Christopher Smith

• T  +44 (0)20 7090 3017 (Direct line)
• E  christopher.smith@slaughterandmay.com

• London 
• One Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8YY

Christopher has a wide ranging international finance practice covering the full spectrum of banking, international capital markets, derivatives, acquisition finance, project finance and structured finance transactions. He has particular expertise in the field of securitisations where his experience dates from one of the earliest UK mortgage backed issues in 1987.

He advises the full range of participants: originators, arrangers, financiers, credit enhancers and rating agencies in relation to securitisations both in the UK and throughout Europe. More generally, he also advises the treasury departments of a number of listed companies on their general finance needs and also has a general corporate practice advising companies on their private mergers and acquisitions activities.

Christopher's recent work includes advising:

• Arsenal Football Club on its groundbreaking £260 million securitisation, the proceeds of which were used to refinance the development costs of Arsenal’s new Emirates Stadium at Ashburton Grove (this was the first ever publicly rated football receivables-backed deal)
• Ineos Holdings Limited (the company which acquired BP’s petrochemical business in 2005 for in excess of $9 million) on the EUR 1.5 billion securitisation of its group’s trade receivables in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy and the US
• Land Securities Group PLC on the restructuring of all its bank and bond debt (both secured and unsecured) through a hybrid securitisation, incorporating elements of both CMBS and whole-business securitisation technology, secured over a property portfolio valued in excess of £6 billion
• The Paragon Group of Companies PLC on its issue of £120 million 7.00 per cent. Callable Subordinated Notes due 2017
• Corus Group PLC in relation to a £275 million securitisation programme securitising trade receivables

He is ranked as a leading individual in the Finance: securitisation section of The Legal 500, 2007 and in the Securitisation and structured finance section of Chambers UK, 2008.