Maples Group Recognised for Four Airfinance Journal Awards

The Maples Group's global Asset Finance team has been recognised at the 2019 Airfinance Journal Awards for its involvement in four award-winning Deals of the Year.

The team was involved in providing advice in the deals that won in the following categories:

• Overall Deal of the Year – for advice provided to Avolon, in relation to ORIX Corporation's acquisition of a 30% stake in the company from Bohai Capital; 
• North America Deal of the Year – for advice provided to Zephyrus Aviation Capital on the launch of its $366.6 million Zephyrus Capital Aviation Partners 2018-1 Ltd;
• M&A Deal of the Year – for advice provided to Goshawk Aviation on its acquisition of Irish lessor Sky Aviation International from the Public Sector Pension Board; and 
• Lessor Unsecured Bond Deal of the Year - for advice provided to HNA Group-owned lessor Avolon on the Cayman Islands and Irish aspects of its private offering of $1 billion Rule 144A 5.125% senior notes due 2023.

The Maples Group's Asset Finance team is comprised of legal and fiduciary experts across offices in the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dubai, Dublin, Hong Kong, London and Singapore.

Global Head of the Asset Finance group, Mark Western commented on the award-wins: "We are extremely proud to be recognised once again for our work on high profile and innovative international transactions such as these. It further demonstrates our ability to provide first class legal advice and fiduciary services in this area, and the successful execution of these deals would not have been possible without the exceptional team of aviation experts at the Group, and of course the support of our loyal and trusted clients."

Other team members involved in the winning deals were: Donna Ager, Sherice Arman, Barnabas Finnigan, Shari McField, Jonathon Meloy, Anthony Philp and Mary O'Neill. Rory Conway, Julian Dunphy and Gareth Rowe provided fiduciary and administration services to Goshawk on its acquisition of Irish lessor Sky Aviation International from the Public Sector Pension Board (M&A Deal of the Year) and Philip Hinds and Edmund King provided fiduciary and administration services to Zephyrus Aviation Capital on the launch of its $366.6 million Zephyrus Capital Aviation Partners 2018-1 Ltd (North America Deal of the Year).

The Airfinance Journal's Deal of the Year Awards were announced at the awards dinner held on 2 May 2019 in New York.