Image of Olaf Meisen

Dr Olaf Meisen

Partner

Olaf is Regional Head of Real Estate Finance and Head of Germany Real Estate Finance.

He has particular experience in advising on complex cross-border transactions, major domestic financings as well as Pfandbrief financings. A second focus of his practice are cross-border restructurings and work-outs of German real estate financings. 

Olaf' s client base comprises major German mortgage banks (Pfandbriefbanken), international investment banks, alternative lenders (such as insurance companies, pension funds or debt funds) as well as institutional investors, private equity houses, housing companies, asset managers, real estate developers and real estate funds. 

Olaf has practised in real estate finance for more than 20 years and is widely recognised as the leading expert in Germany in national and international real estate finance and restructuring. He has been at the forefront of product development in his field and advised on countless landmark deals and market' s firsts. Olaf has been the draftsperson of the German LMA for Real Estate Financings and is a frequent lecturer at universities.

Experience

Representative matters

A consortium of three global investment banks as mandated lead arrangers on the approx. EUR 3bn acquisition financing of an office portfolio by a global private equity investor.

A consortium of three global investment banks as mandated lead arrangers on the approx. EUR 2.1bn acquisition financing of an office portfolio by a global private equity investor.

Vonovia SE, Germany’s largest residential housing company and DAX listed entity, in connection with several secured financings with Landesbank Baden-Württemberg, pbb Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG, Commerzbank AG, Berlin Hyp AG, Berliner Sparkasse, Bayerische Landesbank, UniCredit Bank AG, Ärzteversorgung Westfalen-Lippe and Norddeutsche Landesbank in an aggregate amount of more than EUR 3.6bn.

Deutsche Annington Immobilien Group, one of Germany's leading residential property companies, on the rescheduling of the EUR4.3bn German multi-family CMBS. This was one of the largest European real estate finance and CMBS refinancings since the financial crisis and involved a cross-border team from our German and UK offices.

Société Générale S.A. as arranger of the reshaping of a large volume financing into two new senior/mezzanine and one senior financing in the aggregate amount of EUR 815 Mio. in respect of a residential portfolio owned by a global private equity investor.

Landesbank Baden-Württemberg on the EUR 1.1bn financing of the Potsdamer Platz building ensemble in Berlin.

Société Générale S.A. as arranger of three loan facilities granted in connection with the market entry and expansion of a global private equity investor into the German residential housing market in an aggregate amount of EUR 1.2bn.

A multinational financial institution as arranger of the EUR 186 Mio. financing of 29 ACCOR Hotels in Germany owned by a global private equity investor.

A globally operating investment bank as arranger of the EUR 146 Mio. financing of a five star hotel in Berlin owned by a global private equity investor.

Aareal Bank AG as arranger of four separate credit facilities in a total amount of ca. EUR 700 Mio and GBP 70 Mio. for a globally operating logistic investor in respect of several logistic portfolios located in Germany, France, Poland, The Netherlands and United Kingdom. 
 

Pro bono

Olaf is an active member of our pro bono initiative. He is an ambassador for a charity foundation, helps at Frankfurt Tafel e.V. (a non profit organisation collecting food from grocers and producers for people in need), trains students for job interviews and participates in other A&O pro bono activities.

Speaking Engagements

  • Lecturer at JurGrad (University of Münster) for Structured Real Estate Finance (LL.M. Real Estate Law)
  • Lecturer at Institute for Law and Finance (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main) for Real Estate Finance (ILF Summer Seminar “Banking and Capital Markets Law”) 

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • DAJV Deutsch-Amerikanische Juristen-Vereinigung e.V.
Recognition
Hall of Fame | Banking and Finance - Real Estate Finance
Legal 500 Germany 2023/2024
Band 1 for Real Estate Finance
Chambers Europe 2023

Qualifications

Admissions

Germany, 2001 (Rechtsanwalt)

Academic

Dr iur, University of Cologne, Germany, 2006

Second German Law Degree, 2001

First German Law Degree, Friedrich-Wilhelms University Bonn, Germany, 1998

Languages

English, German
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.