Overview
Annie Zhao is an associate in the Global Finance and Alternative Lender and Private Credit practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm's New York office. Her practice focuses on representing banks, private equity sponsors, alternative lenders and investors, and other financial institutions as arrangers, lenders, and underwriters across a broad spectrum of corporate finance transactions, including secured and unsecured lending arrangements; leveraged, investment-grade, and acquisition financings; cross-border and multi-currency financings; funds finance; debt restructurings; and recapitalizations.
Education
- Osgoode Hall Law School at York University, J.D., 2019
- University of Western Ontario, B.A., 2016
Representations
- Represented Blackstone Credit, Ares Corporation and PSP Investments Credit II USA LLC on the debt financing in connection with Thoma Bravo’s definitive agreement to acquire Stamps.com for $6.6 billion.
- Represented Barclays Bank PLC and a syndicate of banks in connection with a $1.06 billion term loan facility and delayed draw term facility for Aveanna Healthcare LLC in connection with a refinancing.
- Represented Jefferies Finance LLC, KKR Capital Markets LLC, Barclays Capital Market Asia Limited, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Sydney Branch, and MUFG Bank LTD., as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners, and Jefferies Finance LLC, as administrative agent, with respect to the financing of KKR's $2.2 billion acquisition of Campbell Soup's international operations, including Arnott's biscuits.
- Represented Royal Bank of Canada and a syndicate of banks with a $1.01 billion first lien term loan and revolving facility and a $175 million second lien term loan facility for Cambrex corporation in connection with the acquisition of Cambrex corporation by Permira Advisers, LLC.
- Represented UBS AG, Stamford Branch, as administrative agent, and certain other leading financial institutions, as lenders, in connection with the maturity extension of Associated Materials, LLC’s ABL facility to 2024. In conjunction with the extension, Associated Materials also completed a series of recapitalization transactions including the issuance of $250 million senior secured notes, resulting in a total liquidity in excess of $200 million and a net leverage to around two times adjusted EBITDA.