Private Equity

Private equity is about speed, sharpness and execution. That calls for lawyers who understand the market, move fast and know where the real risks and opportunities lie.

Stek advises private equity funds, portfolio companies, management teams and lenders across a wide range of transactions. Our network spans parties active in the Netherlands as well as international investors entering or exiting the Dutch market. We combine strong M&A expertise with in-depth knowledge of acquisition finance and restructuring & insolvency. This allows us to move quickly at every stage of the investment cycle: from first bid to exit, and from growth financing to special situations.

What we do

Stek guides the full lifecycle of private equity investments:

• Portfolio Company Support
  We remain involved after closing. We support portfolio companies on corporate governance, add-on acquisitions, refinancings, intra-group restructurings, commercial contracts, shareholder disputes, management changes and other legal matters that arise during the holding period.

• Acquisitions & Buyouts
  We advise on leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, carve-outs, platform and add-on acquisitions, minority investments and exits. We are happy to manage the process from the outset — through due diligence, the bidding phase and transaction structuring — all the way to signing, closing and post-closing integration. We know the Dutch market inside out and are experienced in working within complex, cross-border structures.
  
• Acquisition Finance & Debt Structuring
  Financing often determines the feasibility, speed and flexibility of a private equity transaction. Stek advises private equity funds, portfolio companies and lenders on acquisition finance and leveraged finance, including senior facilities, unitranche financings, TLB financings, super senior structures, PIK instruments and asset-based facilities.
  

• Management Participation
  A well-structured management participation arrangement prevents disputes down the line. We advise management teams, founders, investors and supervisory boards on equity participation, leaver provisions, vesting, drag- and tag-along arrangements, governance, information and approval rights, and shareholders’ agreements.

• Exits & Divestments
  We take full ownership of the exit process on behalf of our clients. Whether it is a trade sale, secondary buyout or carve-out: we manage the entire exit trajectory in both exclusive and competitive processes. We assist with dataroom preparation, vendor due diligence, transaction documentation, W&I insurance, earn-outs, escrow structures and post-closing settlement. We ensure the process stays manageable, with clear decisions at the moments when speed and negotiating power are decisive. Where necessary, we do this across other jurisdictions through trusted foreign firms, with Stek remaining the primary point of contact for the client.
  
• Restructuring & Insolvency
  When an investment comes under pressure, speed is critical. Our Restructuring & Insolvency team advises private equity parties, portfolio companies, management and lenders on consensual restructurings, stakeholder management, WHOA proceedings, distressed M&A, debt-for-equity solutions and insolvency situations.
  
  

Our approach

Our PE team operates as one team across practice groups. That means:

• Partner-led — direct senior involvement throughout the entire process
• Accessible and to the point — practical, clear advice you can act on
• Fast and reachable — quick turnaround and short lines of communication
• Commercially sharp — focused on commercial interests, not just legal considerations