AFJ announces 2017 Inaugural China Awards shortlist
Airfinance Journal today publishes the shortlist for its Inaugural China Awards.
Now in its first year, the awards are set to become an essential calendar fixture for Chinese airlines and the Chinese aviation finance sector.
For over 20 years, Airfinance Journal has been recognising outstanding transactions in the global market at our annual Deals of the Year awards held in the United States. The shortlist for the 2017 Deals of the Year awards has already been announced here.
The shortlist for these prestigious Inaugural China Awards, which will take place in Shanghai on 14 June, has been compiled after a rigorous judging process.
More than 40 submissions were received covering 33 unique transactions. The submissions were then narrowed down to three deals per category by Airfinance Journal's editorial and data experts.
The shortlist now has been passed on to a judging panel of three senior aviation finance professionals: Harvey Lau, former partner at Baker McKenzie’s Shanghai office (now retired); Peter Huijbers, chief executive officer of CALS Aviation Group; and Sandra Chen, managing director at Fontainburg Aviation Capital.
The shortlist is as follows:
Deal shortlists:
Best cross-border airline or lessor financing by a Chinese financier
- Minsheng Financial Leasing's PDP financing for three Boeing 787s for Korean Air Lines, with Natixis takeout
Best domestic Chinese financing
- ICBC Financial Leasing and Bank of China Tianjin Baoshui branch’s four 737-800 Tianjin FTZ transaction
- Bank of China’s 2.8 billion yuan, six aircraft, non-recourse lease receivables factoring for CCB Financial Leasing
- Zhongyuan Aviation Leasing and CDB Henan’s $98 million A330-300 purchase and leaseback with Lucky Air, utilising a new Henan Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone SPV structure.
Finance Lease
- Bank of China’s $120 million A350 financing for Thai Airways
- CMB Leasing’s finance leases for two new A330s and two used 777s for Turkish Airlines
- Bocomm Leasing’s JPY-denominated finance lease for a Korean Air 747-8I, with greater than 80% LTV
Operating Lease
- AviaAM and CDB’s $500 million ‘Deep Sky’ sale and leaseback for eight A320s
- The first deal under the new aircraft leasing tax regime in Hong Kong by ICBC Financial Leasing for a 787-9 for Korean Air Lines
- SDH Wings International, Standard Chartered’s joint venture with Sichuan Development, purchasing a seed portfolio of two A321s, one A320 and one 737-800 on lease to three airlines in three jurisdictions
Team Shortlists:
Best new Chinese leasing entrant
- CMIG Leasing
- Everbright Financial Leasing
- Zhongyuan Aviation Leasing (ZALC)
Chinese lessor of the year
- Avolon
- CALC
- CDB Aviation Finance
Top rated Chinese airline
To be determined, based on The Airline Analyst data
Individual award winners:
Aviation Woman of the Year in China
- Li Ling, Bocomm Leasing
- Lune Wang, Comsys
Young Person in Chinese aviation finance
- Chaojun Peng, Aircraft Financing Department, Air China
- Harriet Fung, Holman Fenwick Willan
- Jason Jin Zhe, Grandall Law Firm
The judging panel will now determine the winning deal in each category. If necessary, there will be a vote. Members of the judging panel must recuse themselves from deliberations relating to a category where their current or immediate past employer is short-listed.
In the event the judging panel cannot reach agreement, the panel may call for further information or discussion with AFJ.
A deal can only win one award. All winners will be announced on 14 June at the event.
To ensure a space or table at the 14 June Inaugural China Awards, please contact:
Kenneth Yu, Key Account Manager – Asia
T: +852 2842 6960
E: kenneth.yu@airfinancejournal.com
To find out more about the awards dinner please click on the image below to view the brochure: