Celebrating (re)insurance market talent
London
MAY 2023
The AFJ Global Awards recognise excellence among market participants on deals across the airline, lessor and OEM financings in all regions around the world. The Awards will be judged by an external, expert judging panel from a shortlist determined by the AFJ editorial team.
Join us for an evening of extraordinary networking, celebration and international recognition.
2022 WINNERS
Judges
.png?v=01052023122937)
James Cottle
Retired Managing Director & CEO
Airbus Financial Services Limited
.png?v=12142022092934)
Richard (Dick) Forsberg
Commercial Aircraft Leasing & Strategy Professional
.png?v=12142022093007)
David Goring-Thomas
Chairman
Stratos.Aero
Bertrand Grabowski
Independent Advisor
.png?v=01312023103825)
Richard Moody
Managing Director
Viridis Capital
.png?v=01312023103900)
James Paterson
Independent Advisor
.png?v=01312023103736)
Rex Rosales
Independent Advisor
KEY DATES
Entries
Open
5 January 2023
Entries
Close
9 February 2023
Shortlist Announcement
4 April 2023
2022 WINNERS
Regional
Global Product Awards
Special Awards
Team/Individual Awards
Regional
Asia-Pacific
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Hong Kong Airlines | Leases Restructuring | 12-22 | $6.2bn
- CALC | Bond issuance | 10-22 | RMB1bn
- Malaysia Airlines| PDP Financing | 08-22 | $2bn | 20xA/c
Europe
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Air France-KLM| Bond issue | 07-22| €500m.
- GOAL | Insurance guaranteed loan and Sale leaseback | 11-22 | $120m| 3xA220-300 Air Baltic
- Nordic Aviation Capital | DIP loan | 03-22 | $6.3bn
Middle East/Africa
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
flydubai | Sale leaseback | 06-22 | $250m | 5x737 Max 8
- Acia Aero | Revolving credit facility | 03-22 | 4xATR72 + Revolving credit facility | $25.7m | 11xA/c
- Alafco | Commercial loan | 11-22 | $80m | 2xA320neo
Latin America
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
LATAM |10-22 | $500m Revolving credit facility + $1.1bn Commercial loan + $1.15bn Bonds issuance
- Aeromexico | Fleet restructuring | 03-22 | $5.5bn
- Volaris | PDP Financing | 07-22 | $144m | 13xA/c
North America
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
JetBlue | Commercial loan | 05-22 | $3.5bn
- Air Lease Corporation | Bond issuance | 01-22 | $1.5bn
- Aircastle | Commercial loan | 11-22 | $450m
Global Product Awards
Special Awards
Team/Individual Awards
Regional
Global Product Awards
Guaranteed Financing
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Pegasus Airlines | ECA guaranteed loan | 09-22 | EUR520m | 10xA321neo
- GOAL | Insurance guaranteed loan and Sale leaseback | 11-22 | $120m| 3xA220-300 Air Baltic
- Groupe Dubreuil | Insurance guaranteed loan | 12-22 | $145m | 1xA350-1000
Airline Restructuring
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Aeromexico | Fleet restructuring | 03-22 | $5.5bn
- LATAM |10-22 | $500m Revolving credit facility + $1.1bn Commercial loan + $1.15bn Bonds issuance
- Lion Air | Restructuring |11-22 | €1bn
Lease (Operating/Sale leaseback)
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
GOAL | Insurance guaranteed loan and Sale leaseback | 11-22 | $120m | 3xA220-300; Air Baltic
- Scoot Tigerair | Sale leaseback | 11-22 | 4x787
- Volaris | PDP Financing and Sale leaseback| 10-22 |7xA/c
Bank Loan
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Avolon | Commercial loan | 09-22 | $660m | 17xA/c
- AerDragon | AFIC-supported financing | 05-22 | $96m (est.) | 2x737 Max9
- SMBC Aviation Capital | Commercial loan | 09-22 | $1.8bn; SMBC Aviation Capital | Revolving credit facility | 09-22 | $700m
Revolving Credit Facility
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Acia Aero Leasing | Revolving credit facility | 03-22 | 14xA/c
- DAE Capital | Revolving credit facility | 04-22 | $1bn
- Truenoord | Revolving credit facility | 09-22 | $400m | 17xA/c
Equity
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Air France-KLM | Share issuance | 05-22 | €2.256bn
- Air France-KLM| Bond issue | 07-22| €500m
- Nordic Aviation Capital | DIP loan | 03-22 | $6.3bn
M&A
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
SMBC Aviation Capital Goshawk | Merger | 12-22 | $6.7bn
- Aergo Capital | Merger | 06-22
- Carlyle Aviation Partners AMCK Holdings| Merger | 04-22 | $4bn
Tax Lease
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Pegasus Airlines | Jolco | 12-22 | $44.2m| 1xA321neo
- Avolon | Jolco | 12-22 | $170m | 3xA/c
- ICBC Financial Leasing | Jolco | 05-22 | $112m | 3xA320neo
New Leasing Platform
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
AviLease PIF | Aviation fund | 07-22
- PIMCO | Aviation fund | 11-22
Portfolio
Trade of the Year
WINNER:
Carlyle Aviation Partners AMCK Holdings| A/c purchase | 04-22 | $4bn
- DAE Capital | A/c purchase | 11-22 | 36xA/c
- SMBC Aviation Capital Goshawk | A/c purchase | 12-22 | $6.7bn
Used Aircraft
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
BBAM | Commercial loan | 10-22 | 15xA/c
- Carlyle Aviation Partners | Commercial loan | 04-22 | $4bn
- Sky Leasing | Commercial loan | 06-22 | $312m | 12x737 Max8
Cargo
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Altavaie/Hawaiian Airlines | Operating lease | 10-22 | 10xA330-300P2F
- Aero Capital Solutions | Commercial loan | 07-22 | €200m | 14x737-800
- Air France-KLM and CMA CGM | Partnership for freighter conversion | 06-22
Structured Lease
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Sky Leasing | Commercial loan | 06-22 | $312m | 12x737 Max8
- Avation | Commercial loan | 11-22 | $44m | 2xA220-300
- Castlelake Aviation Limited | PDP financing | 10-22 | $123.4m
Unsecured (Airline & Lessor)
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Wizz Air | Bond issuance | 01-22 | €500m
- Air Lease Corporation | Bond issuance | 01-22 | $1.5bn
- SMBC Aviation Capital | Commercial loan | 09-22 | $1.8bn; SMBC Aviation Capital | Revolving credit facility | 09-22 | $700m
Capital Markets
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Air Lease Corporation | Bond issuance | 01-22 | $1.5bn
- LATAM |10-22 | $500m Revolving credit facility + $1.1bn Commercial loan + $1.15bn Bonds issuance
- MAST 2022-1 | ABS | 12-22 | $303.7m | 15xA/c
EETC Deal of the Year
WINNERS:
Iberia | EETC | 04-22 | €680m | 5xA/c
- British Airways | EETC | 11-22 | $522m | 4xA/c
- Sun Country Airlines | EETC | 04-22 | $188.3m | 13x737-800
Special Awards
Team/Individual Awards
Regional
Global Product Awards
Special Awards
Team/Individual Awards
Regional
Global Product Awards
Special Awards
Innovative
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Castlelake Aviation Limited | PDP financing | 10-22 | $123.4m
- Avolon | Jolco | 12-22 | $170m | 3xA/c
- Malaysia Airlines| PDP Financing | 08-22 | $2bn | 20xA/c
Overall
Deal of the Year
WINNER:
Nordic Aviation Capital | DIP loan | 03-22 | $6.3bn
- Air Lease Corporation | Bond issuance | 01-22 | $1.5bn
- SMBC Aviation Capital | Commercial loan | 12-22 | $2bn
Airfinance Journal Sustainability Award Europe
WINNER:
Aircraft Leasing Ireland nominated for signing of the Aircraft Leasing Ireland Sustainability Charter
- Iberia | EETC | 04-22 | €680m | 5xA/c
- Pegasus Airlines | ECA guaranteed loan | 09-22 | EUR520m | 10xA321neo
Team/Individual Awards
Shortlisted Companies Include
Acrisure • AmWINS • Aon • Arceo AI • Ascot Group • Ascot Re • Association of Professional Insurance Women • AXA XL • AXIS • Axis Re • Benchmark Insurance • BMS Re • Brit Global Specialty US • British Airways Cyber Attack Response • Burns & Wilcox • Cape Analytics • Chisel AI • Chubb Insurance • Clutch Analytics • CNA Insurance • Cowbell Cyber • Energetic Insurance • Everest Insurance • Executive Perils • Groundspeed Analytics • Hamilton Insurance • Hippo Insurance • HW Kaufman Group • Hylant • ICAT • Marsh • McKenzie Intelligence • McLarens • New Energy Risk • New Paradigm Group • NFP Property & Casualty • ODNsure.com • PERse • ProSight Specialty Insurance • Risk Point • RT Specialty • SCOR • Sedgwick • Sirius • Snapsheet • The American Equity Underwriters • The Bold Penguin Exchange • Thimble • Third Point Re • Tiger Risk Partners • Tremor Risk Transfer Marketplace • VAST • Victor North America
Regional and Global Product Awards Entry and Evaluation Criteria
The AFJ Global Awards recognise excellence among market participants on deals across the airline, lessor and OEM financings in all regions around the world. The Awards will be judged by an external, expert judging panel from a shortlist determined by the AFJ editorial team.
They celebrate the pivotal role played by companies participating in one, or more, of the most outstanding air finance transactions that reached financial close and funded in the 2021 calendar year.
The AFJ editorial team – together with the independent panel of expert judges - look for deals that include one or more of the following elements:
-
Innovation – Who is truly innovative and shaping new financing structures in the marketplace? The judges want to hear about the participants’ roles in executing pathfinder transactions, such as those using new finance structures
-
Timing – The judges will take into consideration the timeline for the transaction, including complexity and length of time from mandate award to financial close
-
Size – Size can be a strong factor taken into the judges’ consideration but quality of the deal is also important
-
Complexity – The judges like to see complex new structures but can also be persuaded by execution of simple financings that set new benchmarks, are for new issuers or attract new investors
-
Overcoming obstacles – Transactions where participants overcame almost insurmountable obstacles such as tight deadlines, volatile market conditions, unattractive asset type or bringing a new product/structure to market will be rated highly
Did the transaction create a new market benchmark? - Did the transaction reach a new LTV threshold for a given rating or a new coupon or spread low? Did the transaction bring a new entrant to the market?
Submissions should demonstrate that the nominated deal meets at least two of the above elements and moved the market forward. They should include as much information as possible about the unique features of each deal, highlighting obstacles that had to be overcome, as well as identifying elements that set it apart from other transactions to have closed in that region or category.
To be considered for an AFJ Global Award, a transaction must have closed and funded between 1 January and 31 December 2021.
Team Awards Criteria
Entries for these categories will be judged on the following criteria.
-
Effective Communication
-
Adaptability
-
Collaboration
-
Vision
-
Commitment
Please ensure at least two of these criteria are referenced in your submission. We also encourage that the full team be credited where appropriate.
Michel Dembinski
Former Head of Aviation EMEA, MUFG Bank
John Feren
Former Executive, Aviation Capital Group and Boeing
Richard Forsberg
Former Head of Strategy, Avolon
David Goring-Thomas
Former MUFG Managing Director - Head of Global Aviation Finance
Bertrand Grabowski
Former board member of DVB Bank's Aviation and Rail Businesses
Declan Kelly
Former Chief Commercial Officer GECAS/Chairperson Aircraft Leasing Ireland
The AFJ Global Awards are split into five types: Regional Deal Awards, Global Product Awards, Special Awards, Team Awards and Individual Awards
Regional Awards:
Asia-Pacific Deal of the Year
Middle East Deal of the Year
Africa Deal of the Year
Europe Deal of the Year
Latin America Deal of the Year
North America Deal of the Year
Team Awards:
-
Aviation Finance House of the Year
-
Lessor of the Year Lessor
-
Treasury Team of the Year Airline
-
Treasury Team of the Year
Individual Awards
-
Aviation Finance Person of the Year (selected by AFJ)
-
Lifetime Achievement Award (selected by AFJ)
Global Product Awards:
-
Bank Loan Deal of the Year
-
Guaranteed Financing Deal of the Year
-
Tax Lease Deal of the Year
-
Operating Lease Deal of the Year
-
Sale and Leaseback Deal of the Year
-
Structured Lease Deal of the Year
-
Used Aircraft Deal of the Year
-
Equity Deal of the Year
-
M&A Deal of the Year
-
Lessor Unsecured Bond Deal of the Year
-
Airline Unsecured Bond
-
Deal of the Year
-
EETC Deal of the Year
-
ABS Deal of the Year
-
Cargo Deal of the Year
-
New fund/alternative financing platform of the Year
Special Awards:
-
News Event of the Year (selected by AFJ)
-
Overall Capital Markets Deal of the Year*
-
Innovative Deal of the Year*
-
Editor’s Deal of the Year (selected by Olivier Bonnassies, AFJ Managing Editor)
-
Overall Deal of the Year* *
(short-list selected by AFJ based on above submissions; winner selected by judges)
For enquiries about promote your achivement, please contact Dan Sedman at dan.sedman@airfinancejournal.com or +44 7469 174412
Align your brand with the The Airfinance Journal Awards and leverage our reach and brand recognition among senior figures in the industry.
WINNERS
AirFinance Journal is part of the Delinian GroupDelinian Limited
8 Bouverie Street, LondonEC4Y 8AX
Registered in England & Wales, Company number 00954730 Copyright © Delinian Limited and its affiliated companies 2023