Trinity appoints SNR Denton partner as private equity head

Naylor will lead the growth and development of Trinity’s existing corporate practice with a particular focus on Africa and other emerging markets.

Trinity is a specialist project finance and corporate law practice, focusing on major power, natural resources and infrastructure transactions.

As a corporate lawyer Naylor brings previous experience of private equity and growth and development of capital transactions, both in the UK and internationally. He has also focused on funds work, acting for a range of private equity funds investing in Africa.

Naylor made the leap to Trinity on 7 March and said he was relishing the opportunity to build a practice within Trinity’s fast-paced, entrepreneurial model.

“I’m looking forward to building a team here and developing a private equity practice out of Trinity’s business model,” he said. “We’re working opposite big ticket deals and opposite the magic circle, so we can replicate that on the private equity side.”

Naylor refused to be drawn as to the exact reasons for his departure from SNR Denton, but said the recent merger of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal and Denton Wilde Sapte and subsequent staff shake-up had not influenced his decision.

“SNR Denton’s a very different place to what it was when I joined, but no, that didn’t really come into my decision,” he said. “As ever, when you leave somewhere there are reasons for it, but I think most of the recent changes have happened since I left.”

Naylor said he was looking forward to working in niche energy and natural resource markets in Africa and other emerging economies, and said his previous experience had taught him to handle each country, market or client as a unique case.

“All emerging markets have common traits and unique traits, but with Africa it’s all about patience, because deals take a longer time,” he said. “It also requires a recognition that Africa is a series of countries, and each one is different. Nigerians are going to work in a very different way to Zambians, and we need to reflect that through our practice of law and also through client contact.”