FFA News

FFA Announces Restructured European Executive Committee and Advisory Council

Published February 13, 2025

The Fund Finance Association (FFA) is committed to promoting best practices, fostering industry collaboration, and driving the evolution of fund finance globally. As the market continues to expand and diversify, the need for industry leadership, advocacy and education has never been greater.

Following the recent application process, we are pleased to announce the restructured European Executive Committee, made up of a distinguished group of industry leaders committed to shaping the evolution of fund finance in the region.

The newly appointed leadership of the European Executive Committee are:

Emma Russell, Partner, White and Case (Co-Chair)
Jill Wilson, Managing Director, Global Head of Financial Sponsors, Lloyds Bank (Co-Chair)
Kathryn Cecil, Partner, Fried Frank (Deputy Chair)
Stuart McIntosh, Head of Subscription Finance EMEA, SMBC (Deputy Chair)
Joe Mahon, Partner, CFO, Coller Capital (Deputy Chair)

The European Executive Committee will lead the FFA’s strategic initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and industry collaboration efforts in the region. It serves as the primary body driving FFAs thought leadership, best practice development and advocacy for the European fund finance market.

The Executive Committee will be supported by the Regional Advisory Council, chaired by Helen Griffiths, Investec Bank plc. The Advisory Council plays a vital role in helping drive the FFA’s long stated wider mission of advocating on behalf of the industry in Europe, consensus-building on legal and regulatory matters and continuing to educate all stakeholders in the region through our conferences and events.

Shaping the Future of Fund Finance in Europe

The FFA remains focused on fostering industry collaboration, supporting fund finance professionals through its global network, thought leadership, and educational programming. Through initiatives like FFA University, regional symposiums and industry events, the association continues to provide valuable training, networking, and insights for professionals at all levels.

Recognising the importance of cross-industry cooperation, the FFA actively collaborates with other key organisations, to support the growth and evolution of the fund finance industry.

“The refresh of the Executive Committee and Regional Advisory Council marks a significant step in strengthening FFA’s presence in Europe,” said FFA Board Member and Managing Director, Global Head of Financial Sponsors at Lloyds Bank, Jill Wilson.

“With an outstanding group of industry leaders at the helm, we are confident this team will drive meaningful engagement, facilitate important discussions, and support the continued expansion of fund finance across the region.” Added FFA Board Member and Partner at White and Case, Emma Russell.

The FFA looks forward to working closely with the new European Executive and Advisory Council to further our mission of promoting best practices, fostering industry collaboration, and providing leadership on key market developments.

As part of our commitment to broad industry participation, the FFA will establish a periodic process for new members to join the Executive Committee. Details on the next application cycle will be announced in due course.

EMEA Executive Committee

Emma Russell

Chair

White and Case LLP

Emma Russell

Partner | London | White and Case LLP

Emma Russell is a partner and heads the EMEA Fund Finance Practice in the London office of White and Case. Emma is an experienced loan finance lawyer with over twenty years of experience in the global fund finance and structured and specialty finance. Her practice focuses on the full range of fund lending products across all fund sectors, (including private equity, real estate, secondaries, infrastructure, and hedge) from capital call facilities, hybrid/NAV facilities, to general partner support, co-invest facilities and portfolio acquisition facilities and assisting funds with structuring. Emma has significant experience advising credit funds and their lenders in relation to leverage facilities to CLO’s/CDO’s and securitisation vehicles. Emma’s experience also includes advising both lenders and funds on private equity, receivables financing, asset based lending, speciality finance, real estate fund structuring, and acting for both lenders and sponsors in relation to investment and development real estate finance and leverage restructurings. Emma co-chairs the European Committee of Women in Fund Finance, a group associated with the Fund Finance Association, which is focused on recognition and promotion of women leaders within the alternative investment fund finance industry.

Jill Wilson

Chair

Lloyds Bank

Jill Wilson

MD, Global Head of Financial Sponsors | Lloyds Bank

Jill leads the Financial Sponsors business which is responsible for managing the relationships with leading Financial Sponsors clients globally.

Jill has over 25 years of experience in Financial Services across a range of leadership roles spanning client, product and operational businesses. Jill has deep experience in private markets including across leveraged and structured finance, debt restructuring and the current leadership of the Financial Sponsors business and teams in the UK and US, which also includes being directly responsible for the business’ fund financing propositions.

Jill holds a BA in Politics and International Relations, is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland and is currently on the Board of the Fund Finance Association.

Kathryn Cecil

Co-Chair EMEA

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson (London) LLP

Joe Mahon

Co-Chair EMEA

Coller Capital

Joe Mahon

Partner/CFO | Coller Capital

Joe Mahon is Chief Financial Officer and Partner at Coller Capital, where he acts as a voting member on the Investment Committee and sits on the Board of the Guernsey and Luxembourg Management companies.

He joined Coller in 2001 and is responsible for day to day management of the finance function covering fund structuring, treasury strategy, portfolio monitoring, debt and post investment management.

Joe is a Chartered Accountant having worked with PwC in Ireland.

Joe holds degree in Commerce and postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accounting from University College Dublin.

Stuart McIntosh

Co-Chair EMEA

SMBC

Stuart McIntosh

Head of Subscription Finance, EMEA | SMBC

Stuart McIntosh is Head of Subscription Finance EMEA at SMBC. The EMEA team is part of the Global Fund Finance Solutions team at SMBC. Based in London his focus is on originating, structuring and execution of subscription credit facilities whilst also working with SMBC colleagues to deliver the bank’s global product suite to Private Equity Sponsor clients.

Prior to joining SMBC in 2019, Stuart was European Head of Sponsor Coverage & Fund Finance at Commonwealth Bank of Australia London. He started his career at HSBC where he spent 10yrs in various investment management client coverage and support roles. Stuart is a graduate of Brunel University where he majored in Business.

Steve Burton

Group Treasurer and Head of Fund Finance

ICG

Steve Burton

Group Treasurer and Head of Fund Finance | ICG

Steve joined ICG plc, a FTSE listed specialist asset manager in November 2015 as Group Treasurer. He is responsible for all aspects of ICG’s corporate treasury and is now also the Head of Fund Financing at ICG with a book of $15bn plus. This involves the centralised management of the financing of, and risk management for, all of ICG Funds including the Corporate, PE, Real Estate, Senior Debt and Secondary funds.

Steve is a qualified Accountant (ACMA) and Treasurer (FCT) who, prior to ICG, spend most of his career in various senior finance roles at BAT plc, predominantly in Group Treasury. These roles included Treasurer, Corporate Finance and Global Head of Commercial Treasury and involved stints overseas in locations such as Hong Kong, Vietnam and Russia.

Parisa Clovis

Partner

A&O Shearman

Parisa Clovis

Partner | A&O Shearman

Parisa Clovis is a debt finance partner in the London office of A&O Shearman.

Parisa’s experience focuses on funds finance acting for borrowers and sponsors (both domestic and international) in connection with NAV and hybrid facilities, subscription line facilities, GP support lines and refinancings across a range of sectors and asset classes in the fund finance market. Parisa also has substantial experience in advising lenders in respect of funds finance transactions with the addition of undertaking a six-month secondment with a French bank.

Giovanni Di Stefano

Managing Director

Nomura

Griffiths, Alex (MUFG Investor Services)

Alex Griffiths

Managing Director, Fund Finance

MUFG Investor Services

Alex Griffiths

Managing Director, Fund Finance | MUFG Investor Services

Alex Griffiths is Managing Director for Fund Finance at MUFG Investor Services. Based in London, Alex and his team oversee the firm’s fund finance offering in Europe as part of the global business — focusing primarily on subscription and NAV finance—and are responsible for originating, structuring, and executing transactions, as well as managing client relationships throughout deal life cycles. Alex has more than 15 years of industry experience. Prior to joining MUFG Investor Services, he served as a senior finance lawyer with several leading international law firms, specialising in fund finance, and also covering leveraged finance and restructuring/special situations.

Helen Griffiths

Head of Structuring, Fund Solutions

Investec Bank plc

Sabih Hussain

Head of Capital Markets

Corinthia

Sabih Hussain

Head of Capital Markets | Corinthia

Sabih Hussain is the Head of Capital Markets and is a member of the senior leadership team at Corinthia Global Management. He is responsible for overseeing Corinthia’s global banking relationships and partners. He has over 23 years industry experience and prior to joining Corinthia, he was the Global Head of Financing at Barings, where he arranged, structured, negotiated and executed Fund Finance transactions.

Sabih is a member of the FFA EMEA Executive Committee and holds an M.A. in International Relations from the Hult Business School.

Hutchinson, Samantha (King & Spalding LLP)

Samantha Hutchinson

Partner

King & Spalding LLP

Samantha Hutchinson

Partner | King & Spalding LLP

Samantha is a Fund Finance partner at King & Spalding and leads Fund Finance team based in the firm’s London office. With over 20 years of experience in the fund finance market, Samantha represents financial institutions, private market and other asset managers across all fund finance products, including subscription lines, primary and secondary leverage and liquidity lines, GP and executive financings, co-investment facilities and various distribution solutions across all asset classes. Samantha is consistently recognised as an industry leader and leading practitioner by Chambers UK, Legal 500 UK, IFLR 1000, IR 1000 Women Leaders, and The Drawdown Most Influential Fund Finance Experts. She was also featured in the 2020 edition of The Lawyer’s Hot 100 list, which highlights the UK’s “most daring, innovative and creative lawyers.”

Katie McMenamin

Partner

Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett

Katie McMenamin

Partner | Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett

Katie McMenamin is a Partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP’s Fund Finance Practice. Based in London, she advises borrowers across numerous fund strategies, as well as a broad range of lenders, on some of the most highly structured and complex facilities across the spectrum of fund finance products available in the market. Katie’s multifaceted practice—which includes advising on subscription facilities, NAV, hybrid and CV financings, secondaries, GP-support debt facilities, back-leverage and preferred equity products—uniquely positions her to help clients achieve their commercial goals.

Widely recognized for her business acumen, Katie is consistently ranked by Chambers as one of the leading lawyers in banking and finance, with clients describing her as “a sharp technical mind with a strong commercial awareness.” She was also recently recognized among Business Today’s “Top 10 Influential Mid-Market Banking and Finance Lawyers in London,” and has previously been named a “Hot 100: Dealmaker” by The Lawyer and a “Rising Star” in Private Equity by Law.com International.

Katie received her LPC from BPP University Law School, London in 2010. She received her LL.B. in 2008 from the University of Oxford, where she was awarded the Slaughter & May Prize for performance in Moderations, the Hertford College Scholarship and the Hertford College Book Prize for Jurisprudence. She is admitted to practice in England and Wales.

Brad Mitchell

Principal

Pantheon Ventures UK LLP

Shelley Morrison

Head of Fund Finance

abrdn

Shelley Morrison

Head of Fund Finance | abrdn

Shelley Morrison leads the strategy for fund finance at abrdn. She has extensive experience in the origination, structuring and execution of fund level debt facilities across multiple asset classes. She has been with abrdn since 2019. Before joining abrdn, Shelley was a Director in the Fund Finance team at RBS for 6 years where she managed a portfolio of global funds relationships across Private Equity, Private Debt, Infrastructure and Real estate. Prior to that, she worked in structured asset finance at RBS and Lloyds for 10 years, with a focus on commercial ship finance. Shelley holds the both the IMC and CISI certificate in Corporate Finance and is a candidate for the CFA Certificate in ESG Investing. Shelley sits on the Fund Finance Association EMEA Executive Committee. Shelley received a first class MA (honours) degree in Geography and an MSc in Social and Political Theory, both from the University of Edinburgh.

Nash, James (Deutsche Bank - Private Bank)

James Nash

Global Product Head of Subscription Finance

Deutsche Bank - Private Bank

James Nash

Global Product Head of Subscription Finance | Deutsche Bank - Private Bank

James is the Global Product Head of Subscription Finance for Deutsche Bank. The subscription finance product sits in the Private Bank and the team maintains strong ties with the Investment and Corporate Banks to enable an extensive suite of solutions for whole of life financing needs including; sub lines, NAV facilities, asset based, GP lines and other bespoke financing.

James has held various roles across coverage, risk and structured lending with a focus on fund financing spanning 20 years in London and Sydney.

Richard Sehayek

Managing Director

Ares Management

Unantenne, Shani (NatWest Commercial & Institutional)

Shani Unantenne

Head of Funds and Sponsors

NatWest Commercial & Institutional

Shani Unantenne

Head of Funds and Sponsors | NatWest Commercial & Institutional

Shani joined NatWest in May 2024 as Head of Funds and Sponsors and is responsible for leading and implementing NatWest’s strategy for the Funds sector.

NatWest offers a full suite of products and capabilities to support the private markets sector, ranging from financing solutions, capital markets and risk management tools to working capital capabilities.

Shani previously held the position of Head of Funds for Europe for over eight years at ANZ Banking Group and held a range of senior roles at Lloyds across Wholesale Banking, Capital Markets and Financial Institutions

Since 2017, she has been a committee member of the European Women in Fund Financing Association where she was recently appointed co-chair and is an active participant in the European Fund Financing market, including panel participation in industry conferences, seminars and webinars.

EMEA Advisory Council

Helen Griffiths

Chair

Investec Bank plc

Hamid Aguerbal

Natixis

Hamid Aguerbal

Natixis

Hamid Aguerbal is part of the Global Fund Financing team at Natixis and is heading the subscription and hybrid fund financing efforts for Europe. Sitting in the Paris head office of Natixis, Hamid is overseeing origination, execution, and book monitoring for the company and plays an active role in distributing part of the risk with syndication teams.

He joined Natixis in 2008 in London to be in charge of quantitative analysis for a fund advisory business. In 2010 he moved to Paris to help develop the structured credit business at Natixis working on various types of structured credit transactions including Auto ABS securitizations, significant risk transfer transactions and NAV fund financing. In 2016 he joined the fund financing business to help develop and grow the activity. He took over the European fund financing business at the end of 2023.

Hamid started his career at BNP on equity derivatives pricing before moving to Natixis Asset Management overseeing the structured products book.

He holds a master’s in actuarial science and insurance as well as pre-doctorate certification in quantitative finance from Lyon 1 University. He is also a CAIA holder.

Moynul Ali

Head of Fund Structuring

Susannah Amini

Partner

Kirkland & Ellis

Navdeep Benning

Partner

Ashurst LLP

Navdeep Benning

Partner | Ashurst LLP

Navdeep Benning is a banking and finance Partner in the Ashurst Global Loans Team. Based in London, she has spent time working in Ashurst Hong Kong and Ashurst New York.

Navdeep is a veteran in this space and has been a Fund Finance lawyer since the inception of the market. With over 20 years' experience, she is a recognised expert in her field.

Having a particular focus on NAV, back-leverage, private debt and asset backed facilities, Navdeep specialises in putting in place bespoke financing solutions. She has led a number of first-to-market fund financings which have been structured as securitisations and which combine technology from the loans and derivatives markets. Her clients are top tier funds, borrowers and lenders, demanding the best legal and commercial advice.

As a regular host and panellist at FFA events, Navdeep is an active and engaged member of the fund finance community. She has supported the FFA from its very first steps into the European market.

Her many years of experience, industry network and market presence make Navdeep one of the most experienced advisors in the City.

Charlie Bischoff

Partner

Travers Smith LLP

Charlie Bischoff

Partner | Travers Smith LLP

Charles Bischoff is a partner and Head of the Finance Group at Travers Smith, specialising in fund finance and specialty finance. He advises some of the most active participants in the fund finance space on the full spectrum of products, in particular investor call bridge/subscription facilities, NAV and hybrid facilities, GP support/co-invest facilities, and equity commitment-backed facilities to funds, GPs, managers and investors across a range of asset classes. Charles is an internationally recognised name in the fund finance space and is a regular speaker and author on the topic. Charles is ranked in Fund Finance by Chambers and Partners UK 2025.

Haakon Blakstad

Chief Commercial Officer

Validus Risk Mangement

Haakon Blakstad

Chief Commercial Officer | Validus Risk Mangement

Haakon is the Chief Commercial Officer at Validus, a leading technology-enabled advisory firm managing financial risks and fund finance facilities for private capital funds globally. Prior to helping build Validus from a small startup to a market-leading firm with more than 100 employees in 5 countries, he held roles at Visa Europe, Hoare Capital and Societe Generale.

Haakon has almost 20 years’ experience in financial markets and has led and overseen advisory projects and ongoing retainer engagements for several hundred private capital firms with a combined AUM in excess of $3 trillion. He holds a BA with honours in Business Management from Newcastle University, and is a member of the Board of Directors at Validus. Haakon has been a member of the Fund Finance Association Advisory Council since 2021.

Will Canty-Collins

Head of Fund Finance

The Carlyle Group

Jen Yee Chan

Partner

Simmons & Simmons

Greg Fayvilevich

Global Head of Fund & Asset Management, Managing Director

Fitch Ratings

Greg Fayvilevich

Global Head of Fund & Asset Management, Managing Director | Fitch Ratings

Greg Fayvilevich is a Managing Director and global head of Fitch Ratings' Funds & Asset Managers group, based in London. The Funds group is responsible for Fitch’s coverage of money market funds, local government investment pools, and bond funds. Greg’s team is responsible for assigning and maintaining ratings, developing rating criteria and models, and publishing research on analytical and regulatory developments affecting the sectors the group covers.

Previously, Greg was a member of the Financial Guarantors group at Fitch. Prior to joining Fitch, Greg worked for ACE Group.

Greg earned a BS in finance from Rutgers University.

Sarah Francis

Partner

Maples Group

Sarah Francis

Partner | Maples Group

Sarah is a partner of Maples and Calder's Banking and Finance team in the Maples Group's Dublin office. Sarah has extensive experience advising on domestic and cross-border banking transactions. Sarah's practice focuses on advising lenders and borrowers in relation to corporate debt facilities, fund financing, acquisition financing, real estate financing (investment and development), fund financing and debt restructurings.

Sarah was elected as a partner in 2016. Prior to joining the Maples Group, she worked in the banking team at Allen & Overy in London and Addleshaw Goddard in Manchester. IFLR 2021 has ranked Sarah as 'Highly Regarded' and clients attest that Sarah is "Very clear communication, technically very strong and very personable" and "Excellent project management skills, customer service, attention to detail, responsiveness, knowledge of their field and communication". In Chambers Europe 2021, clients report that Sarah is "really commercial" and note her ability to give "sensible, commercial advice". She attracts further praise for her direct involvement in matters. Her broad practice encompasses real estate development finance, acquisition finance and loan-on-loan facilities.

Member of the Law Society of Ireland
Member of 100 Women in Finance

Emily Fuller

Partner

Haynes Boone

Matt Glen

Head of Fund Finance – EMEA

ING

Matt Glen

Head of Fund Finance – EMEA | ING

Matt Glen is a Director at Lloyds Bank. Based in London, he is part of the Financial Sponsors team, which is a leading global private markets fund finance franchise. The business sits within the wider Institutional Coverage group and is responsible for the origination, structuring, execution and management of investor recourse and asset backed fund finance loans and comprehensive relationship coverage.

Matt has worked in the industry since 2014 and has broad experience originating and executing fund finance transactions across the private markets asset classes, with deep structuring expertise across NAV, hybrid and investor-recourse backed facilities. Matt’s role at Lloyds is focused on the origination of structured lending opportunities for the Financial Sponsors business, and on strategic partnerships to support the continued growth of the franchise.

During his career, Matt has worked across other banking disciplines, including overseas in New York and Sydney. Prior to joining Lloyds, Matt was a Director in ING’s Fund Finance team.

Spencer Goss

Senior Director

NatWest

Guillaume Hartog

Managing Director | Head Subscription Finance

BNP Paribas

Andrew Haywood

Partner and Chief Operating Officer

Park Square

Andrew Haywood

Partner and Chief Operating Officer | Park Square

Andrew is a Partner and Chief Operating Officer at Park Square Capital, LLP, and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and Investment Committee. Amongst Andrew’s responsibilities is fund finance, where Park Square have raised over $8bn through asset backed, subscription and hybrid facilities and typically trades over $1bn of principal FX risk per annum.

Prior to joining Park Square in 2015, Andrew spent over 16 years at 3i Group plc in a number of financial, operational and strategy roles. This included establishing 3i’s Infrastructure and Debt Management businesses and latterly as 3i’s Group Financial Controller. Andrew holds a degree from Liverpool University and is a qualified accountant.

Fantine Jeannon

Kapellakis, Zach (Standard Chartered Bank)

Zach Kapellakis

Head of Fund Finance, EMEA

Standard Chartered Bank

Zach Kapellakis

Head of Fund Finance, EMEA | Standard Chartered Bank

Zach is heading Standard Chartered Bank’s Fund Finance business for EMEA and he is based in London. The EMEA team is part of SCB’s global Fund Finance team led by Vicky Du. His team focuses on origination and execution of fund finance transactions for Alternative Investment Managers, while also working closely with other teams within SCB to deliver the full suite of the bank’s products to its clients.

Prior to joining Standard Chartered Bank, Zach worked at Ernst & Young and Alassia NewShips Management, a leading Greek shipping company. He holds an MBA from INSEAD, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University and a Master’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens. Zach is a CFA charterholder and a Member of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.

Anthony Lombardi

Partner

Dechert LLP

Anthony Lombardi

Partner | Dechert LLP

Anthony Lombardi is a partner in Dechert’s corporate practice, focusing on a diverse range of fund finance and structured finance transactions. Mr. Lombardi has extensive experience acting on NAV-based facilities, collateralized fund obligations, hybrid asset-backed facilities for funds, GP facilities, Co-invest/partner financing facilities, LP NAV facilities, capital call/subscription lines and other secured lending facilities backed by a variety of asset classes and financial products in both European jurisdictions and the U.S.

Mr. Lombardi regularly acts for private equity funds, hedge funds, real estate funds, infrastructure funds, private debt, secondary funds, private banks, family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. He also has extensive experience advising on the purchase and sale of European, U.S. and emerging markets distressed assets, including bank debt and claims, plus swaps, derivatives and repurchase agreements. In addition, he advises on secured-lending facilities utilizing total return swaps and repurchase agreements.

Recommended by The Legal 500 UK, 2024 for fund finance, clients describe Mr. Lombardi as “a diligent financing lawyer” noted for his strong “technical knowledge” and remarking that “he has the incredible ability to structure transactions in the best interests of his clients, and he really knows the deal inside out. He is involved in every detail and is a real champion. He is someone you want on your side of the table.” He is also recognized as someone who “goes above and beyond for his clients…is exceptionally commercial...with deep-seated knowledge, understanding and innovation,” while providing “pragmatic and commercial advice.”

Billal Malik

Head of Subscription Credit Finance

Citi

Billal Malik

Head of Subscription Credit Finance | Citi

Billal is Head of Citi's Subscription Credit Finance team and Law Firm Financing business. Billal has been with Citi for 14 years, and always had roles focussed on private equity clients. Billal established the Fund Finance Association's Next Generation network, which currently has chapters in the US, Europe and Asia with over 1000 members. He was awarded the Fund Finance Next Generation Member of year in 2020 for his efforts in promoting mentorship, network, career enhancement and charity opportunities for future fund finance leaders. Billal holds a first class honours degree from Imperial College London and is a Chartered Alternative Investment Association professional. Billal is an Associate Fellow of University of Oxford and is a Board Member of Great Ormond Street Hospital. Billal has a keen interest in sport in particular soccer and padel.

Julia Mandich

Associate General Counsel

Barings

Julia Mandich

Associate General Counsel | Barings

Julia is an Associate General Counsel at Barings. In her current role, Julia provides legal support to both the lender side fund finance practice, as well as the EMEA and APAC borrower side GP practice. In addition to this, Julia supports various asset classes with underlying deals, including private credit, infrastructure and special situations. She also supports her asset classes work through regulatory change / new market initiatives such as Sustainability Linked Loans in private markets. Julia brings a unique lens to the fund finance industry, with an understanding of underlying loan transactions that make up a NAV borrowing base, as well as experience of GPs day to day managing of a facility. Outside of her day to day, Julia is very active with both the Barings’ Social Impact Board and each of Barings’ Employee Resource Groups and acts as Chair of Governors at a local primary school.

Michael Mbayi

Partner

Praxio Law & Tax

Michael Mbayi

Partner | Praxio Law & Tax

Michael Mbayi is the Head of Banking & Finance at Praxio Law & Tax in Luxembourg. Michael is one of the most experienced Fund Finance lawyers and advises leading financial institutions, private funds sponsors, and alternative lenders on a wide variety of transactions including, subscription facilities, hybrid and NAV facilities, as well as GP and management fee facilities.

Michael is the initial recipient of the Annual Contribution to the Industry Award (Legal) granted by the Fund Finance Association. Michael has been recognised by The Drawdown as one of the most influential Fund Finance experts. Michael has been quoted by Legal 500 EMEA 2022 as “very knowledgeable on Fund Finance matters”, “responsive”, and “particularly active on behalf of a lender focused client base”.

Michael is author of various Fund Finance publications and is a regular speaker. Michael taught Fund Finance at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (Paris) and at the Excellence Program of the University of Maastricht.

Jamie Mehmood

Head of Fund Finance Advisory

Deloitte

Jamie Mehmood

Head of Fund Finance Advisory | Deloitte

Jamie is a Partner and Head of the Fund Finance Advisory business within the Debt, Capital & Treasury Advisory team at Deloitte, which has >125 debt advisory professionals across Europe . As Head of Fund Finance Advisory, Jamie and his team are involved in a range of financings across the full breadth of the Fund Finance market in terms of both product (subscription line, NAV and GP finance) and sector (PE, credit funds, real estate and infrastructure). The team, which is solely focused on the Fund Finance market, has successfully advised and executed on the raising of nearly €20bn of finance across >40 transactions since the team was formed in 2020, centred around well-established managers in the middle-market private equity space in Europe.

Prior to joining Deloitte, Jamie worked at RBS for 19 years in a range of roles around Fund Finance, spending a number of years in debt structuring & execution before taking up a role as co-head of RBSI’s Funds Banking relationship coverage team in London. During this time Jamie also built his experience on secondment to a debt fund for six months, as well as spending two years leading the corporate bank’s strategy around the provision of finance to support investment into Sustainable Energy.

Jamie is qualified as a Chartered Accountant, having studied Geography at Magdalene College, Cambridge.

Jad Nader

Partner

Ogier

Jad Nader

Partner | Ogier

Jad's core practice is in handling cross-border lending transactions, advising on fund finance, acquisition finance, debt capital markets and debt restructuring. He has particular expertise in sophisticated international financing techniques and regularly acts for major international financial institutions and private equity houses.

Jad has more than 20 years' experience working on Luxembourg matters; he also worked for several years as head of the Luxembourg desk of a European law firm in New York.

He is a regular speaker, including at the Annual Fund Finance Symposiums in US and London, where he was invited to speak for the third year in a row.

Jad frequently publishes on subjects such as fund finance, cross-border lending, financial collateral, BRRD and banking regulations, securities law and restructuring and corporate recovery law. He sits on the editorial board of the Revue de Droit du Financement de l'Economie published by Legitech.

He is an active member of numerous Luxembourg and international professional associations, including the American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg (Amcham), the Luxembourg Association of Banking Lawyers (ALJB), the International Bar Association (IBA), the American Bar Association (ABA) and the New York Bar Association.

Jad holds postgraduate degrees in private international law (DEA) and IT law (DESS) as well as a doctor of laws.

Paul Nix

Ganymede Capital

Paul Nix

Ganymede Capital

Paul brings nearly 30 years of experience in developing and overseeing trading desks within the domains of Fund Finance and Fund Derivatives, offering invaluable insights and expertise to clients seeking NAV and Margin finance solutions.

Previously, he served as the head of NAV Fund Financing at Deutsche Bank in London, where he dedicated the majority of his professional tenure, and more recently held a leadership position in Fund Financing at BNPP. His comprehensive grasp of products encompasses Fixed Income, Interest Rate Swaps, Foreign Exchange, and Risk Management. Notably, during his tenure at Deutsche Bank, he successfully navigated complex regulatory landscapes such as Volker, GBSA, and Basel as Volker Desk Head, US Swap Dealer, and 15a-6 registered trader, effectively managing trading books.

Paul's collaborative efforts extend to working closely with banks' Treasury, Prime Brokerage, and Risk teams, leveraging his expertise in Collateral Management and Cross Collateralisation to benefit his clients. Additionally, he concurrently managed an FX Overlay book, further enhancing his clients' financial strategies and helping to provide innovative Cross-Margin facilities.

Outside of his professional endeavours, Paul actively engages in volunteerism, enriching his multifaceted experience. He presently holds the position of Officer Commanding at a local RAF Air Cadets Squadron. He is also a qualified Rugby Coach, and a Sussex Society Rugby Referee, and helps with the Junior Section at the local Target Shooting Club. He also assists many local charitable organisations with their fundraising activities as well as being a member of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics & Business Finance from Brunel University.

Marcus Carrington Palmer

Managing Director, Head of Lending - Fund Finance

RBC

Pelling, George ( Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft)

George Pelling

Partner in the Finance Practice

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft

George Pelling

Partner in the Finance Practice | Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft

George Pelling is a partner in the Finance Practice in Cadwalader's London office.

George has extensive experience advising banks, fund managers and other financial institutions on a variety of cross-border financings, with a particular focus on fund finance (including capital call facilities, NAV facilities, hybrid solutions, GP support facilities and other bespoke financings).

George also has experience advising investment funds and financial institutions on the acquisition and sale of syndicated bank loans, debt instruments, bond claims and other distressed assets.

In 2024, George was named to the Lawdragon “500 X – The Next Generation” list. George has also been recognised as a key lawyer in the Legal 500 2023.

Prior to joining Cadwalader, George was an associate in the Media Finance department at Sheridans, where he specialised in film finance. George graduated from Newcastle University, where he obtained a First Class Honours degree in History. He completed the Legal Practice Course at the University of Law and is admitted to practice in England & Wales.

Thomas Rapp

Head of EMEA Fund Finance

Wells Fargo

Thomas Rapp

Head of EMEA Fund Finance | Wells Fargo

Thomas Rapp is a Managing Director in Wells Fargo’s Financial Institution Group in London where he focuses on origination and structuring of Fund Finance Facilities in Europe.

Thomas is the head of the EMEA Fund Finance Group which focuses on providing liquidity and fund-level leverage to Private Equity funds across a number of strategies (including buyout, real estate, energy, infrastructure, secondaries, debt strategies and transportation) and jurisdictions (UK, Luxembourg and Channel Islands).

Before joining Wells Fargo as part of the acquisition of WestLB’s platform, Thomas was an Executive Director at WestLB’s London Fund Finance team where he structured Subscription Finance facilities since 2008. Prior to this, Thomas was a Senior Risk Officer for Leveraged Finance and Media/Entertainment and Telecom Structured Finance in WestLB’s New York branch for 4 years. He previously held various positions at WestLB in Germany and started his career with a 2-year Traineeship at Deutsche Bank. Thomas received a Diplom Kaufmann degree in Economics from the University of Kiel (Germany).

Ed Saunders

Partner

Goodwin Procter LLP

Ed Saunders

Partner | Goodwin Procter LLP

Ed Saunders is a partner and co-chair of Goodwin’s Fund Finance Group. He is also in the Business Law department, a member of its Private Equity group and Debt Finance legal practice area.

Ed has acted for managers, general partners, funds, banks, non-bank lenders, and other market participants on a range of products across the fund finance sector. His extensive experience includes advising on subscription line, umbrella and managed account financings, net asset value (“NAV”) and hybrid fund facilities across various asset classes, preferred equity arrangements and management and co-investment liquidity lines.

He has also counselled clients including private equity, real estate, debt and infrastructure funds on various financing elements of fundraisings and investor negotiation.

Ed is listed as a key lawyer for Fund Finance by Legal 500, with the practice also ranked. Client testimonials include “I would recommend Edward Saunders for the quality of service and level of commitment towards getting the deal done on a compressed timeline.”

Aimee Sharman

Partner

Clifford Chance

Robin Smith

Partner

Carey Olsen

Robin Smith

Partner | Carey Olsen

Robin is consistently recognised for his ability to deal with a wide range of international corporate and finance transactions. He has acted on numerous significant portfolio acquisitions and disposals. He often acts for both lenders and borrowers on complex financings, refinancings and restructurings and has significant experience in relation to the financing of investment funds.

Robin advises global banks and large corporates as well as smaller privately held entities. He also has experience advising in relation to the establishment, transfer and redomiciliation of banking business in Jersey.

Robin is a director of Carey Olsen Corporate Finance Limited which provides sponsor services in respect of The International Stock Exchange listings and regularly advises on transactions involving Eurobonds and other TISE listed securities.

Robin is ranked as a leading lawyer by Legal 500, Chambers and Partners and IFLR1000 and has been recently described as "the stand-out Jersey banking and finance lawyer". Recently, Robin advised the Government of Jersey on the establishment of the loan guarantee scheme to support local businesses through the coronavirus pandemic.

Tom Smith

Partner

Debevoise & Plimpton

Tom Smith

Partner | Debevoise & Plimpton

Thomas Smith is an English-qualified partner in the Finance Group of Debevoise & Plimpton. He leads the firm’s global fund finance practice.

Recommended by Chambers UK, Legal 500 UK, and IFLR1000, he acts for borrowers, sponsors, funds and financial institutions on a wide range of fund level financing transactions.

Mr. Smith was named by The Drawdown in its list of the most influential experts in fund finance, stating that “Smith has become a key driver in establishing ‘what is the market.’” In Chambers UK, where he is listed in the top band of fund finance lawyers, clients describe him as “probably the best all-round fund finance lawyer in the market,” and highlight that his “commercial focus and depth of knowledge is second to none.” In The Legal 500 UK, which recommends him for fund finance and acquisition finance, Mr. Smith is described as displaying “exceptional advisory skills,” and is called “a highly effective deal lawyer, and a very good collaborator in the industry.” He receives praise for his “strategic guidance, underpinned by deep market insight.”

Mr. Smith joined Debevoise in 2007. He graduated in 2002 with an LL.B. from the University of Nottingham and went on to study at Nottingham Law School in 2003, where he obtained an LPC with distinction. He was admitted as a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales in 2006.

Mohith Sondhi

Senior Director, Debt Finance

Oak North

Mohith Sondhi

Senior Director, Debt Finance | Oak North

Mohith Sondhi is a Senior Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth Bank, having joined in April 2016 from RBS where he’d spent over 25 years. He is an expert in broad Structured and Corporate Finance having gained significant experience in a variety of roles covering main functional areas, including customer relationships, portfolio management, risk management, people management and strategy development. Having proven his ability to deliver success in a range of challenging business situations, Mo is responsible for originating, structuring, and executing complex transactions, providing a range of short- and long-term funding solutions designed to support growing businesses.

Mo has led OakNorth’s work in fund finance since 2018, helping the bank to carve a niche in the market through providing optionality for funds seeking lower debt quantums from £3m up to £75m, but from a financier that can offer the full spectrum of products – capital call, GP lines, liquidity lines, and NAV facilities. There is still a very large part of the market which is underserved and underrepresented – especially for smaller loans between £10m-£35m, and GP lines between £3m-£10m. Being led by Mo, OakNorth is helping to fill this gap which has only widened with the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Over the last seven years, he has pushed the bank to try new things and be an innovator in this space, including leading OakNorth’s first ever fund buy-out deal, and its first ever subscription facility, NAV and GP facilities.

Thomas Speller

Managing Director, Head of European Funds

KBRA

Thomas Speller

Managing Director, Head of European Funds | KBRA

Tom Speller is a Managing Director and the Head of European Funds at KBRA UK. Tom joined KBRA in 2021 and focuses on the rating of Fund Finance transactions including subscription lines and NAV loans.

Prior to joining KBRA, Tom was an executive director at Goldman Sachs International, where from 2006 he worked as a credit risk analyst covering a variety of industries and products, with a particular focus on the funds industry, including private equity funds and hedge funds, as well as structured lending.

Tom received a BSc. in mathematics and statistics from the University of Edinburgh and is currently a CFA Charterholder.

Mark Spink

First Vice Chair

CapVest

Mark Spink

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer | CapVest

Mr. Spink is CapVest’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, having joined CapVest in May 2023.

Prior to joining CapVest, Mr. Spink was the CFO, Private Equity at BC Partners, and prior to that the Head of Fund Control at Bridgepoint. Prior to that, Mr. Spink held various finance roles at Standard Bank and Citigroup. In total, Mr. Spink has over 25 years of relevant experience in financial services, 17 of which have been in Private Equity.

Mr. Spink is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. He holds a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Bath in Aeronautical Systems, Design and Manufacture.

Leon Stephenson

Partner | Co-Head Fund Finance

Reed Smith LLP

Leon Stephenson

Partner | Co-Head Fund Finance | Reed Smith LLP

Leon leads the Reed Smith fund finance team and is based in the London office. Leon works with banks, other financial institutional lenders, managers, general partners and limited partners of funds on specialist fund financing transactions with private equity, secondaries, real estate, direct lending and infrastructure funds. He is also an elected member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Leon has particular specialist knowledge of NAV/asset-backed and hybrid facilities, secondary funds facilities, capital call facilities, co-investment and GP/manager support facilities and other types of liquidity facilities provided to funds.

Leon is recognized as a “Leading Individual” in Fund Finance by Legal 500 UK 2025 and the team is recognized in Band 1 in Fund Finance by both Legal 500 UK 2025 and Chambers & Partners UK 2025. Leon was also recognized as “Partner of the Year for Banking” at the Client Choice Awards 2017. Leon represents a large proportion of lenders that provide fund financing as well as a number of private equity and other funds on complex fund finance transactions.

Paul Tannenbaum

Partner

Proskauer

Paul Tannenbaum

Partner | Proskauer

Paul Tannenbaum is a Finance partner and member of the Private Capital Team (working closely with the Private Funds Group).

Paul has extensive experience acting for lenders, borrowers and financial institutions on both fund financings and acquisition and leveraged finance transactions.

Paul's fund finance experience includes advising GPs and lenders in connection with traditional subscription lines, hybrid and NAV facilities, co-investment facilities, GP support facilities, management fee facilities, asset leverage facilities for credit funds, loans to separate managed accounts and fund of fund financings.

Paul has been recognised by Legal 500 as a Next Generation Partner for Fund Finance and as a key lawyer for Bank Lending.

Olivier Vermeulen

Paris Office Chair, Head Finance Departement

Paul Hastings

Olivier Vermeulen

Paris Office Chair, Head Finance Departement | Paul Hastings

Olivier Vermeulen heads the Finance department and is Office Chair of the Paris office. His extensive banking and finance experience spans leveraged finance (including senior, second lien, mezzanine, unitranche, and high-yield structures), fund financing (equity bridge and capital call facilities), structured finance (securitization), debt negotiations and Islamic finance.

He advises both sponsors and borrowers (private equity, infrastructure, and large corporate funds), and financial institutions (senior/mezzanine lenders and debt funds).

His contributions to the French financial market are notable, particularly his development of the equity bridge finance facility for European funds.

Dr. Mick Young

Executive Director and Assistant General Counsel

JPMorganChase

Dr. Mick Young

Executive Director and Assistant General Counsel | JPMorganChase

Dr. Mick Young is an experienced fund finance lawyer with over a decade of expertise in the global fund financing market. As Executive Director and Assistant General Counsel at JPMorganChase, he has advised on some of the largest and most complex transactions in the industry.

Mick has published extensively on structured finance, legal risk management, private equity, and market evolution. His recent works include contributions to Global Legal Insights - Fund Finance 2025 (also known as “The Pink Book”), The Working Guide to Fund Finance and the LMA’s Insights series. He is also a speaker at industry conferences, including, most recently, the LMA’s Loan Markets Conference.

With a distinguished academic background, Mick holds two PhDs, a Master of Philosophy, and a Juris Doctor. He is admitted as a solicitor in multiple jurisdictions, including England & Wales, Ireland, and Australia.

Vassiliyan Zanev

Partner

Loyens & Loeff

Vassiliyan Zanev

Partner | Loyens & Loeff

Vassiliyan Zanev is a partner in the Investment Management group and leads the fund finance practice of Loyens & Loeff in Luxembourg. He represents a variety of investment funds and financial institutions across a range of structured finance and lending transactions, with particular emphasis on fund finance and securitisation. Vassiliyan has extensive experience in the financing of Luxembourg alternative or regulated investment fund borrowers (including by way of capital call credit financings, NAV financings and leverage solutions). Vassiliyan is a member of the EMEA Advisory Council of the Fund Finance Association.