Jean-Claude Vecchiatto

I work as a partner in our Finance & Financial Regulation Group and am head of our aviation, space & defence team in Paris and co-head of our global Space and Satellite Group. Over the years, I have spent more than a decade in-house and 10 years in international law firms, giving me rare expertise and inside knowledge of the Aerospace & Defence industry.

Before joining Bird & Bird, I was Vice President of Legal Affairs at Airbus Group in Paris, responsible for Finance and Projects. In my 12 years at EADS and Airbus Group, I advised on numerous technology and defence projects including satellites and communications systems. I was involved in the negotiations for a number of landmark projects, including the Skynet V satellites refinancing, FSTA (UK Airtanker), Galileo (European satellite nagivation system) and MFTS, which has given me expert knowledge of complex aerospace projects, including technology, obsolescence, licenses, IP and defence procurement. I also gained a good expertise of offset contracts and negotiations.

I also negotiated all the banking, debt and capital market programmes for Airbus, including EMTN, US 144A, and convertible and exchangeable bonds, and acquired expertise in negotiations with the European Investment Bank and national governments for the implementation of reimbursable advances for large R&D programmes.

Before joining Airbus, I worked as French lawyer and English solicitor for nearly 10 years, in Paris and Tokyo, where I advised financial institutions and borrowers on their structured or corporate finance transactions and complex acquisition financings, including private equity, LBO and mezzanine finance. I also worked on international projects – from wastewater, power plants and pipelines to infrastructure and real estate.

I have served as a Commercial Court Judge in France and am the editor of the International Bank and Other Guarantees Handbooks (Middle East, Africa and Europe Volumes) - Kluwer. I'm also a reserve officer in the Air Force.