/Home/Global/Banking & Finance in Africa-wide/Baker McKenzie
View profile of Baker McKenzie
Department profile
Baker McKenzie
Department profile | Baker McKenzie
Banking & Finance

About

Provided by Baker McKenzie

In addition to over 100 lawyers based in our local African offices (Cairo, Casablanca and Johannesburg), our clients are supported by Africa specialists from across our global network of 77 offices, and our network of African Relationship Firms.

Our global platform is unmatched, giving our team unrivalled access to industry experts across the globe. Given the ever-increasing cross border nature of Banking & Finance deals, we believe our firm is better equipped than many of our competitors to effectively provide legal solutions for clients.

The team is well renowned for its strong presence in bank-to-bank syndicated lending in Africa. We are also legal counsel of choice in multiple Export Finance and Structured Trade Finance transactions for key financial institutions in Africa. We have led the way on many key financings in both the private sector and to state owned entities in key jurisdictions.

We have extensive experience in the financial sector advising national development financial institutions, multi-lateral development banks and export credit agencies on a wide range of transactions including acquisition finance, restructuring and insolvency, derivatives, project finance, financial services regulation, securitisation and capital markets.

The focus of our practice group is trade finance, export finance, project finance, bank-to-bank lending, acquisition finance and specialist work for impact investors such as development finance institutions and export credit agencies.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Banking & Finance - Africa-wide

1
Band 1

What the Team is Known For

Baker McKenzie's London and Paris offices both have a strong track record in trade and development finance. The firm often acts for blue-chip commercial lenders based in North America, Europe and Asia, and is also a frequent counsel to multilaterals. Its comprehensive international network includes offices in Casablanca, Cairo and Johannesburg, all of which are well placed to provide support on major cross-border matters. The firm is active across the continent, with recent experience relating to jurisdictions such as Nigeria, Angola and Tunisia.

Work Highlights

Provided by Baker McKenzie

  • Baker McKenzie acted for Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group on a USD640 million accordion loan, expanding an existing facility provided to the African Export-Import Bank for the purposes of facilitating trade between African nations.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Baker McKenzie's advice is always both practical and technical. We feel we have excellent support at both a partner and associate level.

Banking & Finance respondent
Global

Baker McKenzie is client-minded, providing timely responses, tailored solutions and quality support.

Banking & Finance respondent
Global

The Baker McKenzie team is able to advocate for lenders in such a balanced way as to ensure fairness for both parties and get the deal done.

Banking & Finance respondent
Global

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Luka Lightfoot
Spotlight
Luka Lightfoot is a London-based partner who is often mandated on Africa-related export and trade finance transactions. His regular clients include a number of leading global investment banks.

Luka is an excellent lawyer and an expert in pan-African finance. He marries pragmatism with a deep practical knowledge of sovereign finance markets, and has great technical expertise.

Luka is a highly responsive, effective and knowledgeable lawyer. His adroitness at ECA finance and unfaltering can-do approach are invaluable assets to have on a deal.

View Profile
Michael Foundethakis
Spotlight

Michael Foundethakis is global head of the project, trade and export finance group within Baker McKenzie, and is based in Paris. He has extensive experience in advising on Africa-related mandates and maintains a number of long-term client relationships in the finance sector.

It's great to work alongside him - you get a real sense of his incredible technical knowledge and his impressive negotiation skills. He is a real pleasure to work with.

I appreciate his knowledge of international DFI and borrower requirements relating to Africa.

Michael is a highly intelligent, persuasive person to have on your side as a client. He runs a well-ordered process and is very well versed in the subtle differences between jurisdictions.

Michael and his team focus on the commercial side of things. They look at the transaction from all sides and are constructive in making suggestions on how to make things work.

View Profile

Ranked Lawyers at
Baker McKenzie

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

Africa-wide

Banking & Finance
Luka Lightfoot
Spotlight
View Profile
Michael Foundethakis
Spotlight
View Profile

Members

Provided by Baker McKenzie

Michael Foundethakis

Head of Department