Sergio A. Urias, Partner, Private Equity Transactions

Sergio A. Urias

Partner

Areas of Focus

Sergio A. Urias, Partner, Private Equity Transactions

Sergio A. Urias

Partner

surias@akingump.com

Areas of Focus

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Biography
  • Advises private equity funds and their portfolio companies.
  • Leads domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and other corporate transactions.
  • Extensive experience advising on transactions in Latin America.

Sergio represents leading private equity funds and their portfolio companies in a wide range of corporate transactions, including domestic and cross-border (primarily in Latin America) M&A, recapitalizations, leveraged buyouts, restructurings, reorganizations, growth equity investments and other corporate transactional matters. In addition, he negotiates, structures and executes corporate transactions on behalf of strategic buyers and sellers.

Sergio has extensive industry experience representing clients across a broad spectrum of sectors, including technology, media, telecommunications, consumer products, energy, mining, health care, life sciences, food and beverage, software, manufacturing, financial services, agriculture, aerospace, defense and hospitality. As a result, he can anticipate and address industry-unique issues that often arise in the transaction process and structure the transactions efficiently.

Sergio was recognized among Chambers Latin America in 2024 for Corporate/M&A – International Counsel, Latinvex’s 2024 list of Latin America’s Top 100 Lawyers, The American Lawyer’s Dealmakers of the Year in 2020, as well as for his role in LatinFinance’s 2021 Private Equity Deal of the Year.

Representative Work
  • Paine Schwartz Partners, a private equity fund focused on sustainable food chain investments, in its investment in Sterilex, a leading developer of innovative food safety antimicrobial products.
  • Prisma Medios de Pagos, Argentina’s leading payment processing company, in its sale to Advent International. Sergio was recognized by The American Lawyer as a “Dealmaker of the Year” for his work on this deal.
  • EMX Capital, a private equity fund, in its GP-led secondary restructuring. This deal was the first of its kind in Mexico, and among the first in Latin America.
  • Grupo Bursátil Mexicano (GBM), a Mexican investment platform, in a $150 million investment by SoftBank Latin America Fund.
  • Mill Rock Capital, a middle market private equity fund, in its acquisition of DRT Holdings, a manufacturer and supplier of precision tools and specialized components.
  • Abertis Infraestructuras, S.A., a Spanish toll road company, in its equity arrangement in connection with its joint acquisition with GIC Special Investment Pte. Ltd. of a controlling stake in Red de Carreteras de Occidente S.A.B. de C.V. (RCO), one of the leading toll road operators in Mexico. Recognized as 2021 LatinFinance “Private Equity Deal of the Year.”
  • GovernmentCIO, LLC, a leading provider of high-end technology and digital solutions to the Federal Health IT Services market, in its sale to Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe.
  • Avantel S.A.S., a Colombian mobile phone operator, in its acquisition of 4G LTE spectrum licenses and equity financing supported by Discovery Capital, Appaloosa Management, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Latin American Development Bank (CAF).
  • Lincolnshire Management in its acquisition of National Pen, a global provider of direct mail promotional products.
  • Warburg Pincus in its acquisition of The Gordian Group, a leading construction pricing data and procurement software business.
  • Lincolnshire Management in its acquisition of Allison Marine, a marine outfitting, repair and refurbishment company that provides land-based and offshore services to oil and gas operators.
  • Lincolnshire Management, Inc. in its sale of National Pen Co. LLC, the leading manufacturer and marketer of custom writing instruments for small and medium businesses, to Cimpress N.V. (NASDAQ: CMPR).
  • Lincolnshire Management, Inc. in its sale of Aerosim to L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL).
  • Warburg Pincus in connection with Sterling Financial Corporation’s $2 billion merger with Umpqua Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: UMPQ).
  • Metalmark Capital in its sale of HDT Global, a leading provider of solutions for government, military, commercial and industrial customers, to Charlesbank Capital Partners.
  • Imagina U.S. in its sale of three Spanish-language cable television networks to Hemisphere Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HMTV).
  • Teays River Investments, LLC in its sale of Pacific Ridge Farms, a grower, packer and shipper of berries and various vegetables, to Frozsun Foods, Inc.
  • Discovery Global Citizens Capital Partners in its acquisition of Avantel S.A.S., a Colombian mobile carrier.
  • Metalmark Capital in its sale of Airborne Systems Inc., a leading designer and manufacturer of personnel parachutes, cargo aerial delivery systems, emergency escape systems and naval decoys.
  • Warburg Pincus in its sale of ReSearch Pharmaceuticals Services Inc, a leading global contract research organization (CRO) to KKR & Co. L.P.
  • Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in its sale of Retrievex, a records and information management services provider.
  • HDT International Holdings, a portfolio company of Metalmark Capital, in its acquisition of Airborne Systems Group Ltd., a maker of parachute systems and related products.
  • Lincolnshire Management in its acquisition of Delta Connection Academy, a flight school, and Aerosim Technologies, a provider of simulation-based training products and services.
  • Warburg Pincus in its investment in Reed Construction Data, a leading provider of construction information.
  • Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in its investment in DriveCam, a provider of video-based products used for monitoring driver safety.
  • Vestar Capital Partners in its investment in Triton Container International, the world’s largest owner-lessor of marine intermodal cargo containers.
  • Fontaine Partners in connection with its investments in Intelligent Energy plc, a U.K. privately held, global clean power systems and clean technology company.
  • ICV Capital Partners in its investment in The PFM Group, a financial and investment advisor to state governments, local governments and nonprofits.
  • CVC Capital Partners in its purchase of 50 percent of the equity interests of Pilot Travel Centers LLC, a travel center owner and operator.
  • Teays River Investment in its acquisition of a large scale grape growing and distribution operation.
  • TZP Group in its acquisition of one of the nation’s leading full-service hotel and resort management companies.
  • Apax Partners in its acquisition of Activant Group, Inc., a business software firm in connection with the simultaneous going private acquisition of Epicor Software Corporation.
  • Murray Energy Corporation in its acquisition of a Colombian coal mining business from Goldman, Sachs & Co., including two developed surface coal mines, three undeveloped mines, an Atlantic coal port loading facility, interests in an Atlantic railway route and related assets.
  • The Gordian Group, a portfolio company of Warburg Pincus, in its acquisition of RSMeans, a web-based construction estimation business from Reed Elsevier Group plc (NYSE: RUK).
  • Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in its acquisition of Alert Logic, the recognized leader in “security-as-a-service” solutions for the cloud.
  • Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc., a leading outdoor advertising company, in its advertising assets exchange with Fairway Media Group LLC.
  • Vestar Capital Partners in its $1.1 billion acquisition of Radiation Therapy Services, Inc.
  • Rede D’Or Sao Luiz, a Brazilian hospital operator, in the sale of equity securities to The Carlyle Group.
  • First Atlantic Capital in its sale of Country Pure Foods, a leading independent producer and distributor of quality premium juices.
  • First Atlantic Capital in its divestiture of Precision Gear Holdings LLC, a manufacturer of gears for the aviation market and for the oil, gas and mining sectors.
  • Ecuador Bottling Company in its joint venture with Arca Continental S.A.B. de C.V. (f/k/a Embotelladoras Arca S.A.B. de C.V.).

List may include matters worked on prior to joining Akin.

Education
  • LL.M., Harvard Law School, 2007

  • J.D., Escuela Libre de Derecho, 2003

Bar Admissions
  • New York

Recognitions
  • Chambers Latin America, Corporate/M&A - International Counsel, 2023-2025.
  • Latinvex, Latin America's Top 100 Lawyers, 2023 and 2024.
  • The Legal 500 US, M&A: Middle-market ($500m-999m), 2024; Private Equity Buyouts: Middle-market (up to $500m), 2024; The Legal 500, Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico, 2022.
  • LatinFinance, Private Equity Deal of the Year, 2021.
  • The American Lawyer, Dealmakers of the Year, 2020.
  • M&A Advisor, 40 Under 40.
  • Latino Leaders, One of the 25 Young Latino Leaders in New York.
Affiliations and Public Service
  • Board Member of the Harvard Law School Association of New York City
  • Serves on the governing body of the Vance Center for International Justice
  • Co-founded Project Paz Inc.

Insights and Achievements

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