David Azcue

David Azcue is a Partner in Simpson Thacher's Tokyo office, and co-heads the Firm's Private Funds Practice in Japan. He joined the Firm in 2006 and has spent 16 years in the Firm’s Tokyo office and 2 years in the Firm’s Beijing office. David’s practice focuses on advising fund sponsors in connection with all aspects of fundraising across a broad range of asset classes, co-investments, GP stakes, and secondary transactions. He also advises sponsors on structuring, financing, operations, and other related matters. He represented many of the leading sponsors and asset managers in Japan and across Asia. David has also been a speaker and moderator at various conferences, including the Fund Finance Associates (FFA) Japan and APAC Symposium in 2024, and frequently writes about private equity trends and developments in Asia.

- New York State Bar Association

- Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association

- Chambers and Partners Global Practice Guide: Alternative Funds (Japan)–Trends and Developments 2020 - 2022 editions (2021-2022 ed. co-author with Lily Rasel)

- Chambers and Partners Global Practice Guide: Alternative Funds (Japan) – Law and Practice 2020 – 2022 editions (co-author with Keiko Shimizu and Koichiro Yoshimura; 2022 ed. co-author with Keiko Shimizu, Koichiro Yoshimura and Lily Rasel)

- Global Legal Insights, Fund Finance 2017 – Japan chapter (co-author with Makiko Harunari and Adam Furber)

- Article for the Japan Private Equity Association discussing GP-led Secondaries transactions, including some views from a Japan perspective

BA, University of Pennsylvania; JD, University of Michigan Law School. Fluent in Japanese and proficient in Mandarin Chinese.