Frank J. Azzopardi
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Head of IP & Commercial Transactions. Extensive experience counseling clients on complex commercial transactions and IP and technology related issues.
Frank is head of our IP & Commercial Transactions practice. He has extensive experience structuring and negotiating complex commercial transactions and counseling clients on IP and tech-related issues arising from those transactions.
Frank leads commercially significant transactions involving the exploitation of intangibles including bespoke licenses, IP-asset backed financings and royalty securitizations, media rights, sponsorships, IP sales, joint ventures and collaborations. He consults in connection with IP-related disputes, tax restructures and insolvency and distress management matters.
He has deep industry experience in telecom, sports, media, entertainment, transportation, infrastructure, energy, consumer products and fashion, among others. His clients include Baker Hughes, Emerson, BDT, Comcast, Related, Ferrero, NBCUniversal, VF, Natura, Reckitt, FSU and University of Michigan.
He is highly ranked by Chambers USA, Legal 500, the National Law Journal and IAM Patent 1000. edit
Experience highlights
Tech, Media & Telecom
- Comcast “SkyShowtime” partnership with ViacomCBS
- Bertelsmann $2.175 billion acquisition of Simon & Schuster
- Comcast agreement with Disney on Hulu’s future governance and ownership
- NBCUniversal $3.8 billion acquisition of DreamWorks Animation
- Symphony Technology consortium $2.075 billion acquisition of RSA from Dell
Transportation & Logistics
- Azul $800 million secured notes offering
- Azul $862 million exchange offers and consent solicitations
- American Airlines $10 billion AAdvantage secured financings
- Delta Air Lines $9 billion SkyMiles secured financings
- Spirit Airlines $850 million senior notes offering
- A.P. Moller – Maersk joint venture with IBM to commercialize blockchain platform
Industrials
- Lucid Motors $24 billion combination with Churchill Capital Corp IV
- Baker Hughes long-term agreements with General Electric to maximize value
- Emerson acquisition of General Electric’s Intelligent Platforms business
- ABB $2.6 billion acquisition of GE Industrial Solutions
Consumer Products & Retail
- Campbell Soup $2.7 billion acquisition of Sovos Brands
- Natura $2.525 billion sale of Aesop to L’Oréal
- Shiseido transfer of Personal Care business to CVC
- VF $2.1 billion acquisition of Supreme Holdings
- Ferrero acquisition of Eat Natural
- Natura acquisition of Avon
Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Reckitt Benckiser Group acquisition of Biofreeze
- Shire $2.4 billion sale of its Oncology business to Servier
- McKesson formation of a new company with Change Healthcare Holdings
- Bio-Reference Laboratories $1.47 billion acquisition by OPKO Health
Sports
- Red Bull minority investment in and sponsorship of Leeds United Football Club
- Atairos investment in the parent company of the Aston Villa Football Club
- RedBird Capital Partners acquisition of AC Milan from Elliott Advisors
- Comcast Spectacor eSports joint venture with SK Telecom
- Comcast acquisition of SportsEngine
- University of Michigan All-Sport Agreement with Nike
Insights
News
Credentials
Recognition
Legal 500 U.S. – Technology Transactions
Chambers USA – Technology, New York
National Law Journal – “Intellectual Property Trailblazer,” 2018
IAM Patent 1000
Education
- with honors
Professional history
- Davis Polk since 2001
- Associate, Allens Arthur Robinson, 1998-2001
Qualifications and admissions
- State of New York