Graeme Smyth represents banks, underwriters, and issuers in a wide range of asset-backed securitizations and other structured finance transactions, especially those involving esoteric assets.

Graeme draws on nearly two decades of experience helping clients navigate structured financing of a broad range of assets, including:

  • Music catalogs
  • Triple net real estate ABS
  • Aircraft portfolios and enhanced equipment trust certificate (EETC) aircraft financings
  • Shipping containers
  • Residential solar power assets
  • Railcars
  • Rental car fleets
  • The financing, leasing, and exchange of airport take-off and landing slots
  • Trade and other receivables

He leverages extensive knowledge of different financing approaches to appropriately structure solutions for specific assets, including pioneering music catalog portfolio securitization.

Graeme prioritizes understanding all aspects of his clients’ business to balance financing objectives with necessary flexibility for cash flow, operations, and other commercial needs.

Graeme’s experience includes advising:

Music Catalogs

  • Blackstone on the:
    • Whole-business securitization of a performing rights organization
    • Asset-backed acquisition financing of record label assets
    • Warehouse financing of music rights

Car Rental Structures

  • Investment banks, as lenders or initial purchasers, in all of Hertz car rental’s securitizations
  • An issuer in the creation of a car-sharing fleet securitization program

Aircraft Portfolios and Airlines

  • American Airlines on multiple EETC financings with aggregate proceeds exceeding US$3 billion since 2010
  • Multiple airlines on pre-delivery payment financings

Solar and Tax Equity

  • Vivint Solar on multiple 144A and 4(a)(2) tax equity solar securitizations
  • Credit Agricole as lender in multiple solar warehouse financings
  • A major sponsor in multiple 4(a)(2) commercial solar securitizations

Other Assets

  • Banks and bank conduits, as lenders, on trade receivable financings
  • A South American private equity firm on the acquisition financing of a Mexican equipment leasing business via a term note issuance in the US securitization market

Bar Qualification

  • New York

Education

  • JD, Georgetown University Law Center, 2004
  • M.St., Oxford University, 1997
  • BA (Hons), Oxford University, 1996