Image of Franz Ranero

Franz Ranero

Partner

Franz advises on a broad range of capital markets and financing transactions, with a focus on structured finance and products.

His structured finance practice covers bespoke funding, liquidity, regulatory capital and arbitrage structures involving both securitisation and derivatives technology, including providing financing to regulated and unregulated funds. His structured products experience extends to credit, fund and equity-linked products, repackaging platforms and other derivative and structured securities. Franz is a pre-eminent adviser to the CLO market, having developed and led the firm’s market-leading global CLO practice.

Franz is also involved in the social finance and impact investing sectors, where he advises various wholesale participants on products and market infrastructure in those spheres. In addition to managing his legal practice, he is the global co-head of the firm’s pro bono and community investment activity, and he is also a trustee and director of Access, a social investment foundation, as well as being chair of its investment committee, and Stem4, a teenage mental health charity.

Franz is listed as a leading structured finance lawyer (Band #1) in Chambers, rated as "Highly Regarded" in IFLR 1000 and listed in the "Hall of Fame" as a leading securitisation lawyer in Legal 500.

Experience

Representative matters

Arrangers and managers on a significant proportion of all European CLOs brought to market since the financial crisis.

Banks and sponsors on the provision of leverage to direct lending, mid-market and other credit funds, having advised a significant proportion of the key market participants on the development of their products in this market.

Established a number of secured funding platforms for major financial institutions for the raising of credit and/or liquidity backed by a wide range of asset classes.

Established many of the most prominent CLO risk retention vehicles in the European market, including those arranged by Napier Park, Blackstone, Chenavari, Investcorp and Partners Group.
 

Pro bono

Global Co-Head of Social Impact, Pro Bono and Community Investment.

Regularly advises market participants in the social finance and impact investing sectors.

Trustee and Director and Chair of the Investment Committee of Access - The Foundation for Social Investment.

Trustee and Director of Stem4, a teenage mental health charity.
 

Published Work

  • Author of numerous articles in legal and industry publications in the structured capital markets field.

Speaking Engagements

  • Regular speaker at industry conferences and events in the structural capital markets field.

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Trustee and Director and Chair of the Investment Committee of Access – The Foundation for Social Investment.
  • Trustee and Director of stem4, a UK charity focused on teenaged mental health.
  • Member of the Private Capital Board.
  • Member of the Global Wellbeing Advisors Board.

Recognition

Franz Ranero is the main partner handling the firm's burgeoning CLO practice.
Legal 500, 2023
Franz Ranero is a leading choice for global banks seeking guidance on CLO issuances and deal-related regulatory advice. He has very good knowledge and has a very good dialogue with the regulators, which is very valuable when structuring transactions.
Chambers 2022

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as Solicitor, England and Wales, 2002

Admitted as Solicitor, Ireland, 2018

Legal Practitioner, New South Wales, Australia, 1998

Academic

Master of Laws (Research), 1998

Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours), 1997

Bachelor of Business (Distinction), 1996

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.