Languages
- English
George is a Senior Associate in the Capital Markets and Derivatives team at CMS. He advises on derivative and debt capital market transactions, with a particular focus on digital assets. He acts for clients globally, with an emphasis on Europe and the Middle East, ranging from leading investment banks and corporates to crypto and fintech firms.
George has been seconded to several leading investment banks, including Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, BNP Paribas and Morgan Stanley. He was also selected to be part of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association’s (“ISDA”) inaugural “Future Leaders in Derivatives” programme, and regularly provides training sessions on behalf of ISDA on its OTC derivative documentation.
George was also recognised by Legal 500 (2025) as a “Key Lawyer” in Derivatives and Structured Products and noted for providing “very accessible advice”.
Client work:
- Drafting and structuring complex digital asset and crypto transactions for fintech and crypto clients, including spot, OTC derivative and repo transactions, as well as bespoke structured products.
- Clients on the development and implementation of smart contracts in connection with ISDA’s OTC derivatives documentation, including the related legal and practical implications
- Issuers, arrangers and dealers on standalone structured product issuances and structured product programmes, including medium-term note programmes, secured notes, repack notes, Sukuk issuances, preference shares and tokenised securities, and advising on the cross-border offering of such products into multiple European jurisdictions and the listing of such products on a range of European exchanges.
- Drafting and structuring bespoke and complex structured product transactions for global investment banks, linked to a broad range of underlying asset classes (including equities, commodities, carbon credits and digital assets), with particular expertise in “actively managed certificates”.
- Negotiating a wide range of master agreements (ISDA, GMRA, GMSLA) and drafting bespoke structured transactions entered into in connection with such agreements.
- Developing and structuring proprietary indices for major investment banks linked to a wide range of asset classes, including digital assets such as cryptocurrencies and crypto ETFs, and advising on associated regulatory considerations.
- UAE-based banks on the structuring of Islamic finance derivative and debt capital market transactions, and drafting the documentation related thereto.
- Both borrowers and hedging banks on hedging derivative transactions in both Europe and the Middle East.