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Paul Nelson

Partner

Email

paul.nelson@aoshearman.com

Phone

+44 20 3088 4631

Offices

London

V-CARD
Paul is Global Co-Head of Asset Finance and Transportation Sector Lead. He is one of the industry's most highly regarded and well respected practitioners. He brings over 25 years of experience.

Paul is ranked in Band 1 by the Chambers directory and described as a “really impressive professional” who is “very bright and commercially pragmatic” and “exceptional...extremely commercial, really polished and experienced”.

He advises financiers, funds, investors, operators, leasing companies, credit insurers and ECAs across the whole spectrum of aviation, shipping, satellite and other asset backed matters.

Paul is the trusted adviser to market leading clients on deals including sustainability linked financings, asset and portfolio purchases and sales, pre-delivery payments (PDP) financing, operating leasing, mergers and acquisitions, tax-based leases, secured and unsecured facilities, revolving credit facilities, ECA-supported financings, insurance-backed financings, capital markets transactions including ABS, EETC and Sukuks, Islamic financings, slots and receivables financings, manufacturer contracts and lease novations as well as litigation, restructurings, repossessions and work-outs.

He also has extensive experience advising on structured and asset backed lending and securitisation transactions and portfolio and asset purchases and sales for various asset types, including in the Cruise Ship sector. He has acted for various parties on cross-border lease financings, trade finance, debt financings, construction contracts and charterparties.

Paul drafted the original ECA Harmonised Documents that are used as the standard documentation for all ECA aircraft financings. He assisted in the development of the insurance supported market and participated in the creation of a subsidiary of financial investor and the KEXIM guaranteed capital market products and the European EETC product.

Experience

Representative matters

  • The Banks on USD625 million sustainability-linked loan for CDB Aviation which is the industry’s first major sustainability-linked syndicated term loan facility for an aircraft lessor. Sustainability Deal of the Year 2023, Airline Economics.
  • A Leading European flag carrier on the market first USD553m sustainability-linked enhanced equipment trust certificate (EETC) transaction that is described as a “historic raising” in industry reports. Sustainability Financing Deal of the Year, AirFinance Journal Awards 2021. Best European Deal 2021, Ishka 2022. Sustainability Capital Markets Deal of the Year and European Overall Deal of the Year, Airline Economics 2022.
  • One of the world's largest airline groups on a large revolving credit facility (RCF) secured against eligible unencumbered aircraft and airport take-off and landing slots. European Debt Deal of the Year, Airline Economics 2022.
  • SACE, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and Cassa Despositi e Prestiti on the pre- and post-delivery financing of four new Fincantieri-built luxury cruise ships for MSC to be operated under the ‘Explora’ brand.
  • UKEF and the Banks on the landmark USD1.87bn (with a collateral pool of over 80 aircraft operated across multiple jurisdictions) combined UKEF EDG and commercial facility for easyJet plc. This is the first ever secured transaction under UKEF Export Development Guarantee scheme. Bank Loan Deal of the Year, Airfinance Journal Awards 2021.
  • The Banks on a large innovative unsecured multi-tranche financing for DAE Capital, structured as a combination of revolving credit facilities and term financing facilities, combining conventional tranches and AAOIFI compliant and non-AAOIFI Islamic tranches.

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 2000

Academic

MA, Law, Downing College, Cambridge University, 1997

Languages

English
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.