Gregory is a Partner and Notary Public who advises international and regional banks, private credit providers, funds, export credit agencies, lessors, sponsors and asset owners on high-value financings, restructurings and enforcement-related matters across Asia. Clients turn to him when transactions require careful structuring, disciplined negotiation, reliable execution and a lawyer who can stay with the matter from origination through closing, restructuring or enforcement. His practice is built around structuring, documenting, closing, refinancing, restructuring and enforcing cross-border debt transactions, including corporate and acquisition finance, project finance, private credit, fund-related facilities, structured and trade finance, asset finance, and green and sustainability-linked lending. As part of this broader finance practice, he also heads Reed Smith’s Asia ship finance practice.
Experience
Representative matters
Representative matters
Assisting a Netherlands-based oil and gas company – a leader in floating production units – with the acquisition of two vessels with a combined purchase price of approximately US$50 million.
Assisting a shipowner with the sale of its vessel to a major oil company in Dubai for US$21.7 million and the concurrent termination of chartering and financing arrangements in relation to the vessel.
Acted for a Marshall Islands entity on the sale of an asset for US$21 million, together with the unwinding of financing arrangements and the novation of various project agreements across to the purchasers.
Shipping
Assisting a Netherlands-based oil and gas company – a leader in floating production units – with the acquisition of two vessels with a combined purchase price of approximately US$50 million.
Assisting a shipowner with the sale of its vessel to a major oil company in Dubai for US$21.7 million and the concurrent termination of chartering and financing arrangements in relation to the vessel.
Acted for a Marshall Islands entity on the sale of an asset for US$21 million, together with the unwinding of financing arrangements and the novation of various project agreements across to the purchasers.
Finance
Acting as local counsel to State Bank of India, Hong Kong branch, on its US$1 billion loan financing with participation from Japan Bank for International Cooperation.
Advising an international pharmaceutical company on a US$210 million loan facility for the establishment of a new regional centre in Southeast Asia.
Advising a Japanese bank on a series of financings, including a US$300 million convertible bridge loan to a global pharmaceutical company, a US$85 million loan to a leading biopharmaceutical company, and a S$120 million acquisition financing to a Philippines-based personal care manufacturer.
Leveraged and Acquisition Finance
Advising a Japanese bank in respect of its US$600 million bridge loan facility to a leading pharmaceutical manufacturing company for the acquisition of a target company in the United States.
Acting for the London branch of a leading financial institution in respect of its €110 million term loan facility to a Dutch borrower for the acquisition of an Austrian target.
Assisting the London branch of a leading Japanese bank in respect of its US$120 million term loan facility to a U.S. pharmaceutical company for its acquisition of a target company.
Projects, Energy, and Infrastructure
Acting as English counsel to a syndicate of international banks in respect of their US$311 million project financing facility to an international airport.
Acting for a syndicate of Indian and Chinese banks in respect of their US$290 million project financing facility to a Malaysian and Indian joint venture entity for the purpose of purchasing and converting a vessel into a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit for chartering to a multinational oil and gas major.
Assisting banks in London, Singapore, and United Arab Emirates on their US$202 million project financing facility to a joint venture entity for the purchase of an FPSO unit.
Energy and Natural Resources
Acted for a private bank in respect of its US$600 million and US$250 million guarantee facilities to two affiliated energy companies for counter-guaranteeing payment obligations for delisting exercises.
Concurrently advised multiple lenders in respect of their US$153 million, US$150 million, US$135.5 million, US$63.6 million, and US$61.5 million bilateral loan facilities to an offshore energy company for the acquisition of over 20 vessels.
Advised a Singapore energy company on the disposal of its shareholding in a Liberian plantation company and a listed crude palm oil producer to a listed Malaysian multinational plantation company.
Advised one of the largest shipbuilding conglomerates in China in relation to its US$1.2 billion conversion financing sale and lease back arrangements with a UK liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipping company.
Acted for the leasing arm of a leading Chinese bank in respect of its US$540 million structured sale and lease back financing of two LNG floating storage regasification vessels to a UK LNG shipping company.
Represented lenders of a leading Indian oil and natural gas company on a US$200 million term loan facility for corporate purposes.
Represented a syndicate of Japanese banks in respect of their US$188 million limited recourse financing to Japanese and Indian sponsors for the purchase of an LNG carrier and the development of an import and regasification plant.
Decarbonisation
Advised a syndicate of lenders – comprising ABN AMRO Bank, ING Bank, TIAA FSB, Clifford Capital, and new joiners KeyBank and CIC – on documenting and increasing Peacock Container Group’s sustainability-linked loan.
Advised ANZ Bank on a US$50 million sustainability-linked loan to U-Ming Marine Transport (S) Pte Ltd, which is a fully owned subsidiary of U-Ming Marine Transport Corporation.
Acted for Mekong Timber Plantations, a leading sustainable plantation forestry business, on its financing and expansion of certain planted areas in Laos.
Restructuring and Insolvency
Advising all lenders to a major international shipping group with a fleet of approximately 100 vessels on restructuring their loan facilities (approximately US$700 million).
Concurrently advising a syndicate of junior lenders in respect of documenting a US$37.84 million term loan for the take-out of senior lenders and the restructuring of their distressed loan facilities of US$260 million, US$5 million, and US$4.5 million to a shipping company.
Advising a syndicate of banks on its US$150 million term loan and revolving credit facilities to a major offshore energy services group for the purposes of exiting its scheme of arrangement.
Investment Funds
Advising Bank of Communications Financial Leasing in respect of a groundbreaking transaction in connection with the US$900 million lease financing by a syndicate of PRC lessors of the cruise ship Genting Dream.
Advising the creditors of Agritrade International in the judicial management of Agritrade International, with a total debt of approximately US$1.55 billion, one of the largest insolvencies in Singapore. Also advising the creditors on the restructuring of Agritrade Resources.
Aviation
Acted for an aerospace group in relation to its US$140 million export credit financing term loan facility from a syndicate of banks for the purposes of financing four ATR-500 and four ATR-600 aircraft.
Advised an Australian bank in respect of a US$132 million loan facility to the aircraft owning/leasing arm of a Chinese bank for the purchase of three A320-200 aircraft.
Acted for a New Zealand airline in respect of its financing (approximately US$100 million) of three A320 aircraft from Japanese and Australian lenders.
Represented a German bank and a Korean bank in relation to their US$87 million loan facility to an Irish borrower for the purposes of financing three A320-200 aircraft.
Advising ICBC Aviation Leasing on a range of aircraft repossession and airline reorganisation deals, involving more than 17 airlines across 11 jurisdictions, including advising in relation to AirAsia X’s scheme of arrangement in Malaysia, Thai Airways’ rehabilitation negotiations, and issues regarding the repossession of engines on lease to Tigerair Australia but located in Singapore.
Banks and Banking
Represented a UK bank, Indian bank, and French bank in respect of their bilateral US$400 million, US$100 million, US$100 million, and US$45 million term loan facilities to the Hong Kong branch of a government-owned bank for general corporate purposes.
Acted for a leading Singapore-based lender in relation to its US$350 million and US$200 million term loans to the Hong Kong branch of an Indian state-owned bank for general working capital purposes.
Separately advised Japanese, Singaporean, Indian, and UK lenders in respect of their US$230 million, US$150 million, US$75 million, US$75 million, and US$70 million bilateral loans to a leading U.S. IT services and consulting company.
Assisted a Singapore branch of a leading financial institution in relation to two consecutive term loan facilities in the amounts of US$70 million and US$22.8 million to a leading aluminium manufacturing company headquartered in India.
Assisted the financiers of a leading Indian road operator in respect of their US$60 million term loan facility.
Represented two syndicates of international banks on two separate term loan facilities (US$1 billion and US$1.6 billion) to a subsidiary of a Malaysian national oil conglomerate for refinancing purposes.
Advised two leading Japanese banks in respect of their bilateral US$100 million and US$100 million term loan facilities to a leading Philippine financial institution for corporate purposes.
Assisted a United Arab Emirates financial institution on its US$55 million facility to an entity in Dubai for advance payment in respect of the purchase of cement clinkers.
Separately acted for a U.S. financier, a European financier, and a Japanese financier in relation to their US$50 million, US$45 million, and US$20 million bilateral term loan facilities to an Indian pharmaceutical company.
Private Capital and Funds
Advised the State Bank of India on a US$1 billion credit facility to the Government of Sri Lanka.
Advised ASEAN Industrial Growth Fund on its investment in BHS Kinetic and on the acquisition financing of a logistics company.
Advised Dental Innovation Investment A BV on its investment in Proof & Company, one of Asia Pacific’s leading independent spirits companies, which has a wide-ranging portfolio of independent spirits brands.
Transportation and Trade
Advised National Australia Bank and The Korea Development Bank on their US$236.4 million secured facility to a Korean group for the refinancing of existing debt facilities relating to two 174,000 cbm membrane-type MEGI-engine LNG vessels.
Acted for OCP Asia, a leading Asia-focused investment manager, on a secured credit facility to its Indonesian borrower to finance the acquisition of a 50,000 DWT gas-producing FPSO unit operating in an offshore field in Indonesia.
Advised Bank of Communications Financial Leasing in respect of a groundbreaking transaction in connection with the US$900 million lease financing by a syndicate of PRC lessors of the cruise ship Genting Dream.
Representing a Chinese lender in respect of its US$400 million trade finance facility to an energy company.
Assisting a United Arab Emirates financial institution on its US$55 million facility to an entity in Dubai for advance payment in respect of the purchase of cement clinkers.
Advising on a US$20 million loan facility from an Indian bank to a coal mining business in Indonesia for servicing of its clients (thermal power stations in India).
Assisted on a US$12.5 million back-to-back letter of credit and US$2.5 million term loan facilities from an Indian bank to a Singapore subsidiary of a leading infrastructure and energy company.
Advised a trade finance bank on its US$13 million facility to a Russian infrastructure company.
Acted for a syndicate of Indian and Chinese banks in respect of their US$290 million project financing facility to a Malaysian and Indian joint venture entity for the purpose of purchasing and converting a vessel into an FPSO unit for chartering to a multinational oil and gas major.
Technology
Advised MUFG Bank on a US$150 million refinancing to a leading business and IT professional services firm in India.
Advised HDFC Bank on two separate loan facilities aggregating US$86 million to a leading Indian technology company focusing on pharmaceuticals and based in Bangalore.
Acted for CTBC Bank on a US$15 million facility to a private sector institution (in a joint venture with International Finance Corporation) offering financing to companies involved in clean technology.
Life Sciences
Advised an international pharmaceutical company on a US$210 million loan facility for the establishment of a new regional centre in Singapore.
Advised MUFG Bank on a series of financings, including a US$300 million convertible bridge loan to a global pharmaceutical company, a US$85 million loan to a leading biopharmaceutical company, and a S$120 million acquisition financing to a Philippines-based personal care manufacturer.
Advised on a US$90.8 million loan facility to a leading pharmaceutical company in Singapore for the refinancing of its resettable onward starting equity-linked securities (bonds).
Recognitions
Leading Individual for Banking & Finance, India; Leading Partner for Shipping; Next Generation Partner for Asset Finance (Chambers Asia Pacific, 2026)
Recommended Lawyer for Banking and Finance, Projects, India, Vietnam, Philippines (The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2025)
The Legal 500:
- “Gregory Xu has exceptional awareness of commercial realities, what is feasible and practicable. A true business partner to us.”
- “Gregory Xu is a valuable adviser who is adept in navigating complex issues and discussions, and is able to provide guidance on every step of the transaction life-cycle.”
- “Gregory Xu is still very hands on, commercially practical, and excellent with clients.”
Credentials
Education
Education
- University of Queensland, J.D., M.B.A.
- National University of Singapore, LL.M.
- New York University, LL.M.
- Monash University, S.J.D.
Professional admissions & qualifications
Professional admissions & qualifications
- Singapore
- New York
- England & Wales
- Australia
- New Zealand
Professional affiliations
Professional affiliations
- Member, Law Society of Singapore
- Member, Singapore Academy of Law
- Member, Asia Pacific Loan Market Association
- Facilitator, Singapore Institute of Legal Education
- Neutral Evaluator, Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre (FIDReC) of Singapore
News
1 / 3