By Business & Finance 
Avolon is our Company of the Month for March 2026, in association with KPMG. Avolon specialises as a global aircraft leasing company.
By Héloïse Chaudot
The Dublin-based aircraft leasing company closed a debut Samurai loan facility on Wednesday, pulling in the equivalent of $420 million from a twelve-bank syndicate operating entirely out of Japan.
The deal marks the company’s first step into non-dollar debt – and the largest, longest-maturity opening act by any European borrower in the Japanese loan market.
Ross O’Connor, Avolon CFO, commented, “This inaugural Samurai Facility further diversifies our capital base and expands our global banking relationships through the addition of new institutional lenders. This transaction further demonstrates the strong global appetite for unsecured lending to aviation leasing companies and reflects confidence in Avolon’s performance and growth outlook.”
The facility is structured across two tranches: a dollar leg of roughly $346 million and a yen leg of ¥11.7 billion, approximately $75 million. Both mature in five years.
A Samurai loan is a cross-border syndicated facility arranged and sold within Japan’s domestic banking system, giving foreign borrowers access to a lender base they would otherwise struggle to reach.
Demand was strong enough to draw nine institutions that had no prior relationship with Avolon. All lenders are either Japanese banks or international banks operating Tokyo branches. MUFG, SMTB and DBJ acted as mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners; MUFG serves as facility agent.
Avolon has now secured $1.9 billion in new unsecured funding since January, following a $1.5 billion senior unsecured bond sale announced in February. The Samurai facility rounds out that figure and opens a new channel of capital that the company can return to.
Company of the Month
The Company of the Month Award, in association with KPMG, recognises outstanding Irish companies. It especially acknowledges those who have made significant contributions to the business community of Ireland.
Recipients of the award are automatically put forward as candidates for the prestigious Company of the Year Award at the annual Business & Finance Awards.
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For more information on the annual Business & Finance Awards, see www.businessandfinanceawards.com
Business & Finance, Company of the Month
Business & Finance, in association with KPMG, recognises excellence in business through the ‘Company of the Month’ award. The Company of the Month award recognises the company that best demonstrates outstanding business leadership, sustainable growth, innovative strategy, strong financial returns, and employee development.
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