Sonia Goumenis

Practice Areas

Sonia is a leading lawyer in Debt Capital Markets and Securitisation in Australia. Sonia brings to bear over 20 years' experience acting for a range of participants including sponsors, arrangers, facility providers, investors and trustees in both domestic and cross-border deals.

Sonia's focus is on cutting through the complexity in transactions to facilitate the best outcome for her clients. She has built a reputation for being hands-on, commercially focused and easy to work with.

Industry Sector Expertise

Banking and Financial Services

Debt Capital Markets

Securitisation

Structured Finance

Portfolio disposals/ acquisitions

Work Highlights

Athena Mortgage: Sonia has acted for Athena Mortgage since its establishment in connection with all its funding transactions including the establishment of its own securitisation platform, various warehouse transactions, a committed whole loan sale transaction, inaugural public term transaction and, most recently, its strategic partnership with Mortgage Choice and REA Group.

Advises Singtel Optus, via its subsidiary Optus Finance on their capital markets programs and debt issuances.Advised Optus Finance on its first sustainability-linked bond (SLB) under their sustainability-linked finance framework.

Macquarie Group/Vestone: Acted for Macquarie in connection with the establishment of a securitisation programme to provide funding to Vestone Capital, a joint venture with Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance Company Limited (Mitsubishi) including most recently acting for Vestone on the establishment of a rated ABS warehouse.

R.A.C.V Finance: Advising on the establishment of its securitisation program, including its inaugural warehouse transactions under the program.

Australian Office of Financial Management (AOFM): Acted in connection with the establishment of the innovative "forbearance SPV" (fSPV) which provided support through the Commonwealth Government's Structured Finance Support Fund to lenders who in turn provided their customers with loan relief as a result of COVID. This deal was awarded Debt Market Deal of the Year by Australasian Law Awards.

Sonia acts for various ADIs in connection with their securitisation programs including ING Bank, MyState Bank, Great Southern Bank, IMB Ltd and Heritage and People's Choice.