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Charles Russell Speechlys advises Downing LLP on the successful refinancing of its loan facility with Kao Data

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Charles Russell Speechlys has advised Downing LLP on the successful refinancing of its loan facility with Kao Data, the specialist developer and operator of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing.

Over the course of seven years, the facility, provided by Downing-managed funds, supported the creation and subsequent expansion of Kao Data’s Harlow data centre campus and saw the business bring in Legal & General Capital and Infratil alongside long-standing investor Noé Group, to accelerate growth and transform Kao Data into a multi-site platform. 

Tom Phillips, Head of Institutional Business Development at Downing, commented:

“Thank you to the team at Charles Russell Speechlys for their legal support from the kick-off of the loan to this repayment - Mark Bailey, Danny Sullivan and Edith Lai have consistently provided us with outstanding legal advice.”

Daniel Sullivan, Banking & Finance Partner, commented:

“It was a pleasure working with Tom and the team at Downing on this financing over the last seven years, from the initial closing to the exit. Our firm has an outstanding data centre practice and this has been an important transaction involving our data centre, finance, real estate and construction teams”

The team was led by Banking & Finance Partner, Daniel Sullivan, with support from Senior Associate, Edith Lai, and Transaction Execution Manager, Olivia Jarvis, Commercial Partner, Mark Bailey, and Associate, Rachel Bell, as well as Construction Partner, Fiona Edmond

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