Christy LIM is the Head of the Banking & Finance Practice.

A veteran in the Banking & Finance space (with in-depth specialisation across various areas of banking practice), Christy has over the years built a commendable portfolio of work, carving a niche for herself in several challenging markets, and is also consistently ranked as a leading lawyer in various legal directories. Her main practice areas are banking, finance, security arrangement and documentation, syndicated loans, club deals, cross-border and multi-currency transactions, transferable loans, loans with embedded debt-instrument conversion options with a strong focus on acquisition/leveraged financing involving takeover offers (both mandatory and voluntary), schemes of arrangement, delisting proposals/exit offers as well as mergers and acquisitions, debt restructuring, international and cross-border financing transactions involving Singapore law, banking, financial laws and regulations. She has been involved in some of the most intricate and complex headline acquisition financing deals spanning various jurisdictions, and is also very active in the green and sustainable financing space.

Christy is an Executive Committee member and the Assistant Honorary Secretary of the Financial Women's Association Singapore, an organisation that drives professionalism in the financial sector. She is also a committee member of Star Shelter (registered as an IPC), which is a direct service of Singapore Council of Women’s Organisation (SCWO). Star Shelter is the only secular shelter for women in Singapore and provides safe space for women and children who are survivors of family violence. Christy is also a former Board member of SCWO. She is also an adjunct instructor at the School of Law at the Singapore Management University.

Significant transactions that Christy has been recently involved in include advising / acting for the following:

  • A syndicate of lenders in a US$551 million financing granted to subsidiaries of ARA Asset Management Limited, for the acquisition of a portfolio of 38 hotels under the Hyatt Place and Hyatt House franchise across 21 states in the United States. This acquisition is a significant milestone in the global expansion and diversification plans of the ARA group and marks its maiden foray into the United States property market.
  • ESR Funds Management (S) Limited (the manager of ESR-REIT) and two of the financial advisers to ESR Funds Management (S) Limited, RHB Securities Singapore Pte. Ltd. and United Overseas Bank Limited, in the merger with Viva Industrial Trust by way of a trust scheme of arrangement. The merger valued Viva Industrial Trust at S$936.7 million and created Singapore's fourth largest industrial REIT with approximately S$3 billion in assets.
  • Perennial Shenton Property Pte. Ltd., as borrower, in the refinancing of the acquisition of, and the S$3 billion green loan syndicated financing of the project development at, 8 Shenton Way. Mandated lead arrangers are DBS, OCBC, UOB, Bangkok Bank, Maybank, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, China CITIC Bank and Hong Leong Finance Limited. DBS and OCBC are also the Green Loan Advisors. This financing is also the largest syndicated green loan financing in Singapore as at the date of closing of the transaction.
  • Nesta Investment Holdings Limited in the grant of US$4 billion term loan and revolving facilities in relation to Nesta Investment Holdings Limited's acquisition of Global Logistic Properties Limited. This deal won "Deal of the Year" and "Best Leveraged Finance Deal" at the FinanceAsia Achievement Awards, 2017, "M&A Deal of the Year: South East Asia" at The Asian Lawyer's Asia Legal Awards 2018 and "M&A Deal of the Year (Premium)" at the ALB SE Asia Law Awards 2018.
  • ESR LOGOS REIT in the JP¥ 7.1 billion syndicated financing relating to its acquisition of ESR Sakura Distribution Centre, located at Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. MUFG Bank, Ltd. and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Singapore Branch are the mandated lead arrangers, bookrunners and lenders to the financing. This marks the REIT’s first acquisition in Japan.
  • DBS Bank Ltd., Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited, United Overseas Bank Limited and Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore) Limited as lenders and mandated lead arrangers in the S$535 million syndicated financing to Singtel’s data centre subsidiaries. DBS Bank Ltd., Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited, United Overseas Bank Limited and Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore) Limited are also the green loan coordinators for the financing.

Related Practices

  • Banking & Finance
  • Private Equity
Christy is recognised as a leading lawyer for her expertise in Banking & Finance by Chambers Global – The World's Leading Lawyers for Business and by Chambers Asia-Pacific – Asia-Pacific's Leading Lawyers for Business since 2009. She has also been consistently recognised and commended for her work in the Banking & Finance industry by IFLR1000: Financial & Corporate – The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms, The Legal 500: Asia Pacific – The Client's Guide to the Asia Pacific Legal Profession, Asialaw Profiles – The Guide to Asia-Pacific's Leading Law Firms, Who's Who Legal: Banking and in the areas of Banking Law and Finance Law by Best Lawyers.
 
Named "Dealmaker of the Year, SE Asia" at the inaugural Asian Legal Business (ALB) Women in Law Awards 2021, Christy has also been listed in the top 100 lawyers in Singapore in the 2019 and 2023 editions of "Asia Business Law Journal's – The A-List Top 100 Lawyers". In 2022, she was awarded the Lexology Client Choice Award for her remarkable client care, management and ability to add value to clients' business above and beyond other players in the market.
 
Christy is recognised for being "sharp and articulate", "very clear in her thinking" due to her "depth of experience", and whose "effective negotiating style" has earned her "particular plaudits". Commended as "someone you would always want to have on your side", she is also lauded for her "skills and proficiency" and her "strong grasp of securities, acquisitions and debt restructurings makes her a lawyer of choice for a number of major private equity houses and investment banks" with an "ability to highlight key commercial points for clients". Christy is also recognised as a lawyer who knows what clients want "legally and commercially, and the turnaround times are quick", ensuring that clients’ objectives "are met and remain protected". Recognised for her ability to "handle the counsel on the other side very well, so that a reasonable outcome can be struck", Christy earns praise for her ability to "breeze through otherwise lengthy negotiations and appreciate commercial realities on transactions". She is also lauded for being "a problem solver" and is praised for her "strong negotiating power".
 
Christy is also recognised for being "technically sound, extremely prompt in her response and is able to negotiate to close the multi-party transaction efficiently", "proven to be a tough yet practical negotiator for her client and never failing to exceed our expectations", and is described as the, "go-to banking lawyer for structured and leveraged finance" and for having a "savvy mix of sharp legal skills and strong business acumen" with "an impressive record in headline and complex financing". Clients have been quoted as saying, "Christy Lim is my personal go-to banking lawyer. She is highly efficient and able to focus on, highlight and provide sound advice on key issues. Overall, she makes the transaction fuss free for the client, and dealing with her and her team is always a pleasant experience." and "Christy Lim is extremely sharp and knowledgeable. Makes clients feel they are in a safe pair of hands when she is representing them. Commercially savvy and able to suggest viable solutions that enable the deal to progress yet protecting her clients’ interests. Would highly recommend her to anyone requiring advice on banking / finance transactions."

Contact Details

Qualifications

National University of Singapore (LL.B., Hons.)

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