Walkers' Ireland Asset Finance Team Advises Lenders to SMBC Aviation Capital on $1.725 billion syndicated financing Walkers' Irish Asset Finance team have advised Citigroup Global Markets Asia Limited (Citi) and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) as Joint Global Coordinators to a syndicate of Asia-Pacific, European and North American lenders in a US$1.7 billion facility to SMBC Aviation Capital, one of the world’s leading aircraft lessors.The financing generated strong interest across the global banking market resulting in terms reflecting SMBC Aviation Capital’s status as one of the highest rated, Investment Grade aircraft lessors.Six of the 13 banks which entered the transaction are providing financing to the Company for the first time. Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) and Citigroup Global Markets Asia Limited (Citi) acted as Joint Global Co-ordinators while seven banks, including DBS Bank Ltd., The Korea Development Bank, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited, BNP Paribas, CaixaBank, Cathay United Bank and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, London Branch acted as Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners and four additional banks, including The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited as a Senior Mandated Lead Arranger, and Apple Bank for Savings, China Everbright Bank Co., Ltd., Hong Kong Branch and KeyBank as Mandated Lead Arrangers joined at the senior syndication phase.Partner Killian McSharry led the Walkers team on the matter, working with Associate Roisin O'Connor in the (Asset Finance) team, Tax Consultant Padhraic Mulpeter and Senior Associate Conor Daly (Regulatory).Citigroup Global Markets Asia Limited and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited acted as Joint Global Co-ordinators in respect of a five-year syndicated facility with a greenshoe option comprising a $1,294 million term loan and a $431 million revolving credit facility with a consortium of Asia-Pacific, European and North American banks.Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, SMBC Aviation Capital is one of the world’s leading aircraft companies, with an owned, managed and committed fleet of over 700 aircraft.Killian – who was last month recognised in Airline Economics magazine's Top 40 under 40 list for 2022 – said: "We are delighted to have advised on this matter, which demonstrates our appeal as legal advisers to longstanding global institutional lenders in aviation finance."Instructing Walkers as Irish counsel was a statement of confidence in our ability to assist with the execution of a transaction of this magnitude, in addition to being able to offer pragmatic advice in a cost effective and commercial manner." Primary Contacts IRELANDKillian McSharryPartnerT +353 1 470 6696killian.mcsharry@walkersglobal.comPadhraic MulpeterTax ConsultantT +353 1 863 8595padhraic.mulpeter@walkersglobal.comConor DalySenior AssociateT +353 1 470 6684conor.daly@walkersglobal.com
