Bio
Shana Simmonds-Lewis is a Partner in the Corporate Practice Group in the British Virgin Islands.
Her practice areas include Banking and Finance, Regulatory, Private Client and Intellectual Property.
Shana has extensive corporate and commercial law experience including advising on a range of cross border transactions, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, business combinations, corporate reorganizations and regulatory matters. Shana is routinely instructed by international financial institutions, private equity investors, securities providers and leading onshore law firms. Shana has extensive experience working with clients in a wide range of industries, including energy, technology and maritime shipping.
Shana advises foreign institutional and private clients on a wide variety of commercial and real property matters. Shana also advises on estate planning and succession matters. Shana routinely represents clients in all aspects of trademark, patent, and other intellectual property registration and administration.
Prior to joining Appleby, Shana worked at other well-established firms in the British Virgin Islands.
Bio
Shana Simmonds-Lewis is a Partner in the Corporate Practice Group in the British Virgin Islands.
Her practice areas include Banking and Finance, Regulatory, Private Client and Intellectual Property.
Shana has extensive corporate and commercial law experience including advising on a range of cross border transactions, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, business combinations, corporate reorganizations and regulatory matters. Shana is routinely instructed by international financial institutions, private equity investors, securities providers and leading onshore law firms. Shana has extensive experience working with clients in a wide range of industries, including energy, technology and maritime shipping.
Shana advises foreign institutional and private clients on a wide variety of commercial and real property matters. Shana also advises on estate planning and succession matters. Shana routinely represents clients in all aspects of trademark, patent, and other intellectual property registration and administration.
Prior to joining Appleby, Shana worked at other well-established firms in the British Virgin Islands.
Work Highlights
Examples of Shana’s experience include:
- Acting for JTC Plc, the global professional services business, in respect of the proposed acquisition of the FFP Group, a provider of specialist fiduciary services to fund, trust and corporate clients with a leading position in complex engagements including restructurings, insolvencies and disputes, for a maximum consideration of $110 million.
- Advising Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB in relation to the $3.8 billion in the aggregate Digicel restructuring. Digicel is the leading provider of mobile phone networks and home entertainment services in 25 markets across the Caribbean Central America and Asia Pacific.
- Advising Gerdau Metaldom in connection with the acquisition by INICIA of all shares held by Brazilian steel producer Gerdau in Gerdau Diaco and Gerdau Metaldom Corp.
- Acting for NYSE listed US fintech company Shift4 (NYSE: FOUR) in connection with its acquisition of Israeli online merchant acquiring bank and payment service provider Finaro (formerly Credorax) in a cash and share deal worth at least US$575 million.
- Advising a private equity firm in respect of the regulatory aspects of the purchase and subsequent sale of a global legal services provider.
- Advising CIFI LATAM, A. on a guaranteed loan benefitting from risk insurance granted by the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and on a second secured loan, each to KLED Capital Limited to finance the installation, operation and service of Light-Emitting Diode streetlights in Saint Lucia.
- Acting for Apollo Capital Management, L.P. and its affiliates (Apollo) in relation to the issuance of $250,000,000 9.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 by NCL Corporation Ltd. (NCL) to Apollo.
- Advising Investment Energy Resources Limited (IERL) and its subsidiaries in connection with the refinancing of 100% of IERL´s current debt via the issuance of senior secured notes and entry into a syndicated secured bank loan facility. This transaction represented the largest green bond of a renewable energy company in Central America and the Caribbean.
- Acting for Elemental Royalties Limited in connection with a business combination resulting in the reverse takeover of Fengro Industries Corp by Elemental Royalties Limited.
- Advising a BVI subsidiary of Heirsholding Oil and Gas Limited (previously called TNOG Oil and Gas Limited), on the multi-tranche US$1.1 billion financing for the acquisition and working capital requirements for acquisition of a 45% participating interest in Nigerian oil mining lease (OML) 17.
- Advising Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo (each acting as Administrative Agents respectively) and their affiliates in relation to a refinancing of Weatherford International plc’s senior secured asset-based lending agreement and senior secured letter of credit agreement.
- Advising a US infrastructure investment firm in relation to a bid for the acquisition of a multinational developer, owner and operator of water production and waste water treatment plants and businesses.
- Acting for JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in connection with the extension of and other amendments to a multi-million term loan facility and a revolving credit facility guaranteed by subsidiaries incorporated in Australia, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Canada, England, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Panama and United States.
- Acting for Corporación Interamericana para el financiamiento de Infraestructura in connection with a secured loan facility to a BVI company as borrower and several subsidiaries in Belize, Nevis and the Bahamas.
- Advising a BVI company in relation to the sale and purchase of shares in a major hotel chain in London.
- Acting for Citibank Europe PLC, UK Branch in relation to US$1.85 billion reorganization/refinancing involving subsidiaries incorporated in the BVI, Canada, Dubai International Finance Centre, France, India, Jersey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
- Advising a BVI company in connection with the issuance of mobile-only mined and maintained cryptographic tokens
Examples of Shana’s experience include:
- Acting for JTC Plc, the global professional services business, in respect of the proposed acquisition of the FFP Group, a provider of specialist fiduciary services to fund, trust and corporate clients with a leading position in complex engagements including restructurings, insolvencies and disputes, for a maximum consideration of $110 million.
- Advising Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB in relation to the $3.8 billion in the aggregate Digicel restructuring. Digicel is the leading provider of mobile phone networks and home entertainment services in 25 markets across the Caribbean Central America and Asia Pacific.
- Advising Gerdau Metaldom in connection with the acquisition by INICIA of all shares held by Brazilian steel producer Gerdau in Gerdau Diaco and Gerdau Metaldom Corp.
- Acting for NYSE listed US fintech company Shift4 (NYSE: FOUR) in connection with its acquisition of Israeli online merchant acquiring bank and payment service provider Finaro (formerly Credorax) in a cash and share deal worth at least US$575 million.
- Advising a private equity firm in respect of the regulatory aspects of the purchase and subsequent sale of a global legal services provider.
- Advising CIFI LATAM, A. on a guaranteed loan benefitting from risk insurance granted by the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and on a second secured loan, each to KLED Capital Limited to finance the installation, operation and service of Light-Emitting Diode streetlights in Saint Lucia.
- Acting for Apollo Capital Management, L.P. and its affiliates (Apollo) in relation to the issuance of $250,000,000 9.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 by NCL Corporation Ltd. (NCL) to Apollo.
- Advising Investment Energy Resources Limited (IERL) and its subsidiaries in connection with the refinancing of 100% of IERL´s current debt via the issuance of senior secured notes and entry into a syndicated secured bank loan facility. This transaction represented the largest green bond of a renewable energy company in Central America and the Caribbean.
- Acting for Elemental Royalties Limited in connection with a business combination resulting in the reverse takeover of Fengro Industries Corp by Elemental Royalties Limited.
- Advising a BVI subsidiary of Heirsholding Oil and Gas Limited (previously called TNOG Oil and Gas Limited), on the multi-tranche US$1.1 billion financing for the acquisition and working capital requirements for acquisition of a 45% participating interest in Nigerian oil mining lease (OML) 17.
- Advising Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo (each acting as Administrative Agents respectively) and their affiliates in relation to a refinancing of Weatherford International plc’s senior secured asset-based lending agreement and senior secured letter of credit agreement.
- Advising a US infrastructure investment firm in relation to a bid for the acquisition of a multinational developer, owner and operator of water production and waste water treatment plants and businesses.
- Acting for JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in connection with the extension of and other amendments to a multi-million term loan facility and a revolving credit facility guaranteed by subsidiaries incorporated in Australia, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Canada, England, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Panama and United States.
- Acting for Corporación Interamericana para el financiamiento de Infraestructura in connection with a secured loan facility to a BVI company as borrower and several subsidiaries in Belize, Nevis and the Bahamas.
- Advising a BVI company in relation to the sale and purchase of shares in a major hotel chain in London.
- Acting for Citibank Europe PLC, UK Branch in relation to US$1.85 billion reorganization/refinancing involving subsidiaries incorporated in the BVI, Canada, Dubai International Finance Centre, France, India, Jersey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
- Advising a BVI company in connection with the issuance of mobile-only mined and maintained cryptographic tokens
Recognition
Shana has been rated as a ‘Rising Star’ in IFLR1000 from 2017 – 2022 and ‘Highly Regarded’ in 2023.
Shana has also been rated as a ‘Key Lawyer’ in Legal 500 from 2021 – 2023 and a “Next Generation Partner” in 2023.
In 2021, Legal 500 listed recommendations from Shana’s clients, who noted her as “an excellent lawyer who provides timely and actionable advice.”
Shana has been rated as a ‘Rising Star’ in IFLR1000 from 2017 – 2022 and ‘Highly Regarded’ in 2023.
Shana has also been rated as a ‘Key Lawyer’ in Legal 500 from 2021 – 2023 and a “Next Generation Partner” in 2023.
In 2021, Legal 500 listed recommendations from Shana’s clients, who noted her as “an excellent lawyer who provides timely and actionable advice.”
Qualifications & Education
- LLB (Hons) in Law, University of Lincoln
- Postgraduate Diploma in Law, Cardiff University
- LLB (Hons) in Law, University of Lincoln
- Postgraduate Diploma in Law, Cardiff University