Kirkland Advises Special Committee on $6.3 Billion Sale of American Express Global Business Travel to Long Lake

Kirkland & Ellis advised a Special Committee to the Board of American Express Global Business Travel, which is operated by Global Business Travel Group, Inc. (NYSE: GBTG), on a definitive agreement in which the company will be taken private by a group led by Long Lake Management. The buyer is backed by General Catalyst and Alpha Wave. The all-cash transaction is valued at approximately $6.3 billion. Transaction negotiations were led by a Special Committee of the Amex GBT Board of Directors, composed entirely of independent and disinterested directors. Following the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee, the Amex GBT Board of Directors approved the merger agreement with Long Lake. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including approval by Amex GBT's stockholders and receipt of requisite regulatory clearances.

Read the transaction press release

The Kirkland team included corporate lawyers David Klein, Brian Junquera and Daniel Wolf; debt finance lawyers Rachael Lichman and Purun Cheong; capital markets lawyer Sophia Hudson; technology IP & transactions lawyers Seth Traxler and Shellie Freedman; tax lawyer Sara Zablotney; executive compensation lawyers Rob Fowler and Brandon Newman; and international trade lawyer Luci Hague.