William Ho is a Senior Consultant in the Assets & Structured Finance group based in Hong Kong.
William specialises in aircraft finance and leasing. He has considerable expertise across a broad range of aviation transactions including export credits, tax leases, operating leases and sale and purchase of aircraft portfolios. His experience covers a variety of structures including Japanese operating leases, French tax leases, European ECA- and US Exim-backed aircraft financing, pre-delivery financing and Chinese domestic leases.
William was an external advisor to the Aviation Task Force of the Economic Development Commission from 2013 to 2017 and was instrumental in bringing about the establishment of the concessionary tax regime for aircraft leasing in Hong Kong.
William has advised on a number of award-winning deals and he is recognised as a Band 1 Aviation Finance lawyer in Chambers Asia Pacific 2020. Chambers Asia Pacific describes him as a “most seasoned and experienced lawyer” in the Chinese and wider Asia aviation finance space.
- Acting for Haitong UT Leasing in its USD380,000,000 portfolio purchase and financing under Hong Kong’s concessionary tax regime for aircraft leasing. That deal was awarded Airfinance Journal’s China Overall Deal of the Deal 2019.
- Acting for ICBC Financial Leasing in closing the first aircraft leasing deal under Hong Kong’s concessionary tax regime for aircraft leasing. That deal was awarded Airfinance Journal’s China Deal of the Year 2018.
- Acting for CDB Leasing in closing a Chinese leasing company’s first JOLCO deal. That deal was awarded Airfinance Journal’s Tax Lease Deal of the Year 2012.
- Acting for Air China in closing China’s last French tax lease. That deal was awarded Airfinance Journal’s China Deal of the Year 2012.
Education
1987 University College London, LL. B Hons
1984 University of Hong Kong, B. Soc. Sc Hons
memberships & associations
Founder of Hong Kong Aircraft Leasing and Aviation Finance Association