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Caroline Hoste

Socio
Caroline is a real dealmaker. She’s reliable, concise and above all puts client interest first!
Head of Project Finance – Belgian corporate
About

Caroline has over 16 years of experience in financing transactions and complex projects. She advises national and international clients on all aspects of a large range of financing transactions, such as project finance, trade and export finance, direct lending, leveraged finance (including acquisition finance), real estate finance and asset finance.

Caroline has a strong expertise in project finance in the energy and infrastructure sector. Her experience includes acting for the sponsor and lenders on energy projects, ranging from oil and gas to renewables.

She is also very knowledgeable in the field of PPP pertaining to road, port and other infrastructure projects, carrying out due diligence, structuring projects, advising and drafting of project documents and finance and security documents.

Caroline is also experienced in export finance, and specifically in ECA covered byer credit transactions.
Professional QualificationsAdvocaat registered with the Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten bij de Balie te Brussel

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising National Westminster Bank in relation to the financing of the construction and operation of a greenfield biomass CHP plant of 19.99 MWe and 62MWth in the port of Ghent in Belgium set up by Belgian Eco Energy and Equitix as Sponsors.*
  • Advising an international bank in connection with the financing of a hotel development project in Brussels.* 
  • Assisting a French investor with the structuring and negotiations of the financing by a Belgian bank in connection with the acquisition of a Belgian group.* 
  • Advising an international bank in connection with an ECA-backed credit facility to finance the purchase of equipment for a steel plant in Mexico.*
  • Assisting a consortium in connection with their bids for the second Flemish school PPP, consisting out of five to ten DBFM Agreements for a total value of approx. EUR 550 million.*
  • Assisting the Lenders of a consortium with regard to the DBFM Contract for the design, build, finance and maintenance of 7 bridges over the Albert canal, tendered out by the Vlaamse Waterweg, the Flemish public waterways authority.*
  • Assisting the consortium of Democo, Mesa and Avico Asset Management in their successful bid for the DMFM-contract related to hangar for the maintenance of the Airbus A400M on the Melsbroek Military Airbase.*
  • Assisting US financial institutions in connection with the Belgian legal aspects in cross-border ABL transactions.*
  • In general, advising as lenders’ or borrowers’ counsel on acquisition, real estate, export and asset based lending financing transactions, and direct lending transactions. 

* Denotes experience from previous firm.

Languages
  • Inglés
  • Dutch
  • French
Education
  • University of Ghent, Master in Law, Cum Laude, 2006

  • Université de Fribourg, Erasmus, 2005-2006

Prior Experience

  • 2018 – 2022: Counsel Belgian independent Belgian law firm
  • 2016 – 2018: Senior Legal Counsel Jan De Nul Group
  • 2009 – 2016: Associate/Lead Lawyer DLA Piper UK LLP, Brussels
  • 2008 - 2009: Associate Brussels based international law firm
  • 2006 – 2007: Trainee Belgian independent Belgian law firm 

Memberships and Affiliations

Committee member of the Future Leader Network (FLN) of the International Project Finance Association (IPFA).  

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