Clifford Chance
Alex advises corporates, private equity investors and investment banks on complex and innovative securities offerings, including IPOs, rights offerings, and high yield and investment grade debt offerings. Alex has advised on more than €50 billion of securities offerings since 2017.
He is ranked as a leading Capital Markets lawyer by Chambers and IFLR, and is recognized as one of Legal 500’s Hall of Fame Capital Market lawyers.
Alex is a member of the Bar of the State of New York.
Recent transactions include advising on:
- InPost’s $4 billion IPO on Euronext Amsterdam—the largest ever European Tech IPO, and one of the largest ever European IPOs
- CTP’s €850 million IPO, the largest European Real Estate IPO since 2014
- OQ’s $750 million inaugural 5.1% Yankee bond offering
- Euronext’s €1.8 billion equity offering to finance its €4.4 billion acquisition of Borsa Italiana
- Adyen’s €1 billion IPO and €4 billion follow on offerings (Equity Deal of the Year – IFLR)
- Network International’s $1.6 billion IPO and premium London listing (IPO of the Year – IFR)
- Arabian Centre’s $750 million IPO, the first ever Rule 144A Saudi IPO (Middle East IPO of the Year – IFLR)
- ALD’s €1.3 billion IPO and Euronext Paris listing (one of the largest IPOs in France to date)
- Solvay's $6.8 billion equity and debt offerings
- VINCI’s inaugural $1 billion Yankee bond offering
- the Sultanate of Oman’s $20 billion offerings of notes
Comments from Chambers and Legal 500 include:
- "I really appreciate working with him given his extreme level of intellectual input and dedication. He has also deep understanding of commercial aspects." (Chambers 2023)
- "Not only is working with him a pleasure, but he also has a breadth of experience that is unique in continental Europe as a US partner. He is always on point and looking at striking a good deal for the parties." (Chambers 2023)
- “He has fantastic technical, commercial and multilingual skills” and “a deep knowledge of market practice and a very pragmatic approach to issues.” (Chambers 2019)
- “He is commercial and is able to manage customers in difficult contexts; he puts clients at ease even in stressful moments.” (Chambers 2021)
- “Alex Bafi wins plaudits for his expertise in cross-border mandates and major IPOs, and is 'very quick-minded and very pragmatic.'” (Chambers 2020)
- “The ‘outstanding’ US-qualified attorney Alex Bafi is ‘extremely experienced across geographies and a variety of transactions, and able to handle delicate issues in a deal through a very professional approach.’” (Chambers)
- “praised for his multinational practice, multilingual skills and 'ability to establish a fantastic rapport with clients.'” (Legal 500)
- “an extremely bright US lawyer with an incredibly deep knowledge of the continental ways of doing business.” (Chambers)
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, Paris
- +33144055267
- Email me
- Speaks French, Arabic, Italian, Spanish and Turkish
- Practice area Global Financial Markets, Capital markets
- Sector Banks, Insurance, Telecommunications, media & technology, Real estate, Energy & resources
Career and qualifications
- New York University (JD) 1993
- Davis Polk & Wardwell, New York, Paris and London 1993
- Admitted as an Attorney-at-Law in New York 1994
- Herbert Smith Freehills, London, Partner 2001
- Joined Clifford Chance as a Partner 2015
Professional bodies
- American Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
Awards and citations
- Alex Bafi is ranked as part of the 'Hall of Fame' for the practice.
Legal 500 2024, EMEA Capital Markets: Equity Capital Markets - France - Alex Bafi advises major financial institutions on IPOs and bookbuild offerings. He often acts on pan-European deals as well as those involving African and Middle Eastern jurisdictions. He is qualified to practise in the USA.
"Alex is really calm and a deal-maker."
"I rate him highly for European and Middle East deals. He is very deal-friendly."
"He is a great lawyer with strong involvement and is very responsive."
Chambers Europe 2024, Capital Markets: Equity - France
Chambers Global 2024, Capital Markets: Equity - France
- "Alex Bafi is ranked as "Highly Regarded".
IFLR 2023, Capital Markets: Debt, Equity - France - Alex Bafi is ranked in the 'Hall of Fame' for the practice.
Legal 500 EMEA 2023, Capital Markets: Equity - France - Alex Bafi advises major financial institutions on IPOs and bookbuild offerings. He often acts on pan-European deals as well as those involving African and Middle Eastern jurisdictions. He is qualified to practise in the USA.
"I really appreciate working with him given his extreme level of dedication and intellectual input. He has also deep understanding of commercial aspects."
"He is not only a very nice person and working with him is a pleasure, he also has a breadth of experience that is unique in continental Europe as a US partner. He is always on point and looking at striking a good deal for the parties."
"He has a longstanding track record and is a very pleasant communicator."
Chambers Global 2023, Capital Markets: Equity - France
Chambers Europe 2023, Capital Markets: Equity - France - Alex Bafi is ranked as "Highly Regarded".
IFLR 2022, DCM, ECM - France - Alex Bafi is ranked in the 'Hall of Fame' for the practice.
Legal 500 2022, Capital Markets: Equity Capital Markets - France
- Alex Bafi advises major financial institutions on IPOs and bookbuild offerings. He often acts on cases involving African and Middle Eastern jurisdictions. He is qualified to practise in the USA. Clients note his "very deep experience" and ability to work across different geographies.
Chambers Global 2022, Capital Markets: Equity – France
Chambers Europe 2022, Capital Markets: Equity – France
- Alex Bafi is ranked as "Leading Individual".
Legal 500 2021, Capital Markets: Equity Capital Markets - France - Alex Bafi is ranked as "Highly regarded".
IFLR EMEA 2021, Capital markets: Debt, Capital markets: Equity - France - US-qualified Alex Bafi advises major financial institutions on IPOs and bookbuild offerings. He often acts on cases involving African and Middle Eastern jurisdictions. One client says: "He is extremely commercial and is able to manage customers in difficult contexts; he puts clients at ease even in stressful moments."
Chambers Global 2021, Capital Markets / Capital Markets: Equity – France
Chambers Europe 2021, Capital Markets: Equity – France - "US-qualified Alex Bafi wins plaudits for his expertise in cross-border mandates, primarily acting for underwriters on major IPOs. Clients commend his strong experience in this area, deeming him to be "very quick-minded and very pragmatic.""
Chambers Global 2020, Capital Markets: Equity – France - Alex Bafi is ranked as a "highly regarded" practitioner.
IFLR1000 2020 – France - "Alex Bafi heads the US capital markets practice in France and has a strong record in advising investment banks and corporations on international securities offerings, including investment grade Rule 144A Yankee bond offerings." He is ranked also as leading individual in ECM.
Legal 500 2020, Capital Markets: Equity – France - US-qualified Alex Bafi wins plaudits for his expertise in cross-border mandates, primarily acting for underwriters on major IPOs. Clients commend his strong experience in this area, deeming him to be "very quick-minded and very pragmatic."
Chambers Global 2020, Capital Markets - France
Chambers Europe 2020, Capital Markets - France - "Clifford Chance is particularly active in IPOs, but also demonstrates strength in rights offerings, convertible bonds, block trades and equity derivatives. Employee shares schemes and stock option schemes are another area of focus. US securities specialist Alex Bafi and Aline Cardin, an expert in French and international securities offerings, head the practice. Jointly with regulatory specialist Frédérick Lacroix the team advised Société Générale as shareholder and ALD as issuer on ALD's €1.2bn Rule 144A IPO on the Euronext Paris, assisting with both French and US law issues. On the block trade side, recent highlights include advising Altrafin on the sale of 8.4% of Altran's share capital by way of accelerated bookbuilding. Olivier Plessis made counsel and Julien Rocherieux was promoted to partner."
Legal 500 EMEA 2019, Capital Markets: Equity - France - "Clifford Chance provides French, US and English law expertise, acting for French and international banks as well as for issuers, including corporates, financial institutions and public sector clients such as municipalities. Alex Bafi, Cédric Burford and Jonathan Lewis are the names to note, with counsel Auriane Bijon and newly promoted counsel Olivier Plessis providing key support. Recent highlights include advising the banks, including BNP Paribas, Société Générale and UniCredit Bank, on Sanofi's €8bn bond issuance, assisting Unibail-Rodamco with its €2bn dual tranche hybrid bond issuance and advising the government of the Sultanate of Oman on the English and US law issues regarding its potential Rule 144A offering of debt securities and simultaneous sukuk offering. Natixis instructed the group to assist with Foncière de Région's cash tender offer on existing bonds and new issue of bonds. Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Morgan Stanley and Carrefour also count among the team's clients."
Legal 500 EMEA 2019, Capital Markets: Debt - France - US-qualified, Alex Bafi is praised for his international experience in ECM matters. He is a fluent French, English, Italian and Arabic speaker. One client reports that Bafi "has a deep knowledge of market practice and a very pragmatic approach to issues,"while another states: "He has fantastic technical, commercial and multilingual skills."
Chambers Europe 2019, Capital Markets: Equity - France
Chambers Global 2019, Capital Markets: Equity - France - US-qualified, Alex Bafi is praised for his international experience in ECM matters. He is a fluent French, English, Italian and Arabic speaker. One client reports that Bafi "has a deep knowledge of market practice and a very pragmatic approach to issues,"while another states: "He has fantastic technical, commercial and multilingual skills."
Chambers Europe 2019, Capital Markets: Equity - France
Chambers Global 2019, Capital Markets: Equity - France - "Clifford Chance advises banks, multinationals and public entities on the full spectrum of debt instruments. Cédric Burford and Alex Bafi lead the department, and are supported by Auriane Bijon, who made counsel in 2017. Highlights included acting for the government of the Sultanate of Oman on a $1.5bn 144A offering in debt securities underwritten by Citigroup, J. P. Morgan, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, the National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Natixis, and advising Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank on cash tender offers and consent solicitation by Crédit Agricole and Crédit Agricole Home Loan SFH regarding subordinated and covered bonds totalling €4.3bn. Other recent work includes advising Transdev Group on its first Schuldschein issuance and acting for the Caisse d’Amortissement de la Dette Sociale on the issuance of $2.5bn notes underwritten by Barclays, BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank and HSBC, which involved high-value placements in the US and advising on US securities law. Accor Hotels, Carrefour and Unibail Rodamco are also clients."
Legal 500 EMEA 2018, Capital Markets: Debt - France - "Clifford Chance acts for corporates, financial institutions and funds, with experience spanning IPO and share capital increases as well as employee share and stock option schemes. US-law expert Alex Bafi is a key practitioner alongside Aline Cardin and Anne Lemercier. In a major highlight, the group acted for Société Générale on the IPO of its subsidiary ALD, acting for both Société Générale as shareholder and ALD as issuer. Other highlights include advising Altrafin on a share sale by accelerated bookbuilding involving institutional investors; handling the IPO and listing of Inventiva on the regulated market of Euronext Paris for Société Générale and KBC; and assisting Technip with employee share plans following its merger with FMC. BNP Paribas Fortis, Credit Suisse, Vallourec and Apax are also clients."
Legal 500 EMEA 2018, Capital Markets: Equity - France
- "Clifford Chance is ‘top of the range for equity capital markets work across Europe’, particularly for banks. The team has ‘a commercial approach’ and is ‘able to deal with complex transactions’ across French, UK and US law, often representing banks. Recent work includes advising Société Générale on Amundi’s IPO and a Rule 144A private placement in the US, as well as assisting Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley with Solvay’s €1.5bn rights issuance with a Rule 144A placement in the US. The ‘outstanding’ US-qualified attorney Alex Bafi is ‘extremely experienced across geographies and a variety of transactions, and able to handle delicate issues in a deal through a very professional approach’. Aline Cardin and Gilles Lebreton are also highly regarded"
Legal 500 EMEA 2017, Capital Markets: Equity - France - "Clifford Chance ‘always provides the right advice’. The ‘responsive’ 15-lawyer team advises banks and issuers on large, complex DCM mandates domestically and internationally, notably including corporate and public sector bond issuances, as well as complex hybrid bonds and emerging markets transactions. It assisted Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley with Solvay’s triple-tranche issuance, comprising €1bn bonds, $1.6bn of Rule 144A bonds and €2.25bn of senior bonds. The team is led by US-qualified attorney Alex Bafi and Cédric Burford, who provides ‘prompt and smart responses."
Legal 500 EMEA 2017, Capital Markets: Debt - France - "Clifford Chance shows ‘impressive industry knowledge, in particular as to market developments’. The 11-lawyer practice has full-service expertise and represents leading corporate issuers and underwriters. Recent work includes various complex matters, such as hybrid and high-yield bond issuances, US and China issuances, US and Eurobond sovereign issuances and public sector issuances. Highlights included advising Volvo Treasury AB on its dual-tranche €1.5bn hybrid bond issuance listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and acting for the banks on the Republic of Gabon’s Rule 144A $500m offering. The practice is headed by Cédric Burford and US-qualified lawyer Alex Bafi".
Legal 500 EMEA 2016, Capital markets: Debt - France