Geoffrey Burgess is a corporate partner with a broad international practice in Europe (including Russia), Africa and India, with particular focus in the private equity, TMT, healthcare and aviation industries. He is also a member of the firm’s ESG and Special Situations teams.
Mr. Burgess joined the firm in 1997 and has been resident in the London office since 1999. Mr. Burgess co-leads the India and Africa practice groups at Debevoise and is also a leader in the firm’s Private Fund Transactions Group, with a focus on GP replacement projects. He is a member of the Africa Venture Capital Association (AVCA), and previously served as co-chair of its Legal and Regulatory Committee. Mr. Burgess is a member of the London office’s pro bono committee and is a volunteer at law clinics for social entrepreneurship at unLtd and for disability benefits in Hammersmith & Fulham.
Mr. Burgess graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill B.Sc., with honors, Phi Beta Kappa, Morehead Scholar, and in 1993 received his J.D. from Columbia, where he was a Stone Scholar, received a Parker School Certificate in International Law and served on the Journal of Transnational Law as head notes editor, Parker School Journal of East European Law as founding managing editor and Survey of East European Law as managing editor. He was a Ford Foundation Fellow, Institute of State and Law (Moscow) in 1994.
Mr. Burgess is recommended for Private Equity by The Legal 500 UK (2024). He is also listed as a leading individual for his work in emerging markets, with clients noting that he is “a real stand out for his knowledge and experience but also for his wonderful negotiation and interpersonal skills.” He is said to be “a strong advocate who has worked extensively in emerging markets, including in Africa, and brings a commercial reasonableness to the table to get deals done.” Sources have also said that he “has been invaluable in navigating the complexities of emerging markets in Africa and the Middle East,” and that he is “responsible, thoughtful and commercial.” Mr. Burgess is also recommended for Private Equity and M&A by IFLR1000 (2022). India Business Law Journal also mentions that he is “highly regarded by Indian clients” and has named him to its “International A-List”, which recognises the top India-focussed lawyers at international firms. He is further recommended in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2023), where he has been described as “a brilliant M&A lawyer” and “highly accomplished and very innovative,” for his work in India. According to clients, he “provides practical, business-oriented advice in addition to an understanding [of] the legal complexities of emerging markets.” The 2017 edition of the guide praised him for being “an exceptional transactional lawyer with pragmatic business sense.” He was further noted as having “vast experience of Russian inbound and outbound transactions as well as India-related deals.” The guide has stated that he is known for a “broad-ranging Russia, CIS and India Practice.” It has also described him as “excellent and responsive” and “particularly distinguished by his ability to strategically navigate complex negotiations.” Mr. Burgess has been described as having “considerable experience in advising Russian clients from his London base.” Sources add that he enjoys a “huge amount of respect” and “stands out for his aviation experience,” though “his practice ranges from private equity and international mergers & acquisitions, to financings and joint ventures.”
Mr. Burgess is the author of various articles in trade publications on European private equity and Russian transactional issues. He is also the subject of an interview provided to the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association as part of its AVCA Member Interview Series (May, 2021). Other recent publications include “Co-Investing Along-Side African PE Fund Managers – An Overview,” AVCA L&R (December, 2023); “Addressing ESG Considerations in the M&A Context,” a chapter in the latest edition of GLI Mergers & Acquisitions, published by Global Legal Insights (July, 2023); the European Union chapter in ESG Comparative Guide, published by Global Legal Post (March, 2023); “Debevoise & Plimpton on the growth of GP stakes,” Private Equity International (December, 2021); “Foreign Direct Investment Rules in Selected European Countries: An Overview,” Journal of Investment Compliance (April, 2021); “Governance in Emerging Market Private Capital,” Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (April, 2019); “AVCA Legal & Regulatory Bulletin: The OECD BEPS Action Plan and Tax Considerations for Investors,” AVCA Legal & Regulatory Bulletin (February, 2019); “Africa Insurance M&A: Global Insurers’ Next Frontier,” Legal & Regulatory Bulletin (Fall Edition, 2017); “Opportunities and Trends in Healthcare—How to Achieve Scalable Impact,” Sustainable Investing in Emerging Markets (October, 2017); and “M&A In Russia: Opportunities And Risks In The Current Environment,” India Unleashed (June, 2017). Mr. Burgess is a regular speaker at the Fundraising Masterclasses held by the Emerging Market Private Equity Association, including delivering sessions in Mumbai and London. Other recent speaking engagements include “Co-Investment Trends and Best Practice in Emerging Markets,” Global Private Capital Association (November, 2023); “Bilateral Investment Treaties, Currency in M&A, and IPOs of African Corporates,” International Lawyers for Africa (September, 2022); “Optimising Exit Opportunities and Options for VCs and PE Firms,” Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (June, 2022); “Demystifying Minority Equity Investments in India,” Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Legal Information Series (January, 2022); “Introduction to ESG,” The American Chamber of Commerce in Russia Webcast (December, 2021); “The Latest on Mauritius and Other Regulatory Conditions Affecting Fundraising: Mauritius Update and Path Forward & Fund Domicile Alternative and EU Regulatory Considerations,” GPCA Africa Council Meeting (October, 2021); “Deal Management during the Pandemic,” EMPEA Global Private Equity Conference (May, 2021); “Private Equity and Healthcare in Africa,” AVCA 2021 Annual Conference (April 2021); “Preliminary Considerations and Transaction Structuring,” M&A Masterclass Series (February, 2021); “Managing & Resolving Shareholder Disputes,” Aarna Law/Debevoise & Plimpton LLP (October, 2020); “Cross Border M&A in Emerging Markets,” ALB Virtual In-House Legal Summit 2020 (October, 2020); “Learning from Practitioners: Practical Considerations for Securing LP Commitments from a DFI,” EMPEA Member Program (September, 2020); “CAMA 2020 and the Private Equity Industry,” Private Equity and Venture Capital Association, Nigeria (PEVCA) and ÆLEX (September, 2020); “Overview of the COVID-Related Actions of the EU and Main State Assistance Measures Available to Employers in the UK,” A Primer on the Economic and Political Effects of COVID-19 on the EU and the UK (April, 2020); “Uniting Against the Impacts of COVID-19: Legal Considerations,” Uniting Against the Impacts of COVID-19 (April, 2020); “Using Dispute Resolution Strategies to Protect and Enhance Investment Value in Nigeria,” ÆLEX & Debevoise Joint Seminar (December, 2019); “M&A in Emerging Markets,” EMPEA Masterclass – London (October, 2019); “Deep Dive Case Study Workshop – Healthcare,” EMPEA Sustainable Investing in Emerging Markets Summit (October, 2019); “A Look at the Healthcare Industry,” IFLR India M&A Forum (September, 2019); “Global Trends and Challenges in Healthcare M&A,” Networking and Discussions on Healthcare M&A (September, 2019); “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall... Can Arbitration Best Reflect the Complexity of the M&A Transaction?,” Dispute Resolution in M&A Transactions Conference, 5th Edition (May, 2019); and “A Good Company Always Attracts a Buyer: Examining Pathways to Liquidity via Trade Sales, Secondaries and IPOs,” 16th Annual AVCA Conference (April, 2019).
Geoffrey Burgess律师是一位公司业务合伙人，其执业范围跨越欧洲（包括俄罗斯）、非洲和印度，尤其专注于私募股权，数字新媒体，医疗保健和航空业。
Burgess律师于1997年加入德普，于1999年起常驻德普伦敦分所。他同时领导德普的印度和非洲业务团队，以及私募基金交易业务团队，专注于普通合伙人的更换项目。Burgess律师是非洲风险资本协会（AVCA）成员，曾任其法律和监管委员会联席主席。Burgess律师是德普伦敦分所公益委员会的成员，他还担任法律培训班志愿者，负责unLtd的社会创业和Hammersmith & Fullham的残障福利事宜。
Burgess律师以优等成绩毕业于北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校，并获得优等生荣誉和莫尔黑德奖学金。他于1993年从哥伦比亚大学毕业，获得法律博士学位。在哥伦比亚大学求学期间，Burgess律师获得了斯通学者的荣誉称号并获得了国际法帕克学院证书，并担任《交易法律期刊》的首席评论编辑，《帕克学院东欧法期刊》的创刊人和总编，及《东欧法律研究》的总编。Burgess律师曾于1994年作为福特基金会学者赴莫斯科国际政法学院访问学习。
Burgess律师被《英国法律500强》（2022年）评为私募股权领域推荐律师。他还被列为新兴市场工作的领军人物，客户表示他“在应对非洲和中东新兴市场的复杂局面上发挥了极其宝贵的作用，”他“可靠尽责、细心周到、具备商业意识。” Burgess律师还被《国际金融法律评论1000》（2020年）评为私募股权和并购领域的推荐律师。《英国钱伯斯》（2020年）和《美国法律500强》（2019年）则将他列为航空业领域的知名律师。《印度商法期刊》亦提到Burgess律师“获得印度客户的高度评价”，并将其提名至表彰专注于印度业务的国际律所顶尖律师之“国际A级律师（A-list）名单”。他获得《亚太法律500强》（2022年）的推荐，被称为“一名杰出的并购律师”，“造诣深厚，富有创新精神。”。他因在印度的工作获得《全球钱伯斯》（2020年）的推荐。客户表示，他“不但了解新兴市场法律方面的复杂情况，并且提供实用且针对业务的建议。”该指南在其2017年版本中称赞他是一名“具备务实商业意识的卓越的交易律师”，并特别指出他具有“俄罗斯境内和境外交易，以及印度相关交易的丰富经验。”该指南称其“因范围广泛的俄罗斯、CIS和印度业务而闻名”，是一名“杰出且尽职”的律师，“尤以战略引导复杂谈判的能力著称”。Burges律师获评价：“善于从其常驻的伦敦办公室为俄罗斯客户提供法律服务”。消息来源还称他“备受尊重”，尤其在“航空行业经验突出”，同时“他的执业领域涉及各类业务，包括私募基金、国际并购、金融业务及合资事宜”。
Burgess律师在商业杂志上发表过多篇关于欧洲私募基金和俄罗斯交易问题的文章。他还接受非洲私募股权与风险投资协会的AVCA成员访谈系列的采访（2021年5月）。最新一期《全球法律透视-并购》其中一章（2022年7月）；“部分欧洲国家的外国直接投资规则概述”，Burgess律师近年发表的其他文章包括：“德普谈GP股权增长”，《私募股权国际》（2021年12月）；“处理并购中的环境、社会与企业管治因素”，《投资合规杂志》（2021年4月）；“新兴市场私人资本的治理”，新兴市场私募股权协会（2019年4月）；“AVCA法律和监管公报：经合组织BEPS行动计划和投资者的税务考虑”，AVCA法律和监管公报（2019年2月）；“非洲保险并购：全球保险公司的下一进军领域”，Legal & Regulatory Bulletin（2017年秋季版）；“医疗保健业机遇和趋势——如何实现可扩展影响”，《新兴市场可持续投资》（2017年10月）；“并购在俄罗斯：当前环境下的机遇与风险”，《India Unleashed》（2017年6月）；Burgess律师经常在由“新兴市场私募股权协会”（Emerging Market Private Equity Association）举办的募资高级讲习班上发表演讲，包括在孟买和伦敦发表演讲。近期其他的演讲包括：“优化风险投资公司和私募股权公司的退出机会和选择”，私募基金及风险投资协会（2022年6月）“解读印度少数股权投资”，《亚洲基础设施投资银行法律信息系列丛书》（2022年1月）；“ESG简介”，俄罗斯美国商会网络直播（2021年12月）；“毛里求斯最新情况及影响募资的其他监管条件：毛里求斯最新进展和后续计划以及基金注册地替代方案和欧盟监管考虑事项”，GPCA非洲理事会会议（2021年10月）; “疫情期间交易的管理”，EMPEA全球私募股权大会（2021年5月）；“非洲的私募股权与医疗健康”，AVCA 2021年年度大会（2021年4月）；“预先考虑因素与交易结构”，并购大师班系列（2021年2月）；“股东争议的管理与解决”，Aarna Law/德普（2020年10月）；“新兴市场的跨境并购交易”，ALB 2020年企业内部法律顾问虚拟峰会（2020年10月）；“律师解析：从开发性金融机构（DFI）获得有限合伙人出资的实际考虑因素”，EMPEA成员计划（2020年9月）；“《公司和相关事务法》（2020年）和私募股权行业”，私募股权和风险资本协会，尼日利亚（PEVCA）和ÆLEX（2020年9月）；“欧盟与COVID相关的行动概述以及英国雇主可获得的主要国家援助措施”，COVID-19对欧盟和英国的经济和政治影响初探（2020年4月）；“团结一致对抗COVID-19的影响：法律考量”，团结一致对抗COVID-19的影响（2020年4月）；“运用争议解决策略保护和提升尼日利亚的投资价值“，AELEX和德普联合研讨会（2019年12月）；“新兴市场的并购”，EMPEA大师班 – 伦敦（2019年10月）；“案例研究深度研讨会 – 医疗保健”，EMPEA新兴市场可持续投资峰会(2019年10月)；“探究医疗保健行业”，IFLR印度并购论坛（2019年9月）；“医疗保健并购的全球趋势和挑战”，医疗保健交流与讨论（2019年9月）；“魔镜，魔镜……仲裁是否能完美体现并购交易的复杂性？”《并购交易中的争议解决大会》第5版（2019年5月）； “一家好公司总是吸引买家：分析通过售出、二级市场交易和IPO实现流动性的途径”，第16届年度AVAC大会（2019年4月）。