Mayer Brown expands German Private Equity/M&A team with hire of Partner Octávio de Sousa

Frankfurt am Main – Mayer Brown expands its German Private Equity Practice with the addition of partner Dr. Octávio de Sousa in Frankfurt. Octavio joins the team in June 2025.

Octávio counts leading PE funds, family offices as well as corporates and PE backed portfolio companies among his clients. He has a particular focus on advising on private equity, mergers & acquisitions and venture capital transactions as well as on general corporate matters. Most recently, Octavio advised Vendis Capital on the acquisition of BitterLiebe, All Seas Capital on the investment in Zimmer Group, Main Capital and its portfolio company Enventa on the acquisition of Softbauware and Gesys, as well as EMK Capital and its portfolio company, L&S Group, on the acquisition of Visplay Group, amongst others.

Dr. Ulrike Binder, head of Mayer Brown’s German Corporate/M&A practice said: “With Octavio, we are gaining another established and highly qualified colleague for our German PE/M&A practice. With his arrival we continue to reinforce our standing in the market with high-calibre lateral hires aligned to our global growth plans.”

Dr. Guido Zeppenfeld, managing partner Germany, said: “Octavio brings the professional versatility, clout and team spirit to further expand our PE/M&A transactional business in Germany and will be a great asset to our Private Equity as well as corporate clients.”

Octávio added: “I already know the team at Mayer Brown well and am looking forward to working with my new colleagues in the team. The synergies and growth opportunities are clear and together with my new colleagues we will deliver excellent client service.”

Octávio’s hire follows the addition of Dr. Fabio Borggreve in Frankfurt in September 2023. In January of this year we announced the arrival of seven partners and their team from leading independent French law firm Ayache, reinforcing Mayer Brown's commitment and expertise in Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity and Banking & Finance in France and beyond. Octávio joins Mayer Brown from Reed Smith, where he was a partner for almost 10 years serving as the office Managing Partner since 2022.