Xavier de Kergommeaux specialises in asset-backed financing, securitisations, setting up covered bonds issuers (sociétés de crédit foncier and sociétés de financement de l'habitat), structured finance, trusts and defeasance transactions, acting for arrangers in major financing transactions on amounts upwards of 6 billion euros per operation.

He regularly advises most of the covered bonds issuers (sociétés de crédit foncier and sociétés de financement de l'habitat) active in France. He notably advised the shareholder banks of the Société de Financement de l'Economie (SFEF), a refinancing vehicle set up in October 2008 to support French credit institutions, on their equity participation, and assisted the SFEF with the implementation of loans and financing to credit institutions.

He has recently advised on the first ever refinancing of a public-private partnership through capital markets relating to the new headquarter of the French Ministry of Defence.

Xavier was the Managing Partner of the firm from January 2004 to December 2009, and Senior Partner from January 2018 to December 2020.

He was elected as member of the Paris Bar Council in January 2016.

Xavier de Kergommeaux is recommended as Leading Individual in Derivatives & Structured Finance by Legal 500 (since 2003), in Capital Markets / Securitisation by Chambers Global 2018 (since 2000), as well as by IFLR1000 (since 2010), Who's Who Legal and American review Best Lawyers in France. He has also been named Lawyer of the Year in Finance by Best Lawyers in France in 2010 and 2014.

« Gide Loyrette Nouel provides 'a great platform to handle complex cross-border transactions for French clients' and 'delivers a great service'. The 'responsive', 'dedicated' team is noted for its 'very constructive ideas'. Equity derivatives are the group's mainstay, but it also demonstrates strength in advising on securitisation matters and covered bonds. In addition to assisting Arélia with the derivatives aspects of the new Paris courthouse refinancing, including developing a hedging structure, it also assisted Europcar with the extension of its car fleet securitisation programme, increasing the programme's aggregate amount from €1.3bn to €1.7bn. Arnaud Duhamel, who gives 'valuable input when implementing innovative solutions', and Xavier Chassin de Kergommeaux head the practice. »
Legal 500 EMEA 2019

« Xavier de Kergommeaux is well known for his work in structured finance and is adept at handling the creation of structures under new regulations, the launch of new securitisation funds and refinancing matters. »
Chambers Global 2018

« Xavier Chassin de Kergommeaux who has developed a particularly strong practice in advising building societies, is a key name for securities. In a French market first, Kergommeaux led advice to Caisse Centrale des Crédits Immobiliers de France -3CIF and BNP Paribas, as arranger, on the winding-up and liquidation of French securitisation fund CIF Assets in order to allow the bondholders to comply with legislation coming into effect in January 2018, and also handled the setting-up of a new refinancing structure for Crédit Immobilier de France containing secured intragroup loans. Société Générale, Deutsche Bank and Europcar are also clients. »
Legal 500 EMEA 2018

« Xavier de Kergommeaux is described by one source as a 'brilliant' and 'highly respectable' figure on the securitisation market. He enjoys an excellent reputation for his work across the structured finance field, particularly within asset-backed finance, project finance and transport. »
Chambers Global 2017

« Gide Loyrette Nouel’s Xavier de Kergommeaux impresses market sources with his 'fantastic' practice covering asset-backed finance and securitisation. He counts a number of financial institutions among his clients and regularly advises them on high-value financing capital markets transactions. »
Who's Who Legal 2017

« Gide Loyrette Nouel has ‘unchallenged legal expertise in the context of French market’ securitisation, covered bonds and structured finance transactions. The team stands out for its ‘personal involvement, professional skills’ and ‘proven ability to adapt to innovative and hybrid structures and customers’ requirements’. Advising arrangers and originators, the practice recently advised on a major portfolio restructuring, including the creation of French securitisation mutual funds (FCT) and fonds de prêt à l’économie (FPE), the latter of which provide investment vehicles for insurers. Xavier de Kergommeaux ranks among the best in the field. »
Legal 500 EMEA 2017

« Xavier de Kergommeaux is an expert in asset-backed finance and securitisation who has been praised for his 'very interesting sense of innovation' and for his profound knowledge of French securities law. »
Chambers Global 2016

« Praised for his long-standing reputation, Xavier de Kergommeaux is an authority on the market and 'one of the best lawyers in securitisation. He has extensive experience, is pragmatic and understands very quickly the needs of the client'. »
Chambers Global 2015