Banking and finance

Baker McKenzie LLP

Handling both debt and equity financing, Baker McKenzie LLP’s expansive client roster includes local and international commercial banks, syndicated lenders, and big project companies. Managing partner Thinawat Bukhamana, Sawanee Sethsathira and Komkrit Kietduriyakul jointly lead the practice. Bukhamana acts for Thailand’s largest businesses on a diverse array of matters, while Sethsathira leads the firm’s EMI/project development and finance team and Kietduriyakul helms the fintech and digital assets practice. Chaveewan Likhitwattanachai advises clients on real estate acquisition finance, telecoms financing and fintech transactions. Structured finance and derivatives expert Benja Supannakul is another name to note, as well as private equity expert Somika Phagapasvivat and Kullarat Phongsathaporn, who focuses on fintech and financial regulatory matters. Associate Kanokpan Poovaratanakul is also recommended.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘Extremely knowledgeable team with a very savvy team leader at its helm. Very proactive, engaging and intuitive to client needs with excellent communication skills, articulate and always well-prepared during client engagements and quick on the feet ideas at ad hoc engagements.’
‘Benja Suppanakul is a true exemplary advisor in all facets of lawyering. She has demonstrated commercial acumen equipped with practical solutions in addition to her armoury of deep knowledge of regulatory and commercial trends in the financial arena in Thailand. ’
‘Specialised in digital assets, a well-rounded and detail oriented team with strong leadership.’
‘In-depth knowledge of the financial industry, solid practical recommendations.’
‘Baker McKenzie Thailand has a wide-ranging and deep bench of partners across many areas of Thai laws, which is a unique proposition that not many other local law firms that offer.’
‘Benja Suppanakul is a fantastic regulatory partner. She is always calm, collected, responsive and seems to know all the answers to questions that are posed to her (without being aware of the questions in advance). She also offers good insight into market practice and is solution-oriented in her advice.’
'Flexible and cooperative attitude of team members.'
‘Baker McKenzie offers real professional services with reasonable fees. Their strengths and capabilities cover all businesses needed with great facilities. As a client, we need these.'

Key clients

Siam Commercial Bank/Digital Ventures and other subsidiaries
Krungthai Bank (Krungthai Asset Management)
KASIKORNBANK/Beacon Venture Capital/Kasikorn Securities and other subsidiaries
Bangkok Bank/ Bualuang Ventures
Bank of Ayudhya/Krungsri Finnovate
Kiatnakin Bank
TMB Thanachart Bank
EXIM Thai
ANZ Bank (Thai)
Morgan Stanley
OCBC
UOB Thai
Goldman Sachs
DBS Bank
Bank of Julius Baer
Blackrock
LGT Bank
Maybank
Muang Thai Life/Fuchsia Ventures
CP Group
True Corporation/Ascend Capital
Siam Cement Group/AddVentures
Boon Rawd Brewery/Singha Ventures/Singha Estate and other subsidiaries
Ananda Development/Urban Tech Ventures
PTT/PTTGC/ExpresSo
RATCH Group
Thaioil
IRPC
Super Energy Corporation Public Company Limited
Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited

Work highlights

Represented MQDC Town Corporation Limited, MQDC Town Royal Place Limited, MQDC Town Royal Residence Limited and Royal Aspen Mqdc Town Limited (as borrowers), Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited (as sponsor), MQDC Town Collection Limited (as major shareholder) and DTGO Corporation Limited in the THB 19bn syndicated financing transaction for "The Forestias" with KASIKORNBANK Public Company Limited and The Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited as mandated lead arrangers.
Represented The Siam Commercial Public Company Limited and TISCO Bank Public Company Limited (as lenders) in the up to THB 2,260 million real estate financing given to Nai Lert Park Development Co., Ltd. (as borrower) to finance or reimburse the hard construction costs and the decoration costs of the "Aman Nai Lert Bangkok" Project.
Advised and represented Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited in the GBP 600 million financing to Harng Central Department Store Limited as borrower whereby the loan proceeds shall be applied towards the partial payment of the purchase price for the acquisition of the target companies in the UK (i.e., acquisition of Selfridges).

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