Erin Wakelin is a partner in the Sydney Banking & Finance group. Erin has experience in a wide range of project and infrastructure financing transactions, acquisition and leveraged financing transactions.

Erin has acted on a range of projects and facilities for both borrowers and lenders including:

Infrastructure projects

• for Babcock & Brown in relation to the Orange and Associated Health Services PPP Project and in relation to the sale of equity in various PPP projects, including the Orange and Associated Health Services PPP Project.
• for the financiers in relation to the Long Bay Prison and Forensic Hospitals Project.
• for sponsors and financiers in relation to bids for the NT Prison PPP Project, the Rail Corporation New South Wales (RailCorp) PPP, the Royal North Shore Hospital and Community Health Services PPP Project and the Royal Women’s Hospital Redevelopment Project.
• for CBA in relation to the joint venture between CBA and Laing Investments Limited in relation to investment in UK PFI hospitals and road concessions in European countries.
• the A$70 million project financing for the world’s first Urban Resource – Reduction, Recovery and Recycling Facility at Eastern Creek for CBA.
• the UK£320 million wrapped bond financing for the Home Office Central London Accommodation Strategy PFI Project (which also involved a separately financed development of surplus land) for the monoline insurer Ambac Assurance U.K. Limited.
• the UK£685 million financing for the DBFO Contract for the Birmingham Northern Relief Road (the first actual toll road in the UK) for the lenders, Bank of America and Abbey National.
• the project financing for several PFI Prisons and immigration detention centres, and the restructuring and refinancing of 5 PFI Prison DCMF Contracts for the Project Company, Premier Prisons.
• for the banks in relation to the project financing for the Isaac Plains Coal Mine in the Bowen Basin in Queensland.
• for a financier in relation to corporate facilities provided to a borrower group owning and operating coal mines in New South Wales.
• for Macquarie Bank in relation to the project financing for an iron ore project in Western Australia.
• for Commonwealth Bank in relation to loan facilities and gold price hedging for the Macraes Gold Mine in New Zealand.

Acquisition and other financing

• for Prime Infrastructure in respect of the banking and finance aspects of the recent $1.8 billion recapitalisation, including negotiating with a number of different bank syndicates in relation to 2 refinancings and the sale of a 49.9% economic interest in the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal. The deal was recently named joint winner of the FinanceAsia ‘Most Innovative Deal’ for 2009.
• for Commonwealth Bank of Australia in relation to a leveraged operating lease facility for 3 Qantas Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
• for the syndicate of domestic and international banks in respect of the syndicated and bilateral facilities comprising the $9 billion post-restructure funding for the Macquarie Group and in relation to the refinancing of those facilities.
• the leveraged buy-out of Vision Fire & Security in Australia, United States and United Kingdom, acting for Pacific Equity Partners.
• the equity bridge financing for Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group, in respect of its equity contribution to the £1.27 billion acquisition by a consortium led by the Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group of the broadcast transmission equipment of NTL in the UK.  The bridge funding and associated security in Australia, Luxembourg, the UK and Bermuda was negotiated and signed in less than 72 hours.
• the A$550 million financing for the digitisation of the FOXTEL subscription television network for the joint lead arrangers CBA and ABN AMRO Bank NV, Australian Branch.
• the management buy-in of AEP Industries in Australia and New Zealand by Catalyst Investment Managers.
• the management buyout of SULO Group’s Australian and New Zealand operations acting for Archer Capital.  SULO is one of the worlds largest providers of waste management services. 
• for various banks in relation to corporate facilities, including for the National Hire Group, Macquarie Capital Alliance Group and the Downer EDI Group.
• various acquisition financing facilities including a UK £425,000,000 facility and a UK £80,000,000 facility.

Property and development financing

• for the financier in relation to the refinancing of a secured facility for the Cromwell Property Fund, a structured property financing which closed in 2 weeks.
• for the financier in relation to the refinancing and restructuring of facilities for the Cromwell Property Fund, and in connection with a separate loan facility for the same borrower for the acquisition and refurbishment of a tenanted office tower on Exhibition Street in Melbourne.
• for the site owner and developer in relation to the financing for the construction of a mixed use development in Fortitude Valley, Queensland comprising over 200 residential units, a boutique hotel and a large car park.
• for the financier in relation to the restructuring and refinancing of facilities for Vita Group (formerly the Fone Zone Group) for the opening of new T[life] Stores throughout Australia and for the conversion of existing stores into T[life] stores.
• for Leighton Properties in connection with the financing for the  construction of 2 unit towers comprising approximately 470 residential units, common facilities, internal roads and strata retail lots at Hamilton Harbour in Brisbane.
• for Leighton Properties in relation to the financing of the construction of a residential unit tower comprising approximately 190 units in Brisbane.

Structured Products

• a series of total return equity derivative swaps in respect of portfolios of Australian and US equity securities for the SGD$802 million listing of Macquarie International Infrastructure Fund Limited on the Singapore Stock Exchange.
• a series of total return credit derivative and equity derivative swaps for the acquisition by Macquarie International Infrastructure Fund Limited of an indirect interest in a business in Canada.
• a series of structured finance products offered in Europe, acting for Macquarie Bank Limited.
• a US$200 million total return credit swap transaction, acting for an Australian corporate client.

Erin holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Queensland. Erin is admitted to the Supreme Courts of the Northern Territory of Australia, England and Wales and New South Wales and to the Federal and High Courts of Australia. Erin joined Freehills in February 2003 having spent almost 4 years as a senior associate with the Projects Group at a magic circle firm in London. She was made a partner at Freehills in January 2005.