Simon is a Partner in the Asset Finance group.

Simon is a registered foreign lawyer (Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi) in Japan and qualified in England.

He advises clients on complex cross-border finance transactions, with a focus on the aviation and maritime sectors. He helps clients navigate the strategic intricacies of a wide range of deals, including asset and project finance, structured lending, leasing and commercial shipping transactions.

Simon offers clients the benefit of his international experience – having worked in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, London and the United Arab Emirates.

He has been commended by legal directories and industry journals such as Legal 500, Chambers and Partners and Airfinance Journal, particularly in relation to aircraft and ship finance transactions.

Simon is ranked in both Global and Asia-Pacific listings for Asset Finance by Chambers Global and Chambers Asia-Pacific.

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  • Representing Aeroméxico as lessee in connection with the JOLCO financing of three 787-9 aircraft with three different debt and equity syndicates. The first JOLCO was named 'Tax Lease Deal of the Year (2016)' by Airfinance Journal.
  • Representing Avianca in connection with the JOLCO financing for Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and Airbus A320 aircraft. The JOLCO structure was recognised by the Financial Times in its FT Innovative Lawyers Asia-Pacific 2018 report where Simon’s representation of Avianca in a JOLCO financing was highly commended in the category of 'Legal Expertise: Accessing new markets & capital'.
  • Representing BNPP and, separately, CACIB, in a series of JOLCO financings of vintage Boeing 747-8 aircraft for Atlas Air.
  • Representing Financial Products Group in connection with financing a series of container vessels worth US$1.7bn with Chinese and Korean ECA covered JOLCO facilities. The deal was recognised as Marine Money’s 'ECA Deal of the Year 2021'.
  • Representing Quantum Pacific Shipping in connection with its JOLCO financing of a VLEC carrier in 2021.

Education

  1. 1995 · College of Law, York, LP.C
  2. 1991 · University of Bristol, LL.B

memberships and associations

  1. Daini Tokyo Bar Association
  2. Law Society of England