Nathaniel Crowley

Local Partner, Hong Kong SAR

Biography

“Nathaniel Crowley is very proactive and very diligent.”
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024

“Responsive and knowledgeable in relation to derivative related products”
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023

“Nate Crowley is a good technical lawyer with a practical and commercial approach and always very responsive.”
Legal 500 UK 2023

Overview

Nathaniel Crowley is a Local Partner (Registered Foreign Lawyer) in White & Case's Capital Markets Group in Hong Kong. His practice covers OTC derivatives, structured finance (including cash and synthetic securitisations), finance linked hedging and related regulatory matters with a particular focus on strategic equity transactions.

Nate regularly advises global banks, sovereigns and funds on cross-border transactions across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. He is currently part of the Hong Kong Structured Finance and Securitisation team, which Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024 described as having a "prowess [that] is notably showcased in its coverage of derivatives designed for investment and hedging objectives, particularly excelling in equity-related transactions."

In 2020, Nate was seconded to the Fixed Income, Credit and Commodities legal team at BNP Paribas in Hong Kong. Prior to that, he spent five years in the Firm's Derivatives & Structured Finance Group in London and two years in a 'magic circle' firm's Derivatives & Structured Products Group in London.

Bars and Courts
Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales
Ireland (non-practicing)
Registered Foreign Lawyer, Hong Kong
Education
LPC
The College of Law Moorgate
LLB
University of Bristol
Languages
English

Experience

Derivatives

  • MidOcean Energy (an EIG portfolio company) on its proposed acquisition of Origin Energy Limited in consortium with Brookfield Transition Fund. The transaction was intended to occur by scheme of arrangement valuing Origin at over AUD 18 billion (about US$12 billion). The M&A did not close due to shareholder non-approval but Nate led the Hong Kong Derivatives team in advising in the context of the transaction on a complex novation structure for an extensive pool of commodity and foreign exchange hedging.
  • A US-headquartered global alternative investment firm on two structured participation arrangements linked to its investments in the debt facilities (loan and bond, respectively) of: (1) an Indonesia-based KKR portfolio company and (2) an Indonesian investment vehicle of Provident Capital.
  • Various Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds and local banks on their hedging and related collateral arrangements and funding transactions.
  • Goldman Sachs Hong Kong on a USD/RMB FX Facility linked to a US$60 million NPL portfolio purchase for Oaktree Capital.
  • A Singapore unit of an Indian educational technology company in relation to series of secured fundraisings, the proceeds from which were used to fund the acquisition of shares in another Indian educational institution. The transaction was significant as it involved a novel derivative-supported structure.
  • A leading global bank on three funded total return swap transactions entered into by an Isle of Man-based investment vehicle involving the shares of a leading Malaysian leisure and hospitality group as well as the related security arrangements.
  • The Reserve Management Team of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates on multiple OTC derivatives and repo documentation and related regulatory matters with over 30 global banks across the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific.

Securitization

  • BNP Paribas in Hong Kong as arranger and initial note purchaser on the refinancing of a US$120 million securitisation warehouse for Hong Kong credit card receivables originated by Prime Credit Limited.
  • The lead arranger, initial purchaser and cross-currency swap provider in respect of a credit card securitisation transaction with receivables originated from a credit card company headquartered in South Korea.
  • BNP Paribas as lead arranger, initial purchaser and cross-currency swap provider in respect of a US$300 million credit card securitisation transaction with receivables originated from SamsungCard Limited in South Korea rated by Moody's. The transaction was one of the first sustainability-linked ABS transactions in Asia-Pacific.
Awards and Recognition

Rising Star: Derivatives and Structured Products – United Kingdom, Legal 500 2021-2022

Associate to Watch: Capital Markets: Derivatives – Chambers UK 2021

Member of the ISDA Future Leaders in Derivatives (IFLD) Working Group