Stuart is a Partner and Head of the Finance Group of Arthur Cox’s Belfast Office, Northern Ireland.

Stuart advises financial institutions and corporate borrowers on a wide range of domestic and international finance transactions, including secured lending (both syndicated and bilateral) and refinancing.  Stuart also advises financial institutions on distressed loan books, in particular debt restructuring and security enforcement strategies. Stuart has significant experience in structured finance transactions, such as loan mortgage portfolio acquisitions and disposals, securitisations and bond issuances.

Relevant Experience

  • Acting for Ulster Bank Limited and Ulster Bank Ireland Limited in relation to the refinancing of the Norbrook group
  • Acting for a syndicate of financial institutions in relation to the restructuring of the Quinn group
  • Acting for a syndicate of financial institutions in relation to the restructuring of the Independent News & Media group
  • Acting for a syndicate of financial institutions in relation to the restructuring of the Four Seasons Healthcare group
  • Acting for KBC Bank Ireland plc in relation to the transfer of the assets and banking business of KBC Mortgage Bank to KBC Bank Ireland plc
  • Acting for Santander UK Plc in relation to the Northern Irish law aspects of the transfer of Alliance & Leicester plc’s banking business pursuant to a Part VII Scheme
  • Acting for a building society in relation to the acquisition of a pool of residential buy-to-let mortgages
  • Acting for Apollo European Principal Finance Fund, L.P. in relation to the acquisition of various loan portfolios and mortgage pools
  • Acting for a syndicate of financial institutions in relation to a securitisation transaction involving a large pool of car loan agreements
  • Acting for a syndicate of financial institutions in a matter whereby Tesco raised £685 million by securitising its rental income relating to a portfolio of 31 retail stores throughout the UK