Geraldine R.S. Mataka is the Managing Member of robert wray PLLC. She practices in the areas of international commercial and financial law, with a focus on aircraft finance, microfinance, international investment and political risk mitigation.
Ms. Mataka has extensive experience representing the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) in the financing of aircraft, engines and other aviation services for commercial airlines, operating lessors, financial leasing companies, and helicopter taxi and service providers. These complex cross-border structured finance transactions have utilized a variety of funding mechanisms including capital markets offerings, joint export credit agency financings, subordinated debt and pre-delivery payments financings. She acted as Ex-Im Bank’s counsel in a number of noteworthy transactions, including the financing of Gulfstream business aircraft for commercial and state-owned Chinese financial leasing companies and the first and largest Ex-Im Bank guaranteed bond issuance by a helicopter leasing company for the financing of Sikorsky helicopters.
Ms. Mataka also has substantial experience in other cross-border matters. Representative assignments include acting as counsel to:
- Major international microfinance organizations on an array of issues, including the transformation of non-profit entities into regulated financial institutions, divestment from microfinance operations overseas, government expropriation of assets and general corporate matters;
- Large cruise company in the development of political risk insurance coverage;
- Concession company in connection with the privatization of the international airport in Belize;
- Lending bank in the financing of a geothermal field and power plant rehabilitation project in Nicaragua; and
- Air transport IT company in mergers and acquisitions, licensing and general corporate matters.
Ms. Mataka received her B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and earned her J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.
Honors and Awards
2015 – 2017 Who’s Who Legal Transport: Aviation Finance
2012 Airfinance Journal: Africa Deal of the Year – Ethiopian Airlines
2012 Trade Finance Magazine: Deal of the Year – Ethiopian Airlines
2012 Airfinance Journal: South America Deal of the Year – Gol Linhas Aéreas S.A.
2010 Jane’s Transport Finance: African Aircraft Debt Deal of the Year – Ethiopian Airlines
2008 Airfinance Journal: Latin America Deal of the Year – TAM Linhas Aéreas S.A.