Clients praise him as “very competent, experienced and trustworthy,” highlighting that he is “available and very technical.” They add, “it’s a pleasure to work with him,” and describe him as “a top lawyer in complex DCM transactions”
Biography
Grégoire Karila is partner in the Firm's Capital Markets group in Paris.
After having practiced three years as in-house legal adviser at an international investment bank and seven years at a Magic Circle law firm in Paris, he joined White & Case in 2013.
Grégoire’s experience includes issuance of debt securities (stand alone and drawdown issues, EMTN programme establishments and updates, regulatory capital and hybrid securities, liability management) and structured products and derivatives (synthetic securitization, project bonds, OTC derivatives).
Experience
His recent representative transactions include:
EMTN programmes (and others): Air Liquide, Engie, Pernod Ricard, BPCE, Société Générale, AXA, Suez, Natixis (Warrants), Natixis (ECP), New Immo Holding, Crédit Agricole CIB (ECP), IDF Mobilités (NEU CP);
Hybrid debt: Engie (2024, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018), TotalEnergies (2016, 2015), Casino, Guichard-Perrachon, Air France-KLM (2015);
Regulatory capital: CARAC (Tier 2 in 2026), Sogecap (Tier 1 in 2025), BNP Paribas Cardif (Restricted Tier 1 in 2025), BPCE Assurances (Restricted Tier 1 and Tier 2 in 2025), Scor (Restricted Tier 1 in 2024, Tier 2 in 2016), Assurances du Crédit Mutuel (Tier 2 in 2024), AXA (Restricted Tier 1 in 2025, Tier 2 in 2025, Restricted Tier 1 in 2024, Tier 2 in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017, 2016), Matmut (Tier 2 in 2025), MACIF (Restricted Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 in 2021), Abeille Vie (Tier 2, 2022), COFACE (Inaugural Tier 2), contingent capital instruments for two French insurers, Société Générale (Tier 1 in 2022, 2021, Tier 2 in 2025, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, SNP in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, AT1 in 2019, 2018), BPCE (Tier 2, SNP in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019), CMNE (Tier 2 in 2016), BFCM (SNP in 2023, 2021, 2019, Tier 2 in 2016), Banque Solfea (AT1);
Liability management (tender/exchange offer): Sogecap (2025), Scor (2024), Engie (2024, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017), Air Liquide (2023), Mercialys (2022, 2021, 2020), Coface (2022), Cameroon (2021), Auchan (2020), Casino, Guichard-Perrachon (2017, 2016), CapGemini (2018);
Bond Issues: Pernod Ricard (2025, 2022, 2020), BPCE (2025, defense bond), Carrefour (2025), Transdev (2025, 2021, 2019, 2018), Ipsos (2025, 2018), Huttopia (2024), Mercialys (2024, 2022, 2018), Nexans (2024), SNCF (2023), Korian (2021), Voltalia (2021), CapGemini (2020), Sodexo (2021, 2020, 2019), InfraPark (2018), Akka Technologies (2018), Orpéa (2018), Manitou (2019), Umanis (2019), Air France-KLM (2016), LVMH (2016);
Structured finance and derivatives: Launch of first institutional stablecoin deployed on public blockchain/SG Forge and transformative updates to EUR CoinVertible stablecoin under European MiCA Regulation (2023/2024), Covage Infra’s financing (2023), US$122 Million Financing for a Gold Mine (2021), synthetic securitization for an automotive group’s bank (2019), synthetic securitization for Société Générale (2019, first synthetic SRT under French law), A65 Motorway refinancing, Olympique Lyonnais' refinancing of group bank and bond debt (2017), A28 Motorway refinancing by project bonds issue (2016).
Sovereign: Cameroon, Gabon.
Ranked Band 2 in Chambers France 2026
Debt Capital Markets
Ranked Leading Partner in
Legal 500 EMEA 2025
Debt Capital Markets
"Grégoire Karila is sought after by clients for a wide range of DCM transactions, including large-scale bond issuances and EMTN programmes. He advises banks and corporates on cross-border mandates, and also provides assistance with structured finance."
Chambers France 2026
"Grégoire is very competent, experienced and trustworthy."
"Grégoire is available and very technical."
"It's a pleasure to work with him."
Chambers France 2025
"Grégoire is a top lawyer in complex DCM transactions."
Client testimony
Chambers Global 2023
"Excellent interpersonal skills and great availability"
Client testimony
Chambers Global 2022
"Grégoire has a background as an in-house lawyer, which puts him in a very good position to understand how the clients are working; it is really something to mention as a strength for him to be able to give tailored and practical advice."
Client testimony
Chambers Global 2024
