Michelle has many years of international banking experience: her particular focus is on complex structured finance transactions such as the financing of energy projects, acquisition finance and restructuring.
Michelle received her BA of law from Oxford University and qualified as a solicitor in London. She practised with a magic circle firm in London (5 years), Hong Kong (3 years) and Singapore and joined the firm as a partner in 2001. She is qualified in England & Wales, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Project finance credentials
- FIGLEC, the project company, on the US$320 million refinancing of the Laibin B power project in PRC - named Project Finance Deal of the Year by Asian Legal Business China Law Awards 2006
- Asian Development Bank as senior lender in connection with the US$268 million financing of the Tala-Delhi transmission project, the first private-public partnership in the transmission sector in India
- Hebei PanAsia Long-Teng Paper Co on its US$215 million equivalent dual currency financing for the construction of a paper mill in Hebei, PRC - Project Finance Magazine’s Asia-Pacific Industrial Deal of the Year 2003
Acquisition and general financing credentials
- Marubeni Corporation on the divestiture of their interests in the Chandra Asri petrochemical project (and acquisition of a majority interest in the Musi Pulp project); including a series of debt restructurings and the issuance of various exchange bonds in a highly complex transaction in Indonesia
- Morgan Stanley on a US$100 million liquidity facility and its renewals
- NEXI (the Japanese Export Credit Agency), Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sojitz and Itochu on the sale of approximately US$110 million equivalent of debts owed to them by an Indonesian group
Accolades
- Recommended as a 'Leading Individual' for Banking & Finance
Chambers Global Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers 2006
- Recommended for Project Finance
PLC Which Lawyer ? Yearbook 2006
- "Michelle Chen has a 'sound commercial mind' and is 'good at thinking things through'; she is also respected for her hands-on approach on transactions. "
Asia-Pacific Legal 500 2003-2004