ensuring that the finance agreements and security package protect their interests to the highest degree. This has always served as the basis for our work in all the deals we are involved in. It is important, however, to never lose track of the purpose served by a loan and the business needs and concerns of all parties involved directly and indirectly in the project, as they may affect timing, documentation and virtually all aspects of our work. Lawyers tend to focus on the legal points and underestimate how the needs of third parties, such as lenders being refinanced or the seller of an asset, may impact the process or how drafting may impact the business aspects of a deal. Experienced lawyers would also agree that in long-term project financings it is important to help parties strike the right balance between their respective needs so that the project runs efficiently and without unnecessary friction and delays post-closing. Ultimately, our work is to help parties bring their project to life in the way they intended, while ensuring that our clients’ interests are safeguarded. Can you please tell us more about the role that Koutalidis played in the successful commencement of the bond issuance? Our firm advised NBG as subscriber, bondholder agent and hedging provider for this issuance. In addition to drafting all loan and security documentation and supporting the bank during the negotiation process, our role involved working closely with the borrower’s and the bank’s teams to ensure conditions were met and closing achieved on time, while also assuming a project management role. What are the most important facets to take into account when advising on a loan such as this? Lenders, and especially systemic banks, place great importance on obtaining all necessary and appropriate protections when making such an investment and Lawyer Monthly had the pleasure to speak with Effie Papoutsi at Koutalidis to give us some further insight into this transaction: In my view, this was one of those complicated financings where the value of a big and experienced team is evident.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk3Mzkz