He is widely recognised as a leading practitioner in the London loan markets. Greg is an expert in a wide range of debt financing practice areas, including corporate lending (particularly acquisition finance and other event-driven transactions), sustainable finance, fund finance and trade and commodity finance. Greg has been involved in structuring sustainable and other impact investments for over a decade, acting both for borrowers and funders in that sector. In recent years Greg has been heavily involved in market developments concerning green and sustainability-linked loan financings, which have now become a well-established and increasingly standard feature in the syndicated loan market.
Greg has over 25 years’ experience of advising major international lenders and corporates on loan finance transactions.
Expertise
Industries
Experience
Representative matters
The arrangers of a £2,500,000,000 loan facility for Tesco plc, one of the world’s first syndicated RFR facilities. This deal was awarded ‘Loan Deal of the Year 2021’ by IFLR.
The arrangers of a US$17,500,000,000 bridge loan facility for AstraZeneca plc relating to their acquisition of Alexion Pharmaceuticals.
The arrangers of a bridge loan facility to support Werfen’s acquisition of Immucor, Inc..
The arrangers of a €20,150,000,000 bridge loan facility to Vonovia SE in relation to its acquisition of Deutsche Wohnen.
Pro bono
Greg was head of A&O’s Social Finance and Impact Investment Group for over a decade and has worked on a number of social / impact investments, including:
Acting for Beneficial Returns in relation to an investment in Ananas Anam (a developer of natural textiles produced from waste pineapple leaves)
Acting for a syndicate of social investors into Five Lamps, a UK based responsible lender offering affordable loans to socially and financially excluded individuals.
Published Work
- Brown. G (2023) “Sustainability-linked loans: how ‘green washing’ risk is mitigated in documentation”; London: 5 JIBFL 313
Speaking Engagements
- Guest Speaker, ‘Harnessing the Power of Social Finance’, COP 28 (Dubai), December 2023
Recognition
“Greg Brown has a vast and detailed knowledge of the syndicated loan market, a great rapport and is always on hand with quick but sound delivery.”
Legal 500, 2024
“Greg is the commercial partner we need on our deals. He is visible and leads his deals appropriately. He is also a nice person and good to get along with and you can have very honest conversations with him, which shows the strength of the relationship.”
Chambers 2024
Qualifications
Admissions
England and Wales, 1997
Academic
BA, Jurisprudence, Oxford University, 1993
Languages
English
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.