Régis Oréal
Régis is the Managing Partner of the Paris office. He advises clients on financing transactions, project finance and banking regulatory matters.
He represents both lenders and sponsors in project finance transactions, particularly in the energy sector both in France and internationally. He is also active in corporate and real estate finance. Régis regularly advises banks and financial institutions on banking regulations, and on the reorganisation, sale / restructuring of their portfolios, including non-performing loan (NPL) portfolios.
He also advises his clients in the context of restructuring operations (mandat ad hoc, conciliation, receivership and judicial liquidation) in France and Africa.
Régis is recognised by Chambers France 2025 for Projects & Energy, and by Chambers Europe 2024 and Chambers Global 2024 for Banking & Finance in France. Clients describe him as “a great deal maker and very proactive” (Chambers France 2025), and highlight “his responsiveness and commercial vision [which are highly appreciated]” (Chambers Global 2024).
He is also ranked among the “Leading Individuals” by Legal 500 EMEA 2025 for Project Finance and has been recognised by Best Lawyers France 2025 for Banking and Finance (since 2015), as well as for Banking and Financial Regulation.
Experience & capabilities
Selected matters
Transactional
- Neoen on the pre-financing (€200 million) of a portfolio of solar, wind and battery assets across France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Ireland and Sweden, structured by BNP Paribas, HSBC and ING Bank
- AKUO Energy on the financing of the design, construction and operation of three solar farms in Portugal
- Banco Santander and La Banque Postale on the financing (€150 million) of Amundi’s acquisition of wind assets in France and Belgium
- Voltalia Guyane – Triton Timber on the financing (€240 million) of the construction of a biomass power plant and other equipment for submerged wood extraction in Lake Petit Saut, French Guiana
- ORTEC Expansion on the establishment of a syndicated loan (€500 million)
- SAMSIC on the establishment of a syndicated loan (€350 million) and a bond issue (€105 million)
- Gaw Capital Partners on the mortgage financing and refinancing for the acquisition of the 5-star Four Seasons Hotel in Bora Bora (French Polynesia), financed by a pool of banks led by Deutsche Bank
- Sofidy on the mortgage financing (€102 million) of the acquisition of the O’Parinor shopping center
Banking & Regulatory
- Ayvens (Société Générale Group) on regulatory matters in France and Luxembourg
- Hoist Finance AB on multiple acquisitions of NPL portfolios from Société Générale, Groupe BPCE and HSBC, as well as on the sale of NPL assets to LCM Partners and Barclays
- BNP Paribas on the sale of NPL portfolios (stock and forward flow) to Kruk
- Crédit Coopératif on regulatory aspects of its acquisition of Anytime from Orange Bank
- Castorama (Kingfisher Group) on its application for exemption from payment institution authorisation with the ACPR
- 2SF (a joint venture between BNP Paribas, Société Générale and Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale) on regulatory aspects of the joint venture’s creation to operate ATMs in France
Restructuring
- a French real estate group with 170 companies in connection with conciliation proceedings and subsequent receivership
- a debt fund in connection with conciliation proceedings initiated by a real estate developer, including the establishment of a trust
- a European car rental leader in connection with receivership proceedings involving France’s leading delivery company (1,000 leased vehicles)
Background
Régis began his career in the Capital Markets team at Banque Paribas and was admitted to the Paris Bar in 1997. Between 1997 and 2006, he worked in the finance and restructuring team of a French law firm, before joining an international law firm. In 2006, he joined Herbert Smith Paris as a partner in the Banking & Finance department.
He is a member of the Paris Bar and fluent in English. Régis holds a DEA (postgraduate degree) in General Private Law from the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas, and an LLM in European Law from the University of Exeter.
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