Linklaters launches structured finance practice in Amsterdam 

08/03/2010 

Linklaters announces the launch of a structured finance practice in Amsterdam with the arrival of Kees Westermann, who will head up the new practice.

Kees joins Linklaters on 1 April 2010 from Clifford Chance, where he was a partner specialising in structured finance, including securitisations and covered bonds. Kees is known for his innovative practice having worked on a range of complex securitisations and has made a significant contribution to the covered bond market in the Netherlands and internationally.

The Amsterdam structured finance practice will function within the firm's tightly knit global structured finance network, which has a tremendous breadth of coverage of the market, advising on a wide range of transactions. Clients benefit from our comprehensive experience in structuring, advising on and completing entirely novel structures, often in new and emerging markets.

Jim Rice, global head of capital markets, said:

"We are delighted that Kees is joining us. His arrival allows us to broaden our growing finance practice and the spectrum of services that we offer to our clients, in addition to general banking, restructuring & insolvency and capital markets."

Martijn Koopal, head of Linklaters' Amsterdam office, said:

"The Netherlands is an important jurisdiction in this area, as one of Europe’s largest issuing countries of both securitisation notes and covered bonds. Our investment in this practice reflects our belief that the Dutch securitisation and covered bond market will remain an important source of financing for financial institutions."

For further information please contact:Yael Shafrir on / yael.shafrir@linklaters.com orRupert Winlaw on +44 20 7456 3219 / rupert.winlaw@linklaters.com