Norton Rose Fulbright named ‘best export finance law firm’ with multiple accolades at GTR Awards 2026

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has been named 'best export finance law firm' at the GTR Leaders in Trade 2026 awards and advised on two transactions recognised at GTR Best Deals 2026, both featured in GTR Issue 2 2026.

These awards highlight excellence in the trade, commodity, supply chain and export finance markets, alongside the most significant trade, export and structured finance deals of the past 12 months.

The awarded transactions showcase the firm's role in delivering innovative, high-impact financing solutions across energy infrastructure and supply chain finance, reflecting broader trends shaping global trade and investment.

One of the recognised deals is the financing of the Malanje-Xà Muteba transmission line project in Angola, a major infrastructure initiative aimed at expanding and strengthening the country's electricity network. The long-tenor, export credit agency-backed financing supports the construction of transmission infrastructure and upgrades to substations, enabling greater connectivity to the national grid and improving access to reliable power in underserved regions.

A Norton Rose Fulbright team led by Head of Banking and Finance, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific Madhavi Gosavi and partner Jessica Melville, assisted by associate Emmanuel Alabi, advised the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Angola. The project is expected to play a key role in supporting Angola's long-term energy transition strategy and economic development.

The second recognised deal involved a Norton Rose Fulbright team led by partner Tudor Plapcianu, which advised Crédit Agricole CIB on implementing a supplier liquidity programme for Jaguar Land Rover following a major cyber disruption, which had a significant impact on production and supply chains. The programme was developed and executed at pace to ensure continuity of payments to critical suppliers during a period of acute operational disruption.

The financing structure went beyond conventional payables finance solutions by enabling early payments linked to expected deliveries, rather than relying solely on invoiced amounts. This approach provided timely access to liquidity for suppliers facing uncertainty, helping to stabilise the supply chain and mitigate wider economic risk. Norton Rose Fulbright acted on the transaction within an accelerated timeframe, helping deliver a scalable solution under significant time pressure.

Tudor Plapcianu commented:

"These awards recognise the breadth and scope of our practice across structured trade finance and export finance. We are delighted to have been named by GTR as 'best export finance law firm' for 2026, as well as seeing our work recognised for two very different but equally important transactions - one supporting long-term national infrastructure and the other responding to resolving immediate supply chain constraints. Both demonstrate how carefully structured financing solutions can deliver meaningful outcomes in complex environments. We are pleased to have supported our clients on these transactions, which highlight the strength of collaboration and innovation across the market."

Norton Rose Fulbright's global banking and finance team has one of the longest histories of any law firm in the field, advising major banks, finance providers, export credit agencies, corporate and sovereign entities and other participants in the global banking and finance arena. The firm advises across the full spectrum of legal banking and finance matters, acting for parties ranging from multinational lenders to growth corporations.