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Régis is managing partner of the Paris office and advises his clients on financing and banking regulatory issues. 

Régis regularly assists lenders and sponsors on their project finance transactions, particularly in the field of renewable energies. He is also recognised for advising on corporate and real estate finance matters for both domestic and international operations, and has a strong track record assisting banks and financial institutions on their regulatory issues, reorganisations and the sale / restructuring of their portfolios.

Accolades

  • Régis is ranked as "Leading Individual" for "Banking & Finance" in Legal 500 EMEA 2022 and Chambers Europe 2022
  • "Régis Oréal advises financial institutions and corporates on debt restructuring and refinancing matters. One source notes that 'Oréal definitely brings an added value' ". 
    Chambers Europe 2021
  • "Régis Oréal acts on lender and borrower-side syndicated financing transactions. He is described by sources as a 'technical and commercial' lawyer. He is particularly active in domestic mandates".
    Chambers Global 2019
  • "Régis Oréal is an experienced practitioner in transactional finance matters, in addition to corporate, energy and project finance. He also frequently advises banks and other financial institutions on regulatory issues".
    Chambers Europe 2017
  • Sources say Régis Oréal is "a responsive lawyer, with a strong ability to identify key risks and propose relevant solutions".
    Legal 500 EMEA 2017

 

Background

After starting his career in the Capital Markets team at Banque Paribas, Régis was admitted to the Paris bar as a lawyer in 1997.  He joined the Paris office of Herbert Smith Freehills as partner in the Banking and finance practice in 2006. 

Experience & expertise

Selected matters

Transactional 

  • Akuo Energy on the financing and project development of the Kita 50MW solar plant in Mali (2018 African Solar Deal of the Year, IJGlobal)
  • ENGIE Green on the due diligence and the refinancing of some of its entities for over EUR 250 million
  • Samsic on a EUR 286 million facility agreement 
  • Afreximbank in relation to the up to USD 350 million global facility in favour of the Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP) in Morocco
  • A banking pool composed of Crédit Agricole CIB, BNP Paribas, HSBC Continental Europe, Natixis, Société Générale and Crédit Industriel et Commercial on the negotiation of a EUR 142,5 million Revolving Credit Facility granted to GreenYellow
  • Neoen on the financing of a 33.1 MW solar farm in Jamaica
  • Gaw Capital Partners on the financing of the EUR 100 million acquisition of the 5-star Four Seasons hotel in Bora Bora, French Polynesia, financed by a pool of banks led by Deutsche Bank
  • Tenergie on the financing and refinancing of a portfolio of 269 renewable assets (solar, wind) financed by Crédit Agricole and Bpifrance

Financing and banking regulatory

  • BNP Paribas on the regulatory aspects of the acquisition of Floa Bank, one of the leaders in fractional payments in France, from Casino and Crédit Mutuel for a total amount of EUR 258 million 
  • Thunes, a mobile payment FinTech, in the context of the creation of a French subsidiary and the obtaining of its authorisation as a payment institution in France