Norton Rose Fulbright advises on multiple winning deals at Airline Economics Middle East and Africa Awards

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has been recognised for its work on multiple winning deals at the annual Airline Economics Middle East, Africa & Islamic Finance Aviation 100 Awards.

The awards are held annually by Airline Economics, a publication for the commercial aviation industry, and celebrate market-leading excellence in leadership, innovation, and significant deals over a 12-month period.

Norton Rose Fulbright advised on the Middle East & Africa Structured Finance Deal of the Year for an Emirates Japanese Operating Lease with Call Option (JOLCO) for A350-900s aircraft. The firm advised HSBC on its support of the acquisition of four Airbus A350-900 aircraft as the sole senior arranger, original lender, and agent for the senior secured debt, marking its first ever commercial financing of an Airbus A350 for the airline and contributing to its return to the JOLCO market.

The firm also advised on the Middle East & Africa Debt Deal of the Year, which was awarded for Riyadh Air's US$1.3 billion Inaugural Islamic Revolving Credit Facility. The Norton Rose Fulbright team advised Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's new national airline, on the closing of its inaugural Islamic Revolving Credit Facility amounting to US$1.3 billion for its launch.

Finally, Norton Rose Fulbright was also involved in the Middle East & Africa Supported Deal of the Year, advising Société Générale on an AFIC-supported financing of three Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft for Oman Air.

Marc Hamilton, Dubai-based asset finance partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, commented:

"We are very pleased to see the strength of our practice across the aviation sector has been recognised as part of these three winning deals at the Airline Economics Middle East, Africa & Islamic Finance Aviation 100 Awards. To have contributed to three such diverse and significant deals, which each presented particular complexities and challenges, is a testament to the firm's capabilities across the region and beyond. We congratulate our clients and other deal participants on their respective award wins."

These recognitions for Norton Rose Fulbright follow the recent acknowledgment of the firm's work on three winning deals at Airline Economics' European Aviation 100 Awards and Sustainability Awards, where it advised on European Editor's Deal of the Year for Innovation, European Engine Deal of the Year and the Sustainability Aviation Editor's Deal of the Year, as well as being named European Law Firm of the Year.

Norton Rose Fulbright's global aviation practice works with airlines, banks and financiers, lessors, insurers, export credit agencies, governments, and regulatory bodies on the full range of aviation legal services. This includes fleet selection programs, partnering arrangements, restructurings, competition law compliance, and innovative, 'first-of-their-kind' major aircraft financing and leasing transactions. The firm's aviation practice holds 10 Tier 1 rankings across the leading legal directories, Chambers and Legal 500, based on the feedback of clients and peers.