Image of Francois Guillaume de Liedekerke

François Guillaume de Liedekerke

Counsel

Email

francoisguillaume.deliedekerke@aoshearman.com

Phone

+352 44 44 5 5713

Offices

Luxembourg

V-CARD
François Guillaume advises on international banking and finance transactions, including syndicated lending, investment grade and leveraged acquisition finance, fund finance and real estate finance as well as debt restructuring.

He also advises on regulatory matters relating to the financial services industry.

François Guillaume has more than 15 years of experience in these areas. He is a member of the board of directors of the Luxembourg Association of Banking Lawyers (ALJB). François also regularly publishes articles on banking and finance issues and is a member of the Editorial Committee of both the Bulletin Droit et Banque and the ACE – Magazine des professionnels Droit / Comptabilité / Fiscalité / Audit au Luxembourg. He is also a member of various working groups within the ABBL and LPEA.

Experience

Representative matters

  • A global asset management firm through one of its Luxembourg investment vehicles, on the sale of its portfolio company SACO Property Group to the Aparthotels group.
  • The lenders (including a group of financial institutions) on a USD75bn loan facility to support the takeover bid by Anheuser-Busch InBev of SAB Miller. This is the largest commercial loan in the history of the global loan markets, far surpassing pre-crisis values. Our involvement in the transaction, coming soon after our role in the financing of Royal Dutch Shell’s purchase of BG Group earlier in the year, reinforces A&O’s position as the global leader in the ‘super-jumbo’ loans market. Allen & Overy also advised the lenders on the loans supporting ABInBev's acquisition of Anheuser-Busch in 2008 (USD54bn) and Modelo in 2012 (USD14bn).
  • A global financial services group on a EUR2bn revolving credit facility for Fiat. The facility involved a syndicate of 19 banks.
  • A private equity firm, on the EUR1bn acquisition of a leading European supplier of aluminum profile systems for windows, doors, sliding elements, roof systems and conservatories with activities in Belgium, France, the UK and Poland.

Published Work

  • "The law of 20 July 2022 amending the Luxembourg financial collateral regime – an evolution more than a revolution", ACE comptabilité, fiscalité, audit, droit des affaires au Luxembourg, Wolters Kluwer, 2023 (co-author) 
  • "The Lending and Secured Finance Review", Law Business Research, 2023 (co-author).
  • "Family offices in Luxembourg", Revue Luxembourgeoise de Bancassurfinance, Wolters Kluwer, 2016 (co-author)
  • "Expedited Corporate Debt Restructuring in the EU", Oxford University Press, 2015 (co-author)
  • "Les garanties financières en droit luxembourgeois : un gage de solidité en des temps incertains", Droit bancaire et financier au Luxembourg, Volume III, Larcier, 2014
  • "Enforcing financial collateral arrangements in the new world – challenging times!", Bulletin Droit et Banque, No 47, April 2011 (co-author)

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

Member, Luxembourg Banking Lawyers Association (ALJB)

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted to the Luxembourg bar under his professional home title, 2011

Admitted as avocat, Belgium, 2002

Academic

Master of Law, Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 2002

Certificate of Business Management, Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 2002

Erasmus exchange programme, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, 2002

Languages

English, French
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.