Linklaters advises Crédit Agricole CIB on a €200M off-balance sheet trade receivables securitisation for a leading French agro-industrial group involving its operations in six countries

Linklaters has advised Crédit Agricole CIB, as arranger, on a new off-balance sheet trade receivables securitisation put in place for a leading French agro-industrial group covering its activities in six countries.

This transaction allows entities located in France, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, the US and Canada to sell receivables to Ester Finance Technologies arising from their operations in each of these six countries. The transaction was structured to qualify for off-balance sheet treatment under IFRS.

Linklaters team in France was made up of Patrice Doat, partner, Guillaume Malaty, counsel, and Sophie Weiss, associate. In Belgium, the team was composed of Gilles Nejman, counsel, and Pierre Pettiaux, associate. In Germany, the team was led by Barbara Lauer, partner, and Philipp Melzer, Annika Frenz, associates. In Portugal, the team comprised Gonçalo Veiga de Macedo, counsel, and Maria José Sousa Leite, managing associate. In the US, the team was composed of Robert Trust, partner, Catherine Russ, counsel, and Mark Dawson, Senior US Associate. McCarthy Tétrault LLP advised on the Canadian aspects of the transaction with a team led by Mary Jeanne Phelan, partner, and Achille Treuil, associate.

The sellers were advised by CMS Francis Lefebvre Avocats.