Richard Knott focuses on supporting clients with transactional capital deployment and facilitating capital formation. Richard formerly worked with one of the leading sovereign wealth funds in Abu Dhabi, advising on outbound investments and strategic transactions around the globe, as well as the first-ever establishment of a third-party capital platform within a sovereign wealth fund, including the largest-ever stapled secondary. Richard is admitted to practice in New South Wales, Australia.
Richard’s clients include sovereign, institutional, family office, and strategic investors. The focus of his practice is supporting the alignment of interests and the development of partnership through the deployment of the full toolbox of capital, corporate and funds structures. Richard is also an active member of the startup and venture capital community, advising founders and sponsors, as well as creating connections and investing personally.
Richard takes a pragmatic, results-oriented approach in advancing his clients’ interests, and his experience working in-house allows him to identify material issues of strategic and operational relevance as well as provides him with an understanding of client perspectives and sensitivities.
Prior to his four years with a sovereign wealth fund, Richard worked at a global law firm in Abu Dhabi and in Sydney, Australia, at one of Australia’s leading law firms, where he advised clients on multibillion-dollar private mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and joint venture, structured, and capital market transactions. Richard has been resident in Abu Dhabi for more than 10 years.
Ranked, Venture Capital & Emerging Companies, United Arab Emirates, Chambers Global (2024)
Recommended, Commercial, Corporate and M&A, United Arab Emirates, The Legal 500 EMEA (2023, 2024)