Willem Van de Wiele
- +352 2 822 4604 (Luxembourg)
- +32 2 2392 575 (Brussels)
Biography
Overview
Willem Van de Wiele is a Counsel in our Debt Finance and Capital Markets practices, registered with both the Brussels and Luxembourg (Liste IV) bars and practicing in both jurisdictions.
His areas of expertise include capital markets, banking and financial services and financial regulation. He advises on capital markets transactions and financial instruments, structured finance transactions, covered bonds, securitisations, regulation of banking activities and financial services, corporate finance and lending.
Willem has extensive experience advising on debt and equity capital market transactions, as well as on regulation of banking and financial services. He also advises clients in securitisation transactions. He has been recognized as "a standout capital markets lawyer in Belgium" (Who's Who Legal 2023) and as a "Notable practitioner" in the area of capital markets (IFLR 2023).
Willem has a special interest in all legal and regulatory aspects of fintech and blockchain technology and speaks regularly on these topics, including before the International Securities Lending Association in London, King’s College London (Dickson Poon School of Law), the Frankfurt Crypto Assets Conference, the Academy of European Law, Fintech Belgium, Istanbul Fintech Week, the Forum of Belgian Compliance Officers, the Université Libre de Bruxelles and Blockchain Forum Vlaanderen, as well as in-house at various leading firms and institutions. He earns acclaim "for his deep expertise in structured finance, debt securitisation and specialist fintech knowledge" (Who's Who Legal 2020).
Willem received the Client Choice Award for Banking in Belgium in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and is acclaimed by his clients for his "sophistication, effectiveness, and outstanding technical knowledge". " (Client Choice by Lexology, 2023), "very sophisticated, creative, [and] effective" (Client Choice by Lexology, 2020) and "works tirelessly on extremely time-sensitive matters" (Chambers Europe 2022). He "is a true expert in his field of expertise, very pleasant to work with and not afraid to take a position even if the law remains unclear" (Legal 500, 2023).
Experience
- The leading Belgian credit institution Crelan SA on its EUR 3,000,000,0000 EMTN program establishment (including the €300 million inaugural senior non-preferred notes issuance under the program and a subsequent €500 million senior non-preferred notes issuance as well as a €300 tier 2 notes issuance under the programme).
- The dealers on the inaugural EUR 1,000,000,000 EMTN program establishment for the German-Speaking Community of Belgium.
- The dealers on the EUR 15,000,000,000 EMTN programme for the Belgian credit institution Belfius Bank NV/SA, as well as various benchmark issues under this programme including the EMTN program a EUR 750,000,000 green senior preferred notes issue.
- The joint lead managers on a EUR 2,500,000,000 notes issuance by the Flemish Community, a federated entity of the Kingdom of Belgium.
- The dealers on the EUR 25,000,000,000 EMTN programme of the Flemish Community of Belgium, a federated entity of the Kingdom of Belgium.
- The joint lead managers on the inaugural green bond issue for Intervest Offices & Warehouses.
- The joint lead managers on the inaugural green bond issue for Wereldhave Belgium NV.
- The joint global coordinators on the EUR 200,000,000 IPO by GP Bullhound Acquisition I SE.
- Hiro Metaverse Acquisitions I S.A. (Hiro Metaverse), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsored by Hiro Capital, on its £115 million initial public offering.
- Societe Generale-FORGE on the launch of a the first institutional stablecoin deployed on a public blockchain.
- The dealers on the establishment of the first 2 Belgian covered bond programmes and the inaugural issues under these programmes.
- The dealers on the first perpetual bond issue by a Belgian corporate (UCB perpetual bond issue).
- Elia System Operator on the establishment of its EUR 3,000,000 EMTN Programme of Elia System Operator, as well as various updates of the programme.
- Etexco SA (Etex Group) on a public offer in Belgium and Luxembourg of EUR 400m 5.00% Fixed Rate Bonds due 31 March 2017 (first time retail bond issue for this issuer).
- Dredging, Environmental & Marine Engineering (D.E.M.E.) on a public offer in Belgium of EUR 200m 4.145%. Fixed Rate Bonds due 14 February 2019 (first time bond issue for this issuer and first bond issue on Alternext Brussels).
- Studio 100 on a public offer in Belgium of EUR 90m 3.35% Fixed Rate Bonds due 23 June 2022 (first time retail bond issue for this issuer).
- BNP Paribas Trust Corporation UK Limited on a EUR 25m convertible bond issue by TiGinex due 2018.
- KBC Group on a public offer in Belgium of EUR 80,465,000 2.50% fixed rate bonds due 18 January 2016.
- Crédit Mutuel Arkéa on the acquisition of the client portfolio of the Belgian branch of Rabobank.
"Protection of client assets under Belgian law and trust-like structures", Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, January 2022
H. Servais en W. Van de Wiele « Les règles protectrices du débiteur en matière d'intérêts à la lumière des lois de police et de l'ordre public international », Revue de Droit Commercial/Tijdschrift Belgisch Handelsrecht (R.D.C.-T.B.H., 2020/6, p. 721-730)
W. Van de Wiele, "De Nieuwe Prospectusverordening: Europese en Belgische aspecten, een eerste verkenning", Bijdrage in Instituut Financieel Recht (Universiteit Gent) (ed.) "Financiële regulering: een dwarsdoorsnede", Antwerpen/Cambridge, Intersentia, 2019, pp. 327-409
W. Van de Wiele, "Some Considerations regarding the Impact of Brexit on Market Infrastructure and Derivates Transactions", Larcier (Legal) Under editorial coordination of Droit bancaire et financier / Bank- en Financieel Recht
W. Van de Wiele, "European FinTech: New Rules on the Way", Banking & Financial Services Policy Report, May 2018
W. Van de Wiele, "Electronic Trading: the New Regulatory Framework for Algorithmic and High-Frequency Algorithmic Trading", Cahiers AEDBF/EVBFR Belgium, no. 27 (2016)
W. Van de Wiele and Sylvia Kierszenbaum, "Een bespreking van de gewijzigde prospectuswet en enkele 'capital selecta' in verband met de aanbieding van beleggingsintrumenten", D.B.F.-B.F.R. 2014, pp. 99-147
W. Van de Wiele and I. D Meuleneere, "Financial Planners in Belgium: introduction of a new regulatory framework", Vlerick Business School, 2014
W. Van de Wiele and S. Kierszenbaum, "Belgium" chapter in The International Capital Markets Review 2012.
W. Van de Wiele, "Public consultation on the Royal Decree on primary market practices", Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, July/August 2008, p. 386
S. Kierszenbaum and W. Van de Wiele, "New form of collective investment undertaking in Belgium", Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, March 2008, p. 165
G. Vanslambrouck and W. Van de Wiele, "Hoe kan worden verzekerd dat de regels betreffende inducuments en belangenconflicten worden nageleefd?" - conference "MiFID - Stand van zaken na de inwerkingtreding" (MiFID - State of play after the entry into force), International Faculty for Executives Benelux, Antwerp, 21 May 2008.
W. Van de Wiele and S. Kierszenbaum, "New form of collective investment undertaking in Belgium", Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, March 2008, p. 165
F. Tanghe and W. Van de Wiele, "MiFID en categorisatie van cliënten", Financieel Forum/Bank- en Financiewezen 2007/7, p. 400
W. Van de Wiele, "New regulatory framework for financial intermediaries in Belgium", Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, February 2007, p. 135
Lexology Client Choice Award for Banking in Belgium : 2020, 2021 and 2022
Notable Practitioner for Capital Markets in Belgium, IFLR1000
Notable Practitioner for Capital Markets in Belgium, Chambers Global & Chambers Europe
Client Choice Award 2020: Banking – Belgium
Rising Star, Capital Markets, IFLR 2020
Notable Practitioner: Chambers Global & Chambers Europe 2020, Banking & Finance – Belgium
Notable Practitioner: Chambers Europe 2020, Banking & Finance: Regulatory – Belgium
