Close Menu
ABL Logo
Link to the LinkedIn.com Link to the Facebook.com Link to the Twitter.com
Menu
Nathan Briner banner

About Nathan

Nathan is a partner of Arnold Bloch Leibler’s banking & finance practice in Sydney. He regularly advises borrowers (including property funds, property developers and corporates), non-bank lenders and high net worth individuals on property finance transactions, corporate lending and restructurings.

Prior to joining Arnold Bloch Leibler, Nathan spent 13 years in the London office (including as partner) of the then leading international law firm SJ Berwin LLP. During his time in London he regularly advised property funds, private equity houses, corporations, entrepreneurs and financial instructions on a wide range of domestic and international financing transactions with a focus on UK and cross-border European real estate finance transactions. Nathan retains strong connections with many of his London based property finance contacts.

He is also active in providing pro-bono legal advice for various charities.

Nathan holds a Bachelor of Laws from Queensland University of Technology is admitted to practice in Australia and is currently on the roll as a non-practising solicitor in England & Wales.

“An experienced finance lawyer who combines an eye for detail with a commercial approach. As a client, you know he’ll get the deal done, with your interests protected.”

Client quote, Real estate private equity firm

Practice focus

Nathan’s banking and finance practice focuses on borrower and non-bank lender representation and includes the following key areas:

  • property investment and development financings, including senior, mezzanine and preferred equity financings
  • structured financings
  • corporate and acquisition financings
  • venture financings
  • loan note issuance
  • refinancings and restructurings, and
  • debt sourcing and transaction structuring.

Experience

Nathan has acted in a range of matters, including:

Property finance - on behalf of lenders

  • Starwood Capital: in relation to a construction and investment facility for a landmark Melbourne CBD project by international student accommodation specialist, Scape

  • Alceon Group: in relation to numerous senior debt financing facilities made available to various property developers for property investment, development and residual stock purposes

  • MaxCap Group: in relation to numerous senior secured property investment facilities

  • Qualitas: in relation to various investment, mezzanine construction and residual stock financings, including for a large residential apartment development in Canberra

  • Fortress Investment Group: in relation to numerous senior secured property investment and construction facilities

  • Merricks Capital: in relation to numerous senior secured investment and development financings

  • IJD Group: in relation to various property financings

  • Gresham Property Funds Management: in relation to a mezzanine investment and development facility for a mixed-use residential and commercial development in Sydney, and

  • Challenger: in relation to the provision of a syndicated cash advance facility to Blackstone Group for the refinancing of an industrial and retail property in Sydney.

Property finance - on behalf of borrowers

  • Toga Group: in relation to numerous financings, including the investment and development financing for its West Ryde, Sydney development and the syndicated senior development financing for construction of apartments at Macquarie Park, Sydney

  • Centennial Property Group: in relation to numerous investment and development financings, including senior and mezzanine debt for various commercial, residential and industrial property acquisitions and developments

  • Haben: in relation to various of their investment and development financings in respect of numerous shopping centres in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria

  • ANKA: in relation to various of their investment and development financings in respect of numerous properties

  • Ramsay Property Group: in relation to various of their investment and development financings in NSW

  • Besen Pty Ltd: in relation to various investment and development financings in respect of prime residential apartment sites in Sydney

  • Fridcorp: in relation to certain of its financing arrangements for the ‘Eve’ development at Erskineville, Sydney

  • Charter Hall: in relation to various financing aspects for acquisition of commercial property

  • Far East Group: in relation to its refinancing of a prime Sydney CBD property and an Australian hotel portfolio refinancing

  • Aqualand: advising in relation to the refinancing of a North Sydney Office tower, and

  • Ashe Morgan: in relation to various senior debt and mezzanine financings and related intercreditor arrangements.

Corporate and venture finance

  • Accent Group Limited: in relation to its various senior debt group financings
  • One Ventures: in relation to various secured loan facilities advanced by its new credit fund to corporates, including expansion stage technology companies
  • Oxanda Education: in relation to various matters including its senior debt facility and funding on-going acquisitions of child care centres
  • Harris Farm Markets: in relation to its senior debt group financing, and
  • various international corporates including Hyperion Insurance Group, in relation to the Australian law aspects of their international financings and refinancings.

Restructuring & work outs

  • Apollo and Oaktree: part of the ABL team in relation to finance aspects of the restructure of Nine Entertainment where $3.4 billion in senior and mezzanine debt was exchanged for cash and equity, including advising in relation to the Australian law aspects of the $800 million leveraged facility agreement and security arrangements

  • Redbank Energy: in relation to the finance aspects of the restructuring of the $300 million senior debt facility relating to the Redbank power station, and

  • A tier 1 US investment bank in its capacity as hedge counterparty: in relation to the restructure of one of Australia’s largest privately owned diagnostic imaging networks.

UK and European financings

Prior to joining ABL, Nathan acted for:

  • AXA REIM: in relation to the cross-border refinancing of a European property portfolio involving six jurisdictions and the restructuring of a facility to a limited partnership

  • Raven Russia, a UK AIM listed entity: on various senior investment and development financings in Russia and the Ukraine with a combined debt value in excess of US $370 million

  • Brockton Capital, a UK private equity real estate fund: in relation to various investment and development financings of London commercial properties, in addition to subscription lines of credit and internal debt arrangements

  • National Bank of Abu Dhabi: in relation to a circa £150 million investment and development financing facility for the ExCel Exhibition and Conference Centre, London and subsequent hotel development financing that brought Starwood Hotel and Resorts' ‘Aloft’ hotel concept to the UK

  • Chelsfield: in relation to financing the acquisition of a landmark London property and part of the SJ Berwin team advising on the finance aspects of the £1.86b public to private transaction for Chelsfield plc

  • London & Regional: in relation to the refinancing of the London Hilton Park Lane Hotel and the financing of the Fairmont Monte Carlo Hotel, and

  • Deutsche Bank: in relation to a €95 million facility for the refinancing of a large retail restaurant and cinema complex in Bremen, Germany.

Directorships & memberships

Nathan is:
  • a member of the Law Society of NSW
  • a member of the Property Council of Australia
  • admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales and is currently on the roll as a non-practising solicitor on the SRA, and
  • honorary solicitor for JCA.

Awards & recognition

Nathan is recognised as a leading lawyer by an international guide to lawyers and law firms:

  • Legal 500 Asia Pacific: banking & finance.

“Nathan belongs to a rare breed of finance lawyers. He understands what matters and thinks out of the box to deliver high quality solutions for his clients.”

Client quote, Real estate private equity firm

Recognition & publications

Take a look at Insights & News articles referencing Nathan Briner