Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer advises the IFC on a joint initiative with BlueOrchard

Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has advised the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a long-standing client and member of the World Bank Group focused on the private sector, on a joint initiative with BlueOrchard Finance Ltd (BlueOrchard), a leading global impact investment manager and member of the Schroders Group, to channel long-term institutional capital into emerging markets.

The initiative is supported by a private debt investment vehicle which targets up to US$2 billion in commitments, with Tokio Marine Group as the anchor investor in a US$300 million first closing. The investment vehicle turns IFC’s Managed Co-Lending Portfolio Program (MCPP) into a next-gen model that caters to a broader investor base. Launched in 2013, MCPP is a flagship syndications platform with over $25.5 billion in capacity and enables partners to co-invest alongside IFC on commercial terms while gaining exposure to high-quality emerging market loans. 

The Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer team was led by partners Stephen Newby and Shantanu Naravane in London, supported by senior associate Alice Ye.

The wider team included partner Heike Schmitz who advised on funds regulatory issues, partner Darina Delappe on US law issues, partner Joanna Pecenik Vergès d'Espagne and senior associate Nicolas Haas on Luxembourg law issues, and partner Gabrielle Wong, consultant Monsiree Jirasarunya, senior associate Chelsea Fish, and associates Meenakshi Kurpad and Maria Falcao de Andrade on financing issues.