Christopher Czarnocki
Biography
Overview
A partner in White & Case's Debt Finance practice group in London, Chris has extensive experience in a broad range of debt and equity finance transactions. Chris heads up the London office's Emerging Markets Debt Finance practice and is particularly active in the sovereign sector.
He has a strong track record advising on structured trade and commodity finance, real estate and asset finance, acquisition finance and general corporate finance in the emerging markets. He has represented a wide range of financial institutions, lenders and borrowers (including sovereigns) on syndicated, bilateral, secured and unsecured financings, including project finance.
For businesses involved in cross-border transactions, Chris brings knowledge and experience of emerging markets, including Africa, CEE, the Middle East, the Far East and Turkey. This international exposure enables him to deliver the right measure of insight and value to financiers operating within and across foreign jurisdictions.
Experience
Representative transactions include:
- Representations of AP Moller Capital in connection with a US$200 million dividend recapitalisation facility.
- Representation of MCB as lender in connection with a financing of operations of the borrower in the Mozambique LNG sector (specifically, LNG-related vessel operations).
- The international lenders in connection with a US$100 million senior secured term loan facility to a telecommunications company with operations in The Gambia, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
- Representation of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) as seller in relation to a US$280 million prepayment facility agreement provided by an international commodity trading house relating to crude oil to be lifted from certain oil fields in Ghana.
- Representation of Helios Investment Partners and Tema LNG Terminal Company Limited, in respect of the financing and project development of a liquefied natural gas terminal in Tema, Ghana, and related floating infrastructure vessels required to perform the services of liquefied natural gas vessel berthing, unloading, storage, regasification and transportation of natural gas.
- Representation of the Ministries of Finance and Energy of Ghana in connection with the monetisation of royalties payable to the state by companies operating in the gold commodity sector.
- Representation of Deutsche Bank and UK Export Finance in respect of the ECA-supported financings of the redevelopment and modernisation of Kumasi Central Market and related infrastructure and the completion and equipping of Bekwai District Hospital in Ghana, as well as the financing of the rehabilitation and auxiliary infrastructure of Kumasi Inner Ring Road and adjacent streets in Ghana.
- Representation of Oi S.A. and its group companies (Telemar Norte Leste S.A., Oi Móvel S.A., Oi Brasil Holdings Coöperatief U.A., and Portugal Telecom International Finance B.V.) in relation to the ongoing restructuring of the Oi Group pursuant to a judicial reorganisation plan between the Group and its creditors.
Leading Individual, The Legal 500 UK 2024, Trade Finance
Leading Individual, The Legal 500 UK 2024, Bank Lending: Investment Grade Debt and Syndicated Loans
Notable Practitioner, Chambers UK 2024
Commodities – Trade Finance
