Nicolas Lai

Primary Focus & Experience

Nicolas advises on a wide range of asset finance transactions involving commercial aircraft, such as airline and lessor financings, operating leases, portfolio trades and special situations work. He has additional experience in real estate and project financing transactions, including in relation to digital infrastructure and data centres.

A selection of Nicolas’ experience includes advising:

• Deutsche Bank and MUFG on a US$190 million aircraft portfolio financing and a US$750 million aircraft warehouse financing for Abelo Capital.*
• CDB Aviation on multiple sustainability-linked aircraft portfolio facilities, including a US$770 million financing of 18 aircraft and a US$700 million financing of 19 aircraft (Airline Economics Sustainability Aviation Debt Deal of the Year 2024).* 
• A leading alternative lender on the refinancing of a fleet of aircraft for a Southeast Asian airline by way of a finance lease.*
• A leading alternative lender on the financing of a spare engine portfolio for a UK based airline.*
• AerCap on the out-of-court restructuring of Azul Airlines’ aircraft lease obligations.*
• A leading lessor on the lease restructuring and subsequent repossession of various aircraft on lease to a UK based airline.*
• A lender on the acquisition financing of a London data centre campus valued at over £1 billion for KKR and Global Technical Realty.*
• A lender on the financing of a land bank in London for the construction of a 210 MW data centre campus for GLP Capital Partners and Ada Infrastructure.*

*Matter completed prior to joining Milbank.