Chris is an English and Hong Kong qualified banking and debt finance lawyer and leads our banking and debt finance team. He specialises in advising bank, credit fund and other non-bank lenders, borrowers, financial investors and other stakeholders on complex financing and refinancing transactions.

Chris's experience includes:

Acquisition Finance

• Advising Viaro Energy on the financing of the c.£250,000,000 take private of RockRose Energy plc.
• Advising JPJ Group plc (now Gamesys Group plc) on the c.€196,000,000 incremental term loan B financing of the acquisition by JPJ Group plc of Gamesys Group’s non-sports and studio business.
• Advising Lords Group Trading Limited on the £60,000,000 term, revolving credit and invoice discounting facilities supporting its acquisition of APP Wholesale plc.
• Advising Exponential-e Limited on the amendments to its c.£50,000,000 term and revolving credit facilities (and the establishment of incremental RCF commitments) in connection with its acquisition of Vysiion Limited.
• Advising Grantcroft Limited on the financing of its acquisition of the outstanding shares in Mobile Account Solutions Holdings Limited (now known as Croft Communications).
• Advising a financial investor on a unitranche financing of its acquisition and buy and build strategy for a German healthcare business.*
• Advising a health care investor on a unitranche financing of its acquisition of a portfolio of pharmaceuticals from a major Pharma group.*
• Advising the lead arrangers on the leveraged financing of the acquisition of a Southern European agriculture business by a UK financial investor.*
• Advising the mandated lead arrangers on the leveraged financing (and subsequent add-on acquisition financings and repricings) of the acquisition of a French pharmaceuticals business by a European financial investor.*
• Advising a German and Dutch bank on the super senior RCF provided in connection with the unitranche financing of the acquisition of a Dutch holiday parks business.*
• Advising a French financial investor on a leveraged financing of its acquisition of a German medical business.*
• Advising two UK financial investors on the refinancing of their respective holiday park businesses as part of the merger creating a leading UK holiday parks business.*

Real Estate Finance

• Advising Sequoia Living on the c.£25,000,000 refinancing and development financing of two retirement living schemes in Chigwell, Essex and Wantage, Oxfordshire.
• Advising Puma Property Finance on the c.£20,000,000 development financing of a luxury residential development in Hertfordshire.
• Advising Puma Property Finance on the c.£21,500,000 development financing of an up to 254 unit purpose built student accommodation scheme in Southampton.
• Advising a real estate credit funding on a development financing of several residential development sites.

Receivables Finance

• Advising Tower Street Finance on a £15,000,000 receivables backed credit facility provided by a leading private credit fund.
• Advising a lifetime mortgage provider on a $50,000,000 forward funding facility to finance its equity release mortgage product.
• Advising Start Up Loans Company on the counterparty credit risk mitigation planning in respect of the Start Up Loans Scheme.

Private credit and growth capital

• Advising Industrial Lending 1 S.a. r.l. on growth capital investments in Podsystem, Simfoni and Armour Communications.
• Advising ADG Prefcap LLP on growth capital investments in Wi-Q, Law Bite, District Technologies, Square Marble, Staykeepers and Autotestpro.
• Advising a US credit fund on the unitranche financing of an aborted take private of a CEE listed industrials business.*
• Advising a credit fund on a c.$25,000,000 junior financing in the premium consumer electronics sector.*
• Advising a credit fund on a c.€25,000,000 junior financing in the online travel sector.*

Restructuring

• Advising the board of directors of an FCA regulated UK insurance intermediary on the terms of its financial restructuring and related debt for equity swap.
• Advising a growth capital investor on a work-out of a distressed investment.
• Advising a US credit fund on a restructuring of a Southern European TMT business.*
• Advising a Swiss investment bank on the restructuring of a margin loan secured on Hong Kong listed bonds.*

Other financing situations

• Advising a leading professional services firm on its £60,000,000 refinancing of its revolving credit facility.
• Advising a listed precious metals miner on a bond refinancing through a senior bank facility and related solvent balance sheet restructuring.  
• Advising a project company on a dividend recapitalisation of a Kazakhstani project financing.*
• Advising a financial investor on the amendment and sale of preferred equity in one of its existing portfolio investments.*
• Advising a container / logistics business on a preferred equity issuance in connection with its stressed refinancing.*
• Advising a consortium of financial sponsors on the intercreditor aspects of a PIK note issuance by the holding company of a continental European bank and payment services provider.*
• Advising several lenders on subscription / capital call credit facilities to investment funds.*
• Advising Jackpotjoy plc on various transactions including a consent solicitation in respect of its existing New York law governed first lien credit facility (and subsequent second lien add-on) and the group’s subsequent refinancing by way of a European term loan B and revolving credit facility.*

*Completed whilst at previous firms