Jessy Makdessi

Jessy Makdessi
Biography
Jessy Makdessi is a banking lawyer based in London. Jessy focuses on real estate finance transactions and has over ten years of experience acting for both lenders and borrowers across domestic and cross-border debt financings, commercial and residential acquisition, investment and development financings, corporate lending and restructuring.
Jessy has also spent nine months on client secondment to the transaction management team of a major UK bank where she worked on a mixture of corporate lending and acquisition finance transactions.
Professional experience
Representative experience
Representative experience
Advising Westminster Development Services Limited (representing a joint venture between the Hinduja Group and Onex Holdings) on the development financing for the Old War Office building in Whitehall (valued at over £1bn), which has been developed into the UK’s first Raffles Hotel and the first ever Raffles branded residences, nine restaurants, three bars and Guerlain’s first London spa;
Advising Crest Nicholson (housebuilder) on various financing matters, including its first sustainability-linked loan credit facility and its £240m refinancing. Continuing to advise Crest on ongoing matters;
Advising a syndicate of lenders on Travelodge’s £210m acquisition of 66 Travelodge-branded hotels on a freehold and long leasehold basis from its largest landlord, LXi REIT plc;
Advising a leading international bank on the high value refinancing of One Crown Place, London, a mixed-use development comprising residential apartments, office space, retail units, F&B outlets and a boutique hotel;
Advising a leading international bank on the refinancing of 18-19 Crimscott Street, Bermondsey and 140-146 Camden Street, Camden London;
Advising Standard Chartered Bank on several financing transactions, including the multi-million-pound refinancing of an iconic building in the heart of Westminster and the secured financing for the acquisition of The Bourne Business Park in Surrey;
Advising Battersea Power Station Development Company (backed by an international consortium, including Malaysia’s PNB, SP Setia, Sime Darby and The Employees Provident Fund) on the £1.35bn financing for phases 2 and 3 of Battersea Power Station, one of the largest UK real estate financing transactions;
Part of the financing team advising the joint venture led by Deutsche Finance International and Yoo Capital on the financing for the £296m acquisition of Olympia London Exhibition Centre;
Assisting on the financing aspects of the £2bn joint venture between Malaysia's Eco World and Ballymore for the development of 3,000 luxury apartments in London;
Advising on the investment and development financings of a portfolio of prime residential apartment buildings for a JV between Residential Land and a large Canadian pension fund;
Advising German bank, Hamburg Commercial Bank, on the secured financing for the acquisition of a large office building in Glasgow by a London-based private equity firm;
Advising a leading bitcoin company on the financing for the proposed acquisition of a Norwegian blockchain technology company;
Advising German bank, Münchener Hypothekenbank eG, on the acquisition financing of 2 Lister Square, Edinburgh by a Luxembourg vehicle ultimately owned by a large German investment fund. Continuing to advise MHB on ongoing matters;
Advising L1 Capital UK Property Pty Ltd on various acquisition financings and refinancings for portfolios of properties in the UK;
Advising Funding Affordable Homes Housing Association Limited on the financing from Secure Trust Bank PLC for the acquisition of a block of 58 flats in Aldershot, England;
Advising ICBC on the financing for the acquisition of Europa Student Accommodation; and
Acting on the global restructuring of an international engineering enterprise.
Rankings and recognitions
Rankings and recognitions
Rising Star (Legal500 2023)
'Jessy Makdessi is a superb senior associate and ably steps into complex and tricky situations. Jessy’s proactive, intelligent approach and adept style dealing with challenging counterparties makes her a critical part of any of our transactions. A true star partner of the future.'
Admissions
Admissions
- Solicitor, qualified in England & Wales