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Christian Donagh "is very thorough, proactive and always available to discuss and provide many alternatives".

Chambers Global and Chambers Europe 

Expertise

Christian Donagh is a partner in the Finance and Capital Markets Department at Matheson and is head of the firm's Derivatives, Netting and Collateral Group. Christian's practice focuses on advising asset managers and investment banks doing business in and from Ireland in relation to securitisations, CLOs, fund-linked structured products, repackagings, securities lending and repos. Christian regularly advises Irish corporates and their counterparties in relation to ISDA master agreements and collateral arrangements relating to over-the-counter derivatives transactions such as interest rate and currency linked swaps, caps and collars and on compliance with EMIR. Frequently, the firm provides legal opinions on issues relating to the enforceability of close-out netting provisions and collateral arrangements documented using industry standard or bespoke derivatives, repo and prime brokerage documentation.

Christian qualified as a solicitor with Allen & Overy in 2000 and spent several years in each of its London and Hong Kong offices. Christian joined Matheson in 2006 and became a partner in 2007.

Christian co-chairs the Legal Committee of the Irish Debt Securities Association (IDSA) and is a former chairperson of IDSA. The IDSA is an industry organisation promoting and developing Ireland as a location for activities to support the global securitisation, structured finance, debt securities and specialist securities industries with over 35 corporate members. Christian is also a member of the Rules Committee of Euronext, Dublin.

Experience Highlights

Christian's experience includes:

  • Helped to establish and served as chairperson of the Irish Debt Securities Association (IDSA).  The IDSA is an industry organisation formed to promote and develop Ireland as a location for activities to support the global structured finance, debt securities and specialist securities industries. Currently, Christian co-chairs the law firm members’ committee within IDSA.
  • Christian is a member of the Rules Committee of Euronext, Dublin.
Accolades

Christian Donagh is a "Highly experienced lawyer"
Banking & Finance: Chambers Global 2022

Christian Donagh "provides an exceptional service with turnaround times that are second to none. Responsiveness, knowledge and expertise are his standout qualities".
The Legal 500 2021

Christian Donagh "is very experienced in DCM and derivatives, and he is heavily involved in industry bodies" .
Chambers Europe 2021 

Christian Donagh is recommended.
European Legal 500 2020

Christian Donagh is named a leading individual.
European Legal 500 2020

Christian Donagh is "personable, very responsive and extremely commercial in his advice and approach to issues".
Capital Markets: Chambers Global 2020

Christian Donagh is named a ‘Market Leader’
IFLR1000 2020

Christian Donagh is recommended.
European Legal 500 2019

Christian Donagh has a strong track record for notes issues and CLO transactions, and also assists with Islamic financing matters. According to one client, he has "a huge amount of experience and has an exceptional network."
Capital Markets: Chambers Global 2019

Recognised for Derivatives
Best Lawyers Ireland 2019 edition

Christian Donagh is "very easy to work with”.
Chambers Global & Europe 2018

Christian Donagh is named a Market Leader.
IFLR1000 2018

Recognised for Derivatives.
Best Lawyers Ireland 2018 edition

One client reports "Christian Donagh finds solutions, he is reassuring when things get hectic, and I know I can rely on him".
Chambers Global & Europe 2017

Christian Donagh is named a Leading Lawyer.
IFLR1000 2017

Christian Donagh is recognised as a leading lawyer by IFLR1000 and Best Lawyers.

Education

Qualified as a solicitor in Ireland

Qualified as a solicitor in Hong Kong (non-practising)

Qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales (non-practising)

University of Hong Kong (PCLL, Postgraduate Certificate of Laws)

University College Dublin (LLM in Commercial Law)

University College Dublin and DePaul University Law School, US (BCL International)

Securitisation Regulation Requirements to Enter Into Force

Sep 16, 2020, 23:06 PM
The European Securities and Markets Authority (“ESMA”), the EU’s securities markets regulator, confirms that the different elements of the new regime under the Securitisation Regulation (“SR”) will come into force on 23 September 2020.
Title : Securitisation Regulation Requirements to Enter Into Force
Filter services i ds : 3ea4931a-167c-4f37-b7de-573e2a525ff1;
Engagement Time : 3
Insight Type : Article
Insight Date : Sep 10, 2020, 12:10 PM

The European Securities and Markets Authority (“ESMA”), the EU’s securities markets regulator, confirms that the different elements of the new regime under the Securitisation Regulation (“SR”)  will come into force on 23 September 2020.

This follows the publication of seven technical standards implementing the SR in the Official Journal of the European Union. The publication of the technical standards triggers the following:

  • Opening of applications for entities to register as a Securitisation Repository (“Repository”); and
  • Entry into force of new disclosure templates.

Repositories

Repositories will centrally collect and maintain the records of securitisations and will be registered and supervised by ESMA. Those entities who wish to be registered as a Repository by ESMA can submit their applications from 23 September 2020.

Until ESMA has registered at least one Repository, information that should be made available by reporting entities to Repositories on public securitisations must continue to be made available via a website which meets certain requirements (pursuant to the fourth sub-paragraph of Article 7(2) of the SR).

Reporting Templates

ESMA reporting templates will now become mandatory for use in reporting from 23 September 2020. The securitisation technical standards (including those relating to disclosure requirements) were published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 3 September 2020. The reporting templates can be found in Annexes II to XV of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1225.

ESMA has published guidance on how to fill in the disclosure templates in its Q&A Document on Securitisation Topics. Stakeholders with questions which are not addressed in this document are invited to submit their question(s) to ESMA through its dedicated Q&A tool. XML schema and validation rules as well as reporting instructions for these templates are available on ESMA’s website.

There is no transitional period. Reporting entities should therefore have processes and systems in place to report under the new rules  from 23 September 2020.

For further information, please contact  Christian Donagh,  Turlough Galvin,  Alan Keating,  Richard Kelly or your usual Matheson contact.

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