Overview
Sebastien Bonneau focuses his practice on a unique blend of merger and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, and real estate. Dual-qualified in the UK and France, he has over 20 years of experience advising clients on complex, high-value cross-border deals across Europe and the United States.
Sebastien is one of the few lawyers globally with deep, long-standing experience in the data center sector. Since 2006, he has advised on many of the industry’s most transformative transactions. His practice spans M&A, private equity, real estate, and commercial contracts, and he regularly works with leading data center owners, operators, investors, banks, developers, and customers. Prior to joining McDermott, he led the award-winning global digital infrastructure team at a top-tier international law firm.
In addition to his digital infrastructure work, Sebastien advises clients in the healthcare, energy, and real estate sectors, acting for institutional investors, developers, and corporates on strategic investments, acquisitions, and development projects.
He is also a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs and growth companies, supporting their global expansion through innovation-driven strategies, strategic M&A, fundraising, and partnerships with blue-chip organizations.
Sebastien is recognized by Legal 500 and Leaders League for his work in private equity, venture capital, and M&A.
Results
Data Centers – Financing (large, mid, small cap)
- Advising a global real estate investor and developer on its participation into a $2.3b syndicated facility for the development of a build-to-suit behind-the-meter data center in the US, for a total capacity of 206 MW
- Advising a global real estate investor and developer on its participation into a $2b syndicated facility for the development of a build-to-suit behind-the-meter data center in the US, for a total capacity of 174 MW
- Advising a new US-based edge DC company on a €100m fundraising from Eurazeo to launch its European expansion
- Advising an investment bank on its participation into a £600m syndicated facility for the development of a data center in the UK, for a total capacity of 62 MW*
- Advising a group of syndicated lenders on a €140m facility for the development of a data center in Ireland, for a total capacity of 16 MW*
- Advising an investment fund on a £900m joint venture with a leading data center owner and operator for the development of a data center in Germany, for a total capacity of 38 MW*
- Advising a hyperscaler on the negotiation of a security package – including SANDS/Direct agreements, in relation to a syndicated facility for the development of a data center in Ireland, for a total capacity of 32 MW*
Data Centers – Corporate M&A/JVs/Development/Land Acquisition
- Advising a US listed company on a double data center sale and lease back transaction in France, set to deliver 400 MW of AI-compatible infrastructure*
- Advising a leading data center owner and operator on the M&A acquisition of a data center campus in the Netherlands*
- Advising a leading data center owner and operator on the acquisition of a real estate asset in Greece for the development of a data center campus*
- Advising a leading data center owner and operator:
- on the acquisition of real estate assets and the development of a data center in Amsterdam;
- on the acquisition of real estate assets and the development of a data center in Milan
- Advising a leading data a leading data center owner and operator on the development of a data center facility in Germany*
- Advising a leading real estate developer on the structuring of build-to-suit products across Europe
- Advising a leading real estate developer on the structuring and development of their data center Joint Venture agreements across Europe
Data Centers – Customer Agreements
- Advising a hyperscaler on a data center services agreement in Norway, for a total capacity of 260 MW*
- Advising a hyperscaler on a data center services agreement in Ireland*
- Advising a leading data center owner and operator on the commercialisation of data center services in France, Spain, and Italy, opposite a hyperscaler*
- Advising a leading data center owner and operator on the commercialisation of data center services in Sweden and Italy, opposite a hyperscaler*
- Advising a leading data center owner and operator on the commercialisation of data center services in Amsterdam, opposite a hyperscaler*
- Advising a leading data center owner and operator on the commercialisation of data center services in France, and the negotiation of carrier access contracts*
- Advising a leading data center owner and operator on the commercialisation of data center services in Belgium*
- Advising a leading data center owner and operator on the commercialisation of data center services in Europe*
- Advising a leading data center owner and operator on its standard contractual documentation including for the largest European Data Center Campus located near Paris, France*
- Advising a leading data center owner and operator on its standard contractual documentation*
*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott
Recognitions
- Legal 500 UK, Recommended, Private Equity: Transactions Mid-Market Deals, 2025
- Legal 500 UK, Recommended, London: Venture Capital, 2024
- Paris Bar, Pro Bono Award, 2021
- Leaders League Legal Awards, Recommended or Highly Recommended in M&A and Corporate Venture, 2019-2021
- Leaders League Legal Awards, Rising Star, 2013
Credentials
Education
HEC Paris, Executive MBA, 2012
Babson College, Innovative Management and Entrepreneurial Leadership, 2012
University of Paris V, MA, European Business Law, 2000
University of Pantheon-Sorbonne, LLM, Business Law, 1999
University of Pantheon-Sorbonne, BA, 1998
Admissions
England and Wales
Paris
Languages
English
French
Spanish
