Samir Berlat

Partner, Paris

Biography

A banking lawyer with extensive experience in leveraged acquisition finance, structured finance, corporate finance and syndicated lending.

Overview

A partner in the Firm's global Debt Finance practice, Samir represents banks and other financial institutions in complex domestic and cross-border transactions. With a focus on financing deals, he has particular experience in leveraged acquisition finance, structured finance, corporate finance and syndicated lending.

Clients who seek Samir's advice include corporate borrowers and investment funds, regarding a wide range of financing transactions. Creditors and debtors look to Samir for his knowledge and experience of debt restructurings. Since his clients' business matters are often complex and international in scope, Samir is at ease working within multidisciplinary, cross-border teams of the Firm's lawyers, to help clients to realise their objectives.

Bars and Courts
Paris Bar
Education
CAPA
Versailles
EDHEC Business School
DEA
Labor Law
Paris X Nanterre
MA
Civil Law
Paris X Nanterre
Languages
French
English

Experience

Burger King French state-guaranteed €80 million Term Loan, 2020
Advised BNP Paribas, Banque Populaire Rives de Paris and Crédit Lyonnais on the French state-guaranteed Term Loan to Burger King France and its subsidiary France Quick. The loan will be guaranteed up to 90 percent by the French state and has an initial maturity of 12 months, with an extension option of up to five years from initial maturity. Granted during the coronavirus crisis, the loan is intended finance the liquidity and cash requirements of Burger King France, France Quick and their subsidiaries due to the economic consequences of the pandemic.

Renault Group's French State-Guaranteed €5 Billion Term Loan, 2020
Advised lending banks on the €5 billion Term Loan facility guaranteed by the French state granted to the Renault group. Granted during the COVID-19 crisis, the loan is intended to provide the Renault group with sufficient liquidity to face the economic consequences of the pandemic. It is the largest of its type in France to date.

Verallia's Refinancing, 2019
Samir advised Verallia, world's third-largest manufacturer of glass containers for food and beverages, in connection with its refinancing concomitant to its initial public offering on Euronext Paris.

Doc Generici Acquisition Financing, 2019
Advised the bank syndicate in connection with the acquisition of Doc Generici, an Italian generics pharmaceutical company, by ICG and Mérieux Equity Partners from CVC Capital Partners.

Acquisition Financing of Nemera, 2019
Advised the bank syndicate in connection with financing of the acquisition of Nemera Group by Financière N, a company controlled by Astorg and Montagu.

Acquisition Financing of Comexposium, 2018
Advised the mandated lead arrangers in connection with the acquisition by Crédit Agricole Assurances of Charterhouse Capital Partners' stake in Comexposium, one of the world leaders in the organisation of exhibitions.

Refinancing of Safic Alcan, 2018
Advised the bank syndicate in connection with the refinancing of the outstanding financial indebtedness of the Safic Alcan group, one of the major European players in the distribution of specialty chemicals.

SPIE's Refinancing, 2018
Advised SPIE, a leading European multi-technical services company, in connection with its senior refinancing facilities to refinance its existing debt under its senior facilities agreement.

Gecina's Acquisition Financing of Eurosic, 2017
Advised the mandated lead arranger, bookrunner and lender in connection with a €2.5 billion bridge to debt and equity issuance facility to finance the acquisition by Gecina, a French public real estate company listed on the Euronext Paris exchange, of the outstanding share capital of Eurosic. The combination of Gecina and Eurosic creates the fourth largest European real estate group with €19.3 billion in assets.

Awards and Recognition

Leading Lawyer, Banking & Finance – France, Chambers Global 2022