite practices in the marketplace. He serves as Global Co-Head of the Investment Funds Group, Global Head of Private Equity Fundraising and Deputy Chair of the Corporate Department. Ranked Band 1 in Chambers, Marco is widely regarded as “absolutely extraordinary, he's pragmatic and sharp” with “unparalleled experience and extraordinary reach in the fund formation space.” He is hailed as a “superstar” attorney who is “fantastic and dedicated to his clients.” Marco was named a “Dealmaker of the Year” by The American Lawyer for his role in the acquisition of Chelsea Football Club and has also been recognized as a Law360 MVP in three areas: Private Equity, Fund Formation and Asset Management.
His expertise has earned him prominent industry recognition. Private Equity International named Marco one of "The 100 Most Influential of the Decade," and he has been featured by The Deal as one of the "Movers & Shakers" in the industry. Crain's New York Business included him on its annual "40 Under 40" list, and the New York Observer profiled him as one of New York's top corporate lawyers. The Legal 500 recognizes Marco as a "Hall of Fame" private equity lawyer, with clients noting his "calm demeanor, depth of experience and creative approach to problem-solving make him a rare talent."
Marco has a unique profile in the marketplace as an adviser to private equity funds, growth capital funds, credit funds, infrastructure funds and continuation funds. He represents some of the industry’s leading managers, including: Apollo, Avenue, Brighton Park, Brookfield, Canyon, Centerbridge, Clearlake, Crestview, EagleTree, Gamut, General Atlantic, Grain, King Street, KKR, Liberty Strategic, Oak Hill, OceanSound, Palladium, Roark, Sageview, Searchlight, Silver Point, Stellex, TPG, Värde and Wellspring.
Marco’s recent fund representations include:
- Apollo Investment Fund X, a $20 billion private equity fund
- Apollo Hybrid Value Fund II, a $4.6 billion hybrid value fund
- Brighton Park Capital Fund II, a $1.8 billion private equity fund
- Centerbridge Special Credit Partners IV, a $3.3 billion credit fund
- Crestview Fund V, a private equity fund
- Grain Communication Fund IV, an infrastructure fund
- KKR Dislocation Opportunities Fund, a $2.8 billion credit fund
- Liberty Strategic Capital Fund I, a private equity fund
- Oak Hill Capital Fund VI, a $3.35 billion private equity fund
- OceanSound Partners Fund II, a $1.5 billion private equity fund
- OHA Strategic Credit Fund III, a $2.3 billion credit fund
- Roark Capital Partners VI, a $5 billion private equity fund
- Silver Point Distressed Opportunities Fund II, a $4.6 billion credit fund
- Stellex Capital Fund III, a private equity fund
- Värde Fund XIII, a $2.5 billion credit fund
- Wellspring Capital Partners VI, a $1.4 billion private equity fund
Marco is a corporate adviser to many founders of fund managers, having represented clients including former Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner in connection with his joining Warburg Pincus, and former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin regarding the formation of his private equity firm, Liberty Strategic.
Marco also has extensive asset management M&A experience. His representations include Angelo Gordon in its $2.7 billion sale to TPG; Canyon Partners in its sale of a 19.9% stake to Dai-ichi Life; Brookfield in its acquisition of a significant stake in Primary Wave Music and its strategic partnership with Castlelake; Baring Private Equity Asia in its approximately $7.5 billion sale to EQT AB; Oak Hill Advisors in its $4.2 billion sale to T. Rowe Price; EagleTree Capital in its investments from affiliates of AlpInvest Partners and Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund Board; Oak Hill Capital in Wafra’s acquisition of a strategic minority interest from an affiliate of Jefferies; Daniel Och, founder and CEO of Och-Ziff Capital Management, in connection with his preferred investment in the company; and Fortress Principals in connection with the sale of Fortress Investment Group to Softbank Group.
Marco has significant experience representing private equity firms and their founders in headline-grabbing sports investments, including transactions involving the English Premier League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association and National Football League. He is currently the controlling partner of the Sharks professional rugby team located in Durban, South Africa.
As a sought-after thought leader in the investment management industry, Marco frequently provides commentary on the private funds marketplace and key developments. His insights have been quoted extensively in the Financial Times, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and he has appeared on Bloomberg Television. He is a regular presenter at numerous industry conferences.
Marco's leadership extends to industry organizations. He is a member of the Economic Club of New York and has served as Co-Chair of the Private Investment Funds Forum, Chair of the Private Investment Funds Subcommittee of the International Bar Association and Chair of the Private Investment Funds Committee of the New York City Bar Association. He also serves on the Founding Advisory Board for the Sorensen Center for International Peace and Justice, the Board of Directors for the Brightway Education Foundation, the ILR Advisory Council of Cornell University and the Alumni Council of the University of Virginia Law School Foundation.
