Benjamin F. Rikkers is a senior counsel and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. Mr. Rikkers’ practice covers a broad range of business matters, including mergers and acquisitions, securities law, general corporate business law, investment of private equity and venture capital funds, and aircraft-related transactions. He is a member of the firm’s Transactional & Securities and Private Equity & Venture Capital Practices.

Mr. Rikkers regularly represents buyers and sellers in public and private mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic alliances. He also represents issuers and investment banks in public and private equity and debt securities offerings. He provides continuing advice to public companies regarding their federal securities law compliance, disclosure, and reporting obligations.

Mr Rikkers is the chair of the Aviation and Aircraft Transaction Services team where he represents Fortune 500 companies and individuals in the sale, purchase and leasing of new and used aircraft. He also frequently provides ownership and structuring advice to ensure compliance with FAA regulations.

In the summer of 2011, Mr. Rikkers was seconded to Decision Insight Information Group, a leading provider of risk management and due diligence solutions to the insurance, financial, and real estate industries and a TPG portfolio company, where he assisted with a strategic review of a business segment and business processes and in the negotiation of various commercial agreements.

Prior to joining Foley, Mr. Rikkers was a financial analyst for Goldman Sachs & Co., where he worked in the investment banking division. Additionally, he was one of the initial employees and a senior analyst at Steamboat Ventures, LLC, the venture capital arm of the Walt Disney Company.