Partner

James MacArthur

Energy
M&A
Private Equity

james.macarthur@sidley.com

London +44 20 7360 3615

- Letter
- A4

JAMES MACARTHUR is a co-leader of Sidley’s global Energy and Infrastructure practice and heads the Energy, Transportation and Infrastructure team in London. He has more than 20 years of experience acting for corporate and private equity sponsors on European and global deals across the spectrum of private equity, most notably for a number of leading infrastructure funds.

James’ experience covers a wide range of sectors, including energy, digital infrastructure, logistics, transportation, and social infrastructure.

James has received acknowledgement from numerous industry ranking guides, including:

Chambers UK 2025 - Ranked for Infrastructure, where clients state “James is highly experienced, well networked and is a strong commercial lawyer.”
Legal 500 UK 2025 - Ranked as a “Leading Individual” for Infrastructure: M&A and Acquisition Financing.
Chambers UK 2024 - Ranked for Infrastructure, where sources note “James is a uniquely experienced lawyer across private equity infrastructure. He also adopts a commercial approach.”
Legal 500 UK 2024 - Ranked for Infrastructure: M&A and Acquisition Financing.
Chambers UK 2023 - Ranked for Infrastructure, where sources stated that “he provides exceptional client service and outstanding commercial awareness.”
Legal 500 UK 2023 - Ranked as a “Leading Individual” for Infrastructure, where he is described as “an exceptionally good partner, looking to find the best solutions for his clients, demonstrating very good commercial judgement, and finding practical solutions. … He is the type of lawyer you want on your side in the most critical moments of a transaction.”

Prior to joining Sidley in 2023, James was head of the private equity infrastructure practice of another international law firm.

Experience

Examples of James’ work include advising:

A leading infrastructure fund in its acquisition of Melita, a fully converged digital infrastructure owner and operator delivering broadband, mobile connectivity and data centre solutions across Malta.
THI Investments on the sale of Corndel, a professional training and coaching business.
Northleaf Capital Partners in its acquisition of CCT Group, a leading tri modal container port terminal business, from iCON Infrastructure Partners.
Pictet Alternative Advisors in its acquisition of Technology Services Group Limited.
Pictet Alternative Advisors in its acquisition of Pareto FM.
iCON Infrastructure on the acquisitions of Choice Care Group, Nua Healthcare, Vanguard Healthcare Solutions, PortSynergy (Le Havre Port), and other matters.
Macquarie Asset Management on the acquisition of motorway service station business Roadchef.
Antin Infrastructure Partners on the sale of Kellas Midstream, the acquisitions of Sølvtrans, FirstLight, and Westerleigh Group, the purchase of the CATS pipeline and associated infrastructure from first BG Group, and subsequently the stake from BP and CATS on the add-on of ETS and other matters.
Terra Firma on the sale of Parmaco to Partners Group and other matters.
AMP Capital (now InfraBridge) on the acquisitions of The Regard Group, Care Management Group, and ITS Technologies & Logistics, and the establishment of Telecoms Infrastructure Partners.
THI Investments on the acquisitions of RE Panels SA, WJ Group, Corndel, Impact Food Group, and Oxford International.
APG on its investment in SiFi Networks.
OMERS Infrastructure in relation to the acquisition of its stakes in Thames Water and a number of syndications.
NIBC on the sale by auction process of Welcome Break Group to Applegreen plc and its renewables portfolio to Equitix.
Crystal Palace Football Club on its sale, and a number of subsequent matters.
Limerston Capital on the acquisition and subsequent sale of Crawford Scientific and on the sale of Prism Healthcare.
Hannam & Partners on the acquisition and subsequent sale of MKM.
Magenta Partners on the acquisition and subsequent sale of Tag Worldwide and its investment in Payen.

*Some of the above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.

Credentials

Admissions & Certifications

England and Wales (Solicitor)

Education

Durham University, LL.B., 1996