Experience

Fergus focuses on a wide range of debt finance work, with an emphasis on debt capital markets (public and private), derivatives, securitisation, structured finance and asset-backed lending transactions, as well as banking transactions and regulation. He advises many Irish and international financial institutions, as well as non-financial corporates and state-owned entities.  Fergus advises clients on the buy-side and sell-side of the market.

Key highlights include advising:

  • A number of asset managers on the execution and implementation of structures designed to hold, fund and repackage a variety of financial assets.
  • ESB and Ervia - the Irish State-owned electricity, gas and water utilities - on a wide variety of funding transactions in recent years, including syndicated loan facilities, US private placement transactions and stock exchange listed eurobond issuances.
  • ESB on its June 2016 tender offer for the repurchase of €284 million of existing Eurobonds due 2019 together with a new issue of €600 million Eurobonds due 2031.
  • Gas Networks Ireland on its November 2016 establishment of an EMTN programme and its issue of debut eurobonds - a €500 million 10 year bond and a €125 million 20 year bond.
  • SMBC Aviation Capital Limited - acted as joint Irish counsel to SMBC and the initial purchasers in connection with the debut bond issue by SMBC Aviation Capital Finance DAC of $500,000,000 Senior Notes due 2021.
  • SMBC Aviation Capital in relation to the issue and sale by SMBC Aviation Capital Limited DAC, a wholly owned subsidiary of SMBC Aviation Capital, of $500 million of 3.00% senior unsecured notes due July 2022.