Charles is Global Aviation Sector Co-Head and a Partner in the Asset Finance Group.
Charles’ practice focusses on the transport sector, with a special emphasis on aviation finance and leasing, where he regularly advises banks, export credit agencies, lessors, arrangers and core manufacturers on high profile, cross-border mandates.
He is recognised as one of the leading aviation finance experts by legal directories Chambers Europe, Legal 500 EMEA and Who’s Who Legal. In 2019, Chambers reported “he is very knowledgeable on a wide range of areas, offers to-the-point advice and has excellent co-ordination skills”.
Charles has led the WFW teams who advised on many deals that have won awards from highly regarded publications such as Airfinance Journal and Global Transport Finance magazine.
Charles has in September 2019 relocated from the firm’s Paris office to spearhead the firm’s aviation practice’s expansion in Asia.
- Advising the Export-Import Bank of the United States on the French law aspects of its support for BNP Paribas’ enhanced lease financing of 5 x B737 aircraft for THY and Lufthansa’s joint venture SunExpress. Named Export Credit Deal of the Year at Airfinance Journal’s 2016 Awards.
- Advising China Aircraft Leasing Company Ltd. in connection with the financing and leasing of two Airbus A320-214 aircraft msn 7145 and 7200 leased to Pegasus Airlines by means of a JOLCO. Named Aircraft Lessor JOLCO Deal of the Year at Global Transport Finance 2016 Awards.
- Advising Coface, SACE and Deutsche Bank in relation to a financing of six (6) ATR 72-600 aircraft for Swedish airline Braathens Aviation AB, including review of SACE and SIMEST documentation.
- Advising Crédit Industriel et Commercial, La Banque Postale and Banque Palatine and others in respect of the JOLCO financing of up to 4 x A320 NEO aircraft to be delivered to Gorm Ocean Blue Limited and leased to Scandinavian Airlines System Denmark Norway Sweden (SAS). This deal was named “JOLCO Finance Deal of the Year 2018 - Europe” at the Global Transport Finance 2019 Awards.
- Advising Société Générale as debt arranger, debt underwriter, facility agent and security trustee for a syndicate of lenders on a JOLCO transaction for ICBC Financial Leasing Co. in respect of two (2) new A321 NEO aircraft to be leased to Vietnam Airlines. This deal was named “Operating Lessor JOLCO Deal of the Year 2018” at the Global Transport Finance 2019 Awards.
Education
- 1991-1995 University of Bristol, Law and Portuguese (Bachelor of Laws (European Legal Studies))
- 1993-1994 University of Coimbra, Portugal
- 1996-1997 The College of Law, Chester (Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice)
memberships & associations
- The Law Society of England & Wales