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 Custodian for the Radisson Blu Aqua HotelMortgage Loan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, as Operating Advisor for theRadisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan, CoreLogic Commercial Real EstateServices, Inc., as Servicing Function Participant for the Radisson Blu AquaHotel Mortgage Loan, National Tax Search, LLC, as Servicing FunctionParticipant for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan, KeyBank NationalAssociation, as Primary Servicer for the Aon Center Mortgage Loan, AEGON USARealty Advisors, LLC, as Special Servicer for the Aon Center Mortgage Loan,Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee for the Aon Center MortgageLoan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Custodian for the Aon CenterMortgage Loan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, as Operating Advisor for theAon Center Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as PrimaryServicer for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan, CWCapital Asset Management LLC,as Special Servicer for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan, Wilmington Trust,National Association, as Trustee for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan, WellsFargo Bank, National Association, as Custodian for the Aventura Mall MortgageLoan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, as Operating Advisor for the Aventura MallMortgage Loan, CoreLogic Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc., as ServicingFunction Participant for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan, National Tax Search,LLC, as Servicing Function Participant for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan,Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Primary Servicer for the WestbrookCorporate Center Mortgage Loan, CWCapital Asset Management LLC, as SpecialServicer for the Westbrook Corporate Center Mortgage Loan, Wilmington Trust,National Association, as Trustee for the Westbrook Corporate Center MortgageLoan, 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, Wells Fargo Bank,National Association, as Primary Servicer for the 181 Fremont Street MortgageLoan, CWCapital Asset Management LLC, as Special Servicer for the 181 FremontStreet Mortgage Loan, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee forthe 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,as Custodian for the 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge LenderServices LLC, as Operating Advisor for the 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan,CoreLogic Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc., as Servicing FunctionParticipant for the 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan, National Tax Search, LLC,as Servicing Function Participant for the 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan,KeyBank National Association, as Primary Servicer for the Workspace MortgageLoan, KeyBank National Association, as Special Servicer for the WorkspaceMortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee for theWorkspace Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Custodianfor the Workspace Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, as OperatingAdvisor for the Workspace Mortgage Loan, KeyBank National Association, asPrimary Servicer for the Overland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan, Midland LoanServices, a Division of PNC Bank, National Association, as Special Servicer forthe Overland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan, Wilmington Trust, NationalAssociation, as Trustee for the Overland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan, Citibank,N.A., as Custodian for the Overland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan, Park BridgeLender Services LLC, as Operating Advisor for the Overland Park XchangeMortgage Loan, and U.S. Bank National Association, as Servicing FunctionParticipant for the Overland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan.

 

 

 

Dated: March 20, 2020

 

 

/s/ Kunal K. Singh

 

 

President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer

(seniorofficer in charge of securitization of the depositor)