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Ansgar A. Simon

Partner

New York +1 212 841 1051

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Ansgar Simon has a broad-based transactional tax practice. He regularly advises on mergers and acquisitions, restructuring transactions, recapitalizations, divestitures (including spin-offs), and the structuring of joint ventures, involving both corporations and partnerships for tax purposes. He also regularly advises on the structuring and ongoing tax matters of private equity funds and other alternative investment vehicles, and the structuring for their portfolio investments.

    Ansgar has extensive experience advising clients on international tax matters. He regularly represents clients on inbound and outbound U.S. federal income tax matters such as CFC, GILTI and PFIC planning, related tax-efficient (re-)structurings, foreign currency-related matters, and the application and use of U.S. tax treaties.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Merck in is acquisition of Calporta Therapeutics, a venture-backed company that is developing selective small molecule agonists to TRPML1 in an all- cash transaction comprised of an upfront payment plus up to $567 million of contingent payments tied to development and commercial milestones.
    • Central European Media Enterprises, a central and Eastern Europe broadcast media company, in its definitive agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of PPF Group N.V. in a cash transaction valued at approximately $2.1 billion.
    • UCB S.A. in its pending acquisition of Ra Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for approximately $2.5 billion in cash.
    • Merck & Co. in its acquisition of Peloton Therapeutics Inc. for $1.05 billion in cash and up to an additional $1.15 billion if certain milestones are met.
    • LifeArc in its landmark $1.297 billion royalty monetization.

    • Bayer AG in its sale of Coppertone for $550 million.
    • Merck & Co. in its acquisition of all outstanding shares of privately-held animal technology company Antelliq Group for €2.1 billion and the assumption of €1.15 billion of debt.
    • Illumina Inc. in its $1.2 billion acquisition of Pacific Biosciences.
    • Emergent BioSolutions in its acquisition of PaxVax from a group of investors including an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management.
    • Elbit Systems in its acquisition of Universal Avionics Systems and its $350 million Acquisition of Harris’ Night Vision Business.
    • ONCAP and Mavis Tire Holdings LLC in the combination of Mavis Tire Holdings LLC and Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers.
    • Aristocrat Leisure Limited in its acquisition of Big Fish Games, Inc. from Churchill Downs Incorporated for $990 million.
    • Howard Bancorp in its tax-free acquisition of First Mariner Bank.
    • The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in its royalty monetization transaction of the cancer drug Venetoclax with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
    • Various other royalty monetization transactions, including for the Boston Children's Hospital.
    • NFL On Location in its acquisitions of Anthony Travel, Kreate, Nomadic Entertainment Group and Runaway Tours.
    • RedBird Capital Partners, LLC in various acquisitions.
    • Goldman, Sachs & Co. in the disposition of its Colombian mining operations to Murray Energy Corporation.
    • Javelin Global Commodities in the formation and tax structuring of its worldwide commodities trading business.
    • Omnilife in its disposition of the Chivas USA Soccer Club.
    • Liberty Global plc in its $23.3 billion acquisition of Virgin Media Inc. and the related expatriation of Liberty Global Inc. to the United Kingdom.
    • SunGard Data Systems, Inc. in its tax-free spin-off of its Availability Services operations.
    • Vivendi/Universal Music Group in its acquisition and partial disposition of the EMI Music Group.
    • The Dow Chemical Company in the divestiture of its Styron unit to Bain Capital.
    • American Axle in its out-of-court restructuring.
    • The Dow Chemical Company in the tax structuring for its $17.4 billion joint venture with a subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Company.
    • Merrill Lynch in its acquisition by Bank of America.
    • DaimlerChrysler AG in its disposition of 80.1% of Chrysler Holding LLC to Cerberus.
    • Citigroup in its acquisition of Old Lane Funds.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • Stanford Law School, J.D., 1999
        • Order of the Coif
        • Stanford Journal of International Law, Managing Editor
    • University of California, Los Angeles, Ph.D., 1996
    • University of Bielefeld, M.A., 1990
        • summa cum laude
    Bar Admissions
    • New York
    Languages
    • German
    Accolades
    • The Inaugural Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Tax Lawyers - M&A, Tax Transactional (2025)
    Memberships and Affiliations
    • Fellow, American College of Tax Counsel
    • New York State Bar Association, Member of the Executive Committee of the Tax Section; Co-Chair of the Committee on Cross-Border M&A
    • American Bar Association, Member of the Section of Taxation
    • Member of Tax Review (New York)

    Areas of Expertise

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