Hendrik Smit advises banks and financial institutions on a broad range of finance matters, with a particular emphasis on leveraged finance transactions and cross-border acquisition financings.

Mr. Smit helps a full range of leading global investment banks, commercial banks, direct lenders, financial institutions, top-tier private equity firms, and corporate borrowers on banking and financing transactions at every level of the capital structure, including:

  • Syndicated term loans 
  • Bank/bond and bridge financings 
  • Unitranche and mezzanine facilities
  • Holdco PIK financings
  • Asset-based loans
  • Investment grade facilities

He draws on significant experience, including two secondments with Goldman Sachs, to provide clients with market insight and commercial advice on their transactions.

Mr. Smit’s representative clients include:

  • Bank of America 
  • Citibank
  • Credit Suisse
  • Deutsche Bank
  • Goldman Sachs
  • HSBC
  • JP Morgan
  • Lloyds
  • Morgan Stanley

His representative matters include advising:

Lead Arrangers/Underwriters

  • €1.75 billion senior credit facilities, concurrent with an offering of €1.06 billion senior secured notes, in connection with Adevinta’s acquisition of the eBay Classifieds Group
  • €820 million senior credit facilities for the refinancing of Galileo Global Education
  • Revolving credit facility, concurrent with an offering of €400 million senior secured notes due 2023 and €260 million senior secured floating rate notes due 2023 by Promontoria Holding 264 B.V. to finance the acquisition of global aviation services company WFS by Cerberus
  • Multiple bank and bond financings for Synlab, a European clinical labs group, including underwritten financings for the acquisitions by Cinven of Labco, a France-based European clinical labs group and Synlab, a Germany-based European clinical labs group
  • Bank/bond refinancing for Aston Martin Lagonda Limited

Sponsors

  • Hellman & Friedman in connection with the term loan and bond financing to fund its acquisition of a controlling interest in security services provider Securitas Direct
  • PAI Partners on the approximately €1 billion senior credit facilities financing in connection with the merger of certain Nestlé ice cream and frozen food businesses with R&R Ice Cream (and subsequent upsizes)

Bar Qualification

  • England and Wales (Solicitor)

Education

  • Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, BPP Law School, 2010
  • LLB Law, Cardiff University, 2009

Practices