Craig Byrne
Partner
Milan
Craig Byrne is a highly regarded finance lawyer and a trusted advisor to corporates, sponsors and financial institutions on a broad range of transactions.
He has acted as counsel to lenders, sponsors, investors, investment banks and issuers in connection with a variety of transaction types, such as private placement transactions, project finance transactions (including project bonds), convertible and exchangeable bonds, structured equity transactions and capital securities for banks and insurance companies.
Examples of recent experience in these areas include advising on the landmark Italian Brebemi (A35) toll road financing, the Italian A3 toll road project bonds and the Italian A21 toll road financing. He also advised on the financing and refinancing of Azzurra Aeroporti (the Côte d’Azur airports) as well as various financings for Mundys and Autostrada per l’Italia, and the crossover bond issuance by Italian telecommunications company TIM S.p.A.
Craig has also acted for a number of global plastics groups on a range of transactions from secured private credit transactions through structured equity investments and joint ventures, with a recent focus on mechanical and advanced recycling of plastics.
Craig has also led numerous high-profile transactions in the Italian and European markets. He has recently advised on multiple senior and subordinated bond issuances by a major Italian banking group, including Additional Tier 1 and senior preferred notes. He also advised on a €1.5 billion dual-tranche bond issuance by a global industrial manufacturer.
Craig also acts on liability management exercises for corporates and banks, including systemic transactions such as the debt for equity swap carried out by National Bank of Greece in November/December 2015, the liability management exercise carried out by Monte dei Paschi di Siena in November/December 2016 and the deleveraging of Banca Monte dei Paschi by way of a partial non-proportional demerger (which included a non-performing asset portfolio) in favour of Amco S.p.A. (owned by the Italian government) in 2020.
Qualified in England and Wales, Craig is recognized for his commercial insight and pragmatic approach to structuring complex transactions. He is fluent in English and Italian and is highly regarded for his ability to navigate the intricacies of Italian and international regulatory frameworks.
Ranked in Band 1 in the Chambers Global 2025 and Chambers Europe 2025 guides for Capital Markets: Debt, Craig is also recognized in the Hall of Fame for Capital Markets: Debt by Legal 500 Europe.