Name: Asia-Pacific Fund Finance Market Update
Start: 2024-06-25T11:00:00Z
End: 2024-06-25T12:30:00Z

Makiko Harunari

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

Japan market update

11:00 AM | 2024-06-25

Makiko Harunari

Partner | Head of Asia Banking and Credit | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

Makiko Harunari is a Partner and Head of the Asia Banking and Credit Practice at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Based in Simpson Thacher’s Hong Kong office, Makiko concentrates on complex cross-border financing transactions throughout the Asia-Pacific region, leading a team with multi-lingual capabilities and deep transactional expertise in providing liquidity solutions at all levels of the capital structure. Makiko’s practice includes a broad mix of fund finance, private credit, acquisition finance, back-leverage and other innovative financing products. With deep knowledge of the alternative asset management sector and the fund structure, she regularly advises Simpson Thacher’s prominent financial sponsor clientele on matters in connection with the formation and ongoing operations of their investment vehicles, including subscription and NAV facilities.

A recognized industry leader and named to China Business Law Journal’s “The A-List,” Makiko is recognized by key legal publications including Chambers Asia-Pacific, IFLR1000 and The Legal 500 Asia Pacific. She also currently serves as the Deputy Chair of the Asia Pacific Executive Committee of the Fund Finance Association.

RJ Joshua

Preqin

Tom Kirby

Bank of China

Australia market update

11:00 AM | 2024-06-25

Tom Kirby

Managing Director | Head of Fund Finance | Bank of China

Tom joined Bank of China in Sydney in February 2020 and is a Managing Director heading up their fund finance business.

With more than 20 years’ banking experience with HSBC, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Bank of China, Tom’s background includes delivery of subscription and asset-based financing, transactional banking, risk management and global markets products to many of the world largest fund managers.

Tom has built a market-wide reputation for his strengths in relationship management and deal execution with the world’s largest financial Institutions.

Sally Little

ING Bank N.V.

Lender perspective market update

11:00 AM | 2024-06-25

Sally Little

Head of Financial Institutions Lending APAC | ING Bank N.V.

Sally is a fund finance specialist, who has been a contributor to the industry for more than 17 years. Whilst the majority of her career to date has been spent in London, she has also worked in New York and is now based in Singapore, leading ING’s Financial Institutions Lending business for APAC being responsible for Fund Finance, as well as loans and limits to Banks, Insurers and NBFIs. ING are pioneers in the sustainable finance space, and Sally has initiated a number of sustainable capital call financings both in Europe and APAC. Sally is a member of the FFA’s Executive Committee for APAC.

Benjamin Masson

Natixis CIB

Alternatives market update

11:00 AM | 2024-06-25

Benjamin Masson

Co-Head of Securitized Product Group and Alternative Credit Group, Asia Pacific | Natixis CIB

Benjamin Masson was appointed as Co-Head of Securitized Product Group (SPG) and Alternative Credit Group (ACG) for the Asia Pacific region in November 2024. He jointly leads the development of Natixis CIB’s SPG and ACG franchises across the region.

Previously, Benjamin joined the Global Structured Credit & Solutions (GSCS) Asia Pacific team in September 2017, contributing to the expansion of Natixis CIB’s structured credit franchise in the region, including fund financing.

With close to 20 years of experience in asset and structured finance, Benjamin began his career in New York in 2005 as a structurer of project finance transactions (bond and loan), initially with CACIB and later with Natixis from 2008.

In the summer of 2011, he transitioned to Paris and joined the newly formed GSCS team, focusing primarily on structuring capital call facilities for infrastructure PE funds while also gaining exposure to asset-backed securitization. In 2013, Benjamin moved to the syndicate team in Paris, where he worked on project, infrastructure, and export financings for the EMEA region.

Benjamin is a graduate of EPF, a French engineering school, and Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal in Canada. He also holds a Master’s degree from Paris Dauphine University.

Ian Roebuck

Baker & McKenzie Wong & Leow

Fund market update

11:00 AM | 2024-06-25

Ian Roebuck

Local Principal | Baker & McKenzie Wong & Leow

A Local Principal in Baker McKenzie’s Singapore office, Ian has close to 20 years' experience advising banks and financial institutions, debt funds, private equity funds and corporates on a wide range of cross-border financing transactions including acquisition and leveraged finance, fund finance, structured and general lending, and special situations and restructuring transactions. He has advised on transactions in all key jurisdictions in South and South East Asia and the wider Asia Pacific region. Ian also has substantial experience advising on transactions relating to a variety of European jurisdictions and the US.

Ian is ranked as a leading lawyer for Banking and Finance in Chambers Asia Pacific. He has also been recognised as a "Next Generation Partner" for Banking and Finance in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific where he was noted as being "increasingly active in advising banks and funds on fund finance facilities". Ian’s contribution to the industry includes committee membership on the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association (APLMA) Singapore documentation committee, and the APLMA India committee.

Danielle Roman

Mourant

Introduction

11:00 AM | 2024-06-25

Danielle Roman

Partner | Mourant

Danielle is a Partner in Mourant’s Banking and Finance team in Hong Kong, having practiced in Asia for over 15 years. She advises on a broad spectrum of cross-border transactions, including asset finance (with particular expertise in aviation and shipping finance), fund financing, acquisition and leveraged finance, debt restructurings, project finance, FinTech and general corporate lending.

In fund financing, she regularly represents investment and commercial banks on subscription credit facilities. She is also Co-Head of the Asia-Pacific Executive Committee for the Fund Finance Association, and is on the board of directors of Women in Fund Finance Asia. Danielle has been recognised for her work in fund finance through awards such as the Dee Dee Sklar Women in Fund Finance Award 2020.

Prior to joining Mourant in 2012, she worked at Clifford Chance in Hong Kong and Dentons in London.

Shirleen Tan

Walkers Global

Offshore update

11:00 AM | 2024-06-25

Shirleen Tan

Partner | Walkers Global

Shirleen is a partner in the Finance and Corporate Group of Walkers' Singapore. Shirleen advises on a broad range of financing transactions, including in relation to leveraged and acquisition finance, fund finance, real estate finance, asset finance, structured finance, project finance and general corporate lending. Shirleen was based in Walkers' Hong Kong office for a number of years before relocating to Singapore. Being fluent in English and Chinese, Shirleen continues to service (amongst others) clients from Hong Kong and the Greater China region in her current role.

Shirleen is recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ for offshore law firms in Singapore by Asia Pacific Legal 500 2023-2024.

Patrick Wong

A&O Shearman

Hong Kong market update

11:00 AM | 2024-06-25

Patrick Wong

Partner | A&O Shearman

Patrick is a partner based in Allen & Overy’s Hong Kong office. He has experience in a wide range of banking and finance transactions, including fund financings, bilateral and syndicated corporate lending, acquisition financings, equity margin financings, pre-IPO investments and other event-driven financings. Patrick regularly represents banks and non-bank financial institutions in structured cross-border financings in the Asia-Pacific region with a particular focus in Mainland China and Hong Kong. From 2010 to 2014, Patrick was legal counsel at Deutsche Bank partnering with the business to manage risks and produce tangible solutions on a range of debt products offered by the Structured Finance team.

Jean Woo

Ashurst

Singapore market update

11:00 AM | 2024-06-25

Jean Woo

Office Managing Partner, Singapore | Ashurst

Jean is managing partner of our Singapore office and a partner in the global loans practice in the Ashurst Singapore office. She specialises in international banking and finance transactions, and has over 15 years of experience in the structured lending space in particular funds financing.

Jean has acted for banks, private funds and sponsors and has a broad exposure to a number of jurisdictions in Asia with a particular focus on jurisdictions in South and Southeast Asia.

Jean is a member of the Advisory Council to the Fund Finance Association (FFA) in the APAC region and is also a committee member of Women in Fund Finance. She also contributes to the Singapore chapter in the Global Legal Insights (GLI) publication on Fund Finance.