Security Insurance

Kalyan (Kal) R. Venkatraj

EXPERIENCE

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, New York

Associate, September 2017 to present

Summer Associate, Summer 2016

Represent public and private companies as well as banks in investment grade and high yield debt offerings, including acquisition financings, asset-based lending, revolving facilities, project financings, securitizations and spin-off transactions. Draft, review and negotiate transaction documents, including credit agreements, security and collateral documentation, indentures, underwriting and merger agreements, engagement letters, and letters of credit. Conduct and supervise legal due diligence. Assist clients in the preparation of periodic SEC reports, board materials, investor presentations, press releases and stock exchange listings, and reviewing and negotiating agreements with service providers. Maintain direct and frequent contact with company management, bankers, opposing and local counsel. Previously completed rotations through the Capital Markets and the Private Funds practice groups

Representative matters include:

Represented KKR’s Asian Fund platform with respect to multiple capital call line facilities and other bespoke fund finance facilities.

Represented multiple New Mountain Capital platforms with respect to NAV and bilateral capital call loan facilities.

Multiple representations of lenders in the financing of ~$3B of renewable energy project financings for NextEra Energy, Inc.

Advised KKR and sports retailer, Academy, Ltd. in Academy’s $203M initial public offering and subsequent refinancings.

Represented JPMorgan in its negotiations with GNC Holdings, Inc., which is the United States’ leading retailer of minerals, vitamins, herbs, supplements and sports nutrition, in negotiations with debt-holders and out-of-court restructuring of its existing indebtedness (pending).

Represented Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., one of the largest American homebuilders in several refinancing transactions that extended the maturities of over $700M of the company’s debt.

Advised Centerbridge Partners in its financing with respect to the acquisition of GoHealth, one of the world’s largest online marketplaces for health insurance for ~$1.5B.

Advised KKR and optical retailer, National Vision Holdings, Inc. in National Vision’s $400M initial public offering and subsequent refinancings.

Represented Blackstone in connection with the formation and final close of the inaugural fundraising phase of Blackstone Infrastructure Partners (“BIP”) which raised $14B from a diverse investor base that included public and private pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, foundations and family offices and additionally represented BIP in multiple subsequent investments and investment vehicles.

Represented the underwriters in Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation’s registered public offering of $1.25B aggregate principal amount of notes.

EDUCATION

Duke University School of Law, Durham, North Carolina

J.D., cum laude, May 2017

Law & Contemporary Problems, Special Projects Editor, 2016 – 2017; Staff Editor, 2015 – 2016

University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

B.A., summa cum laude with honors, May 2014

Major: Government

Honors Program: Thesis: Security Transgressions: Understanding our Civil Liberties in a Post-9/11

Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Sigma Alpha honor societies

BAR ADMISSIONS

New York, February 2018

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