Appleby’s banking and finance team is highly regarded for advising on complex, high-value transactions with strong cross-jurisdictional capabilities. The team regularly acts for banks, private equity sponsors, corporate borrowers, and listing sponsors, with particular strengths in fund finance and collateralised loan obligations. Simon Raftopoulos leads the team, advising on a broad range of finance and capital markets matters, including private equity and IPOs. Benjamin Woolf heads the structured finance practice, focusing on issuer and investor representation in structured finance deals. Caroline Barton, group head of banking and asset finance, is noted for her expertise in asset finance, CLOs, and subscription finance. Georgina Pullinger brings deep experience in fund and corporate finance across a wide range of sectors.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
Corporate
Position
Partner
Career
Simon Raftopoulos is the Local Corporate Practice Group Head in the Cayman Islands and a member of the Corporate Finance and Private Equity teams.
He represents clients in a wide variety of corporate finance transactions, including private equity and fund finance, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, initial and secondary public offerings and private placements of equity and debt securities. Simon also represents clients on large private equity transactions and his team has a deep PE formation and transactional presence in Cayman.
Simon is currently recognised by Who´s Who Legal 2022 as one of the World´s leading banking and M&A lawyers and is named in the Asia Business Law Journal’s A-List of top 50 offshore lawyers. Since 2012, he has consistently been ranked and is highly rated globally across many leading legal directories including “Market Leader” by ILFR.
Chambers Global reported that clients laud him for his skills and describe him as “…extremely supportive, responsive and always provides sound guidance on all manner of things” as well as being “…practical and creative.” Past Chambers Global Directories have described him as a “brilliant lawyer, with excellent and creative ideas for complex issues.” He has earned his praise within the legal industry for his “precise and definitive advice” and as a “great banking lawyer who is extremely practical.” Legal 500 reported him as being “a technically brilliant global private equity head.”
Education
- Blackhall Place (Ireland)
- University of Johannesburg (South Africa)
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Good responsiveness, attention to detail, and ability to drive towards execution.’
‘We primarily work with Georgina Pullinger, who has been a mainstay at the firm and a long-time market participant. Given their breath of exposure and deal activity, she has seen a multitude of transaction types and is commercial with finding solutions for every circumstance.’
‘The Appleby practice has great depth and breadth across finance and corporate matters.'
‘Jacob Macadam is our key relationship partner. His expertise at resolving complex situations and delivering top tier results is invaluable for our business. He has partnered with us for many years and will do so for many years to come.’
‘Client service goes above and beyond. Knowledgeable about law and market practice.'
‘Highly responsive and client oriented. They just don't repeat the law and leave it for you to figure out. They offer practical guidance and market color. Their practice is also pro-active being in contact with regulators to advocate for client interests and industries. ’
Key clients
- JetBlue Cable and Wireless Banco Bradesco Spirit Airlines RFA Capital Holdings (RFA) Hunt Oil Company LumiraDX Limited Wafra Bank of America Barclays Wells Fargo Goldman Sachs HSBC Morgan Stanley Citigroup / Citibank Everbank Mizuho Bank Deutsche Bank US Bank Standard Chartered JPMorgan Chase Bank
Work highlights
Advised JetBlue Airways Corp. (“JetBlue”) and its subsidiaries on the Cayman Islands legal aspects of its US$2.75 billion financing backed by its loyalty program.
Acted as Cayman counsel to the initial purchasers on an upsized $1 billion Rule 144A and Regulation S issuance of Senior Secured Notes due 2032 by Sable International Finance Limited, a subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Communications Limited.
Advised Coatue Management on Cayman Islands legal aspects of its Series B investment in DigitalLand Holdings Limited.