Chihiro Ashizawa, partner at Ashurst in Tokyo
Ashurst has hired Chihiro Ashizawa as a partner for its global loans and global markets practice in Tokyo to strengthen the firm’s Japanese law and cross-border financing capabilities.
Ashizawa joined the firm from Clifford Chance in Tokyo where she was a counsel for 16 years and the head of the capital markets (Japanese law) team. She is a Japanese-qualified lawyer (bengoshi) with more than 20 years of experience advising Japanese and international clients on capital markets, investment funds and financial regulatory matters.
Her expertise also includes Samurai bonds, sustainability regulations, fund formation and cross-border transactions.
In her previous role at Clifford Chance, Ashizawa advised the Ministry of Finance of Egypt on its second issuance of five-year Samurai bonds, valued at JPY75 billion (USD500 million). The bonds featured a unique credit enhancement structure, backed by a guarantee from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC). To strengthen the arrangement, Africa Finance Corporation, headquartered in Lagos, offered a guarantee to SMBC covering Egypt’s reimbursement obligations.
