EX-31 Rule13a-14(d)/15d-14(d) Certifications.

 

 

I, Kunal K. Singh,certify that:

 

1. I have reviewedthis report on Form 10-K and all reports on Form 10-D required to be filed inrespect of the period covered by this report on Form 10-K of the Benchmark2018-B5 Mortgage Trust (the "Exchange Act periodic reports");

 

2. Based on myknowledge, the Exchange Act periodic reports, taken as a whole, do not containany untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material factnecessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances underwhich such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the periodcovered by this report;

 

3. Based on myknowledge, all of the distribution, servicing and other information required tobe provided under Form 10-D for the period covered by this report is includedin the Exchange Act periodic reports;

 

4. Based on myknowledge and the servicer compliance statements required in this report underItem 1123 of Regulation AB, and except as disclosed in the Exchange Actperiodic reports, the servicers have fulfilled their obligations under theservicing agreements in all material respects; and

 

5. All of the reportson assessment of compliance with servicing criteria for asset-backed securitiesand their related attestation reports on assessment of compliance withservicing criteria for asset-backed securities required to be included in thisreport in accordance with Item 1122 of Regulation AB and Exchange Act Rules13a-18 and 15d-18 have been included as an exhibit to this report, except asotherwise disclosed in this report. Any material instances of noncompliancedescribed in such reports have been disclosed in this report on Form 10-K.

 

In giving thecertifications above, I have reasonably relied on information provided to me bythe following unaffiliated parties:

 

Wells Fargo Bank,National Association, as Master Servicer, Midland Loan Services, a Division ofPNC Bank, National Association, as Special Servicer, Wilmington Trust, NationalAssociation, as Trustee, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as CertificateAdministrator, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Custodian, PentalphaSurveillance LLC, as Operating Advisor, CoreLogic Commercial Real EstateServices, Inc., as Servicing Function Participant, National Tax Search, LLC, asServicing Function Participant, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, asPrimary Servicer for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan, Midland LoanServices, a Division of PNC Bank, National Association, as Special Servicer forthe Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan, Wilmington Trust, NationalAssociation, as Trustee for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan, WellsFargo Bank, National Association, as Certificate Administrator for the RadissonBlu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, asCustodian for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge LenderServices LLC, as Operating Advisor for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel MortgageLoan, CoreLogic Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc., as Servicing FunctionParticipant for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan, National Tax Search,LLC, as Servicing Function Participant for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel MortgageLoan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Primary Servicer for theAventura Mall Mortgage Loan, CWCapital Asset Management LLC, as SpecialServicer for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan, Wilmington Trust, NationalAssociation, as Trustee for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank,National Association, as Certificate Administrator for the Aventura MallMortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Custodian for theAventura Mall Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, as OperatingAdvisor for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan, CoreLogic Commercial Real EstateServices, Inc., as Servicing Function Participant for the Aventura MallMortgage Loan, National Tax Search, LLC, as Servicing Function Participant forthe Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan, KeyBank National Association, as PrimaryServicer for the Aon Center Mortgage Loan, AEGON USA Realty Advisors, LLC, asSpecial Servicer for the Aon Center Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, NationalAssociation, as Trustee and Certificate Administrator for the Aon CenterMortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Custodian for the AonCenter Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, as Operating Advisor forthe Aon Center Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, asPrimary Servicer for the 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan, CWCapital AssetManagement LLC, as Special Servicer for the 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan,Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee for the 181 Fremont StreetMortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as CertificateAdministrator for the 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank,National Association, as Custodian for the 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan,Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, as Operating Advisor for the 181 FremontStreet Mortgage Loan, CoreLogic Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc., asServicing Function Participant for the 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan,National Tax Search, LLC, as Servicing Function Participant for the 181 FremontStreet Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as PrimaryServicer for the Westbrook Corporate Center Mortgage Loan, CWCapital AssetManagement LLC, as Special Servicer for the Westbrook Corporate Center MortgageLoan, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee for the WestbrookCorporate Center Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, asCertificate Administrator for the Westbrook Corporate Center Mortgage Loan,Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Custodian for the WestbrookCorporate Center Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, as OperatingAdvisor for the Westbrook Corporate Center Mortgage Loan, CoreLogic CommercialReal Estate Services, Inc., as Servicing Function Participant for the WestbrookCorporate Center Mortgage Loan, National Tax Search, LLC, as Servicing FunctionParticipant for the Westbrook Corporate Center Mortgage Loan, KeyBank NationalAssociation, as Primary Servicer for the Workspace Mortgage Loan, KeyBankNational Association, as Special Servicer for the Workspace Mortgage Loan,Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee and CertificateAdministrator for the Workspace Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, NationalAssociation, as Custodian for the Workspace Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge LenderServices LLC, as Operating Advisor for the Workspace Mortgage Loan, KeyBankNational Association, as Primary Servicer for the Overland Park XchangeMortgage Loan, Midland Loan Services, a Division of PNC Bank, NationalAssociation, as Special Servicer for the Overland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan,Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee for the Overland ParkXchange Mortgage Loan, Citibank, N.A., as Certificate Administrator for theOverland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan, Citibank, N.A., as Custodian for theOverland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, asOperating Advisor for the Overland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan, and U.S. BankNational Association, as Servicing Function Participant for the Overland ParkXchange Mortgage Loan.

 

 

 

Dated: March 21, 2019

 

 

/s/ Kunal K. Singh

 

 

President and ChiefExecutive Officer

(seniorofficer in charge of securitization of the depositor)