Paul Loisel
Biography
Overview
Paul is a Counsel in the Project Development and Finance department of White & Case LLP Paris.
Paul advises both lenders and sponsors on large greenfield and brownfield project financings in EMEA.
His areas of expertise include cross-border and national structuring and financing of public-private, transport, telecom, IPP, renewable energy and real estate projects.
Paul has extensive experience on all types of financings (senior, junior, mezzanine, loans and bonds), infrastructure M&A/PE, restructuring and derivatives.
Experience
Paul’s recent experience includes advising:
Blantyre Capital Limited, a special situations investment firm, on the carve-out of OCV Chambéry France's reinforced glass production activity from Owens Corning;
the lenders and bondholders of a JV between Bouygues Telecom and Vauban Infrastructure Partners in relation to the financing of the acquisition of IRUs in France from multiple telecom operators ("Project Obelix");
Altitude Infra, France's leading independent fibre operator on (1) the acquisition financing of 26 public and private fibre networks from Covage, a wholesale fibre operator in France, and (2) the acquisition of infrastructure fund Marguerite's stake in three major French FTTH concessions: Losange (Grand Est region), Rosace (Alsace) and Fibre 31 (Haute Garonne);
the lenders and bondholders on the financing of project "Asterix" (i.e. the acquisition from Bouygues Telecom of a fiber to the home (FttH) private network built and to be further developed by Orange). This transaction was awarded "European Fibre Deal of the Year" by Project Finance International (PFI Awards 2020) and "Europe Telecoms Deal of the Year" at the 2021 IJ Global Awards;
Bouygues Telecom and Phoenix France Infrastructures in connection with the financing of the development of approximately 4,000 wireless towers by Phoenix France Infrastructures, a joint-venture between Bouygues Telecom and Phoenix Tower International, a Blackstone portfolio company. The financing was arranged by Banco Santander and Natixis. This transaction was awarded "Europe Telecoms Towers Deal of the Year" at the 2021 IJ Global Awards;
Bouygues Construction on the sale of a portfolio of SPVs;
Vinci Concessions and SFR on the refinancing of the Global System for Mobile Communication – Railways (GSM-R). GSM-R is a digital telecommunications network that enables conference mode communications between train drivers and teams on the ground. The project is co-financed by commercial banks, the European Investment Bank and Caisse des dépôts et consignations. This transaction was awarded "Europe Refinancing Telecoms / Digital Infrastructure - Transport Communications Deal of the Year" at the 2021 IJ Global Awards;
Altitude Infra on the investment by UBS AM and Swiss Life Asset Managers in the capital of Altitude Infrastructure THD;
Altitude Infra on (1) the financing of two fiber optic networks in the French Landes and Côte d'Or departments, via AMEL schemes (Appels à Manifestation d'Engagements Locaux) and (2) the financing of a fiber-optic concession in the Doubs department;
the lenders in the setting-up of a joint venture of a telecom infrastructure fund (Vauban Infra Fibre) managed by Vauban Infrastructure Partners;
Ranked "Rising Star" in IFLR 1000 2021, categories Project development and Project finance