Holly Suthren

Principal Associate

Practice areas

• Banking and finance
• Commercial agreements
• Energy and infrastructure

Practice notes

Holly is a Principal Associate in our banking and finance group in London, specialising in projects, energy and infrastructure and ESG and sustainability.

Holly advises on a range of power and renewable energy matters in the UK and internationally, regularly advising lenders (both commercial and DFIs), agents, sponsors, borrowers and issuers in the renewable energy space. Holly’s recent renewable energy work includes advising:

• a consortium of sponsors in relation to two solar projects under Round 2 of the Cat A Renewable Energy Program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;
• an issuer on the first certified green bond for solar energy in Brazil and Colombia;
• various sponsors on a number of 50MW solar projects under Round II Solar PV Feed in Tariffs in Egypt;
• a lender in connection with the financing of the construction and operation of an onshore wind farm in the UK;
• an investor in relation to the acquisition of a portfolio of solar farms in the UK and the repayment of the project financing of the individual projects; and
• a risk participator in relation to its involvement in a $15 million loan facility for a solar farm in Bangladesh, which won both ‘Best Bangladesh Deal’ at the FinanceAsia Awards 2018 and ‘Solar Power Project of the Year – Bangladesh’ at the Asian Power Awards 2018.

Holly advises on infrastructure finance matters, acting for lenders, investors and project companies. Holly’s recent infrastructure work includes advising:

• lenders on one of the first sustainability-linked loans for social housing;
• a guarantor in relation to a second loss guarantee for a portfolio of infrastructure assets in Tanzania;
• the project company for a social loan for affordable housing;
• a consortium of lenders in relation to a UK Street Lighting PFI Project; and
• a conservation entity in relation to a Wildlife Impact Bond, the world’s first pay-for-results financial instrument for species conservation.

Holly also advises on ESG and sustainability matters including:

• advising a French international banking group on a £50m sustainability-linked revolving credit facility with targets linked to delivering an agreed number of unemployed residents into work or work based programmes. The loan is believed to be one of the first sustainability-linked loans in the social housing space;
• advising a borrower on a £75 million sustainability linked loan, in respect of using increased percentages of recycled product in their manufacturing processes;
• advising a French international banking group on a £50m sustainability-linked revolving credit facility in the social housing space, with targets linked to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
• working alongside The Chancery Lane Project to develop and maintain the Climate Contract Playbook, with the aim of re-wiring contracts and laws to fight climate change; and
• providing training to various lenders in respect of the key features of sustainability linked loans.