Expertise

Ara is a a Legal Director in the Real Estate Finance team in London and acts for senior and mezzanine lenders, investors, developers and high-net worth individuals on complex domestic and cross-border deals focussing on real estate finance (both real estate investment and development finance transactions).

Ara's experience includes secondments to Canary Wharf Group and LaSalle Investment Management.

Highlights include advising:

• NatWest and Crédit Agricole CIB on green facilities used to fund the development of Phase 1 of the Canada Water Masterplan (a joint venture between British Land and AustralianSuper)
• ICG Real Estate on a £200m development facility provided to Placefirst to fund the acquisition and development of single-family rental homes across the UK and support the growth of their portfolio to over 6,500 units
• ICG Real Estate on a £63m facility made available to a joint venture vehicle established between Elysian Residences and Senior Living Investment Partners to fund the development of a new 100-unit luxury integrated retirement community in Henley-on-Thames
• Precede Capital Partners and Carlyle on an £80m facility made available to a fund managed by Tristan Capital Partners to be used to finance the development of “The Oren” (a premium later living development in Hampstead, London to be operated by Elysian Residences)
• Norlake Hospitality on facilities used to finance the development / refurbishment of three “The Hoxton” branded open-house hotels in Berlin, Barcelona and London and Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire
• Pension Insurance Corporation on the acquisition and development financing of 125 affordable homes in Kingston upon Thames (which forms part of a new equity strategy and they intend to invest a total of £500m over the next five years to build around 1,000 affordable homes)
• Maybourne Hotel Group on the refinancing of Claridge’s, The Berkeley and The Connaught hotels