EX-31 Rule 13a-14(d)/15d-14(d) Certifications.

 

 

I, Kunal K. Singh, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this report on Form 10-K and all reports onForm 10-D required to be filed in respect of the period covered by this reporton Form 10-K of the Benchmark 2018-B5 Mortgage Trust (the "Exchange Actperiodic reports");

 

2. Based on my knowledge, the Exchange Act periodic reports, takenas a whole, do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit tostate a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of thecircumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading withrespect to the period covered by this report;

 

3. Based on my knowledge, all of the distribution, servicing andother information required to be provided under Form 10-D for the periodcovered by this report is included in the Exchange Act periodic reports;

 

4. Based on my knowledge and the servicer compliance statementsrequired in this report under Item 1123 of Regulation AB, and except asdisclosed in the Exchange Act periodic reports, the servicers have fulfilledtheir obligations under the servicing agreements in all material respects; and

 

5. All of the reports on assessment of compliance with servicingcriteria for asset-backed securities and their related attestation reports onassessment of compliance with servicing criteria for asset-backed securitiesrequired to be included in this report in accordance with Item 1122 ofRegulation AB and Exchange Act Rules 13a-18 and 15d-18 have been included as anexhibit to this report, except as otherwise disclosed in this report. Anymaterial instances of noncompliance described in such reports have beendisclosed in this report on Form 10-K.

 

In giving the certifications above, I have reasonably relied oninformation provided to me by the following unaffiliated parties:

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Master Servicer,Midland Loan Services, a Division of PNC Bank, National Association, as SpecialServicer, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee, Wells Fargo Bank,National Association, as Certificate Administrator, Wells Fargo Bank, NationalAssociation, as Custodian, Pentalpha Surveillance LLC, as Operating Advisor,CoreLogic Solutions, LLC, as Servicing Function Participant, ComputershareTrust Company, National Association, as Servicing Function Participant for theCertificate Administrator on and after November 1, 2021, ComputershareTrust Company, National Association, as Servicing Function Participant for theCustodian on and after November 1, 2021, Wells Fargo Bank, NationalAssociation, as Primary Servicer for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan,Midland Loan Services, a Division of PNC Bank, National Association, as SpecialServicer for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan prior to July 14, 2021,LNR Partners, LLC, as Special Servicer for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel MortgageLoan on and after July 14, 2021, Wilmington Trust, National Association, asTrustee for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank,National Association, as Custodian for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel MortgageLoan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, as Operating Advisor for the RadissonBlu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan, CoreLogic Solutions, LLC, as Servicing FunctionParticipant for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan, Computershare TrustCompany, National Association, as Servicing Function Participant for theCustodian for the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Mortgage Loan on and afterNovember 1, 2021, KeyBank National Association, as Primary Servicer forthe Aon Center Mortgage Loan, AEGON USA Realty Advisors, LLC, as SpecialServicer for the Aon Center Mortgage Loan prior to March 29, 2021, SitusHoldings, LLC, as Special Servicer for the Aon Center Mortgage Loan on andafter March 29, 2021, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee forthe Aon Center Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, asCustodian for the Aon Center Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, asOperating Advisor for the Aon Center Mortgage Loan, Computershare TrustCompany, National Association, as Servicing Function Participant for theCustodian for the Aon Center Mortgage Loan on and after November 1, 2021,Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Primary Servicer for the AventuraMall Mortgage Loan, CWCapital Asset Management LLC, as Special Servicer for theAventura Mall Mortgage Loan, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trusteefor the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, asCustodian for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC,as Operating Advisor for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan, CoreLogic Solutions,LLC, as Servicing Function Participant for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan,Computershare Trust Company, National Association, as Servicing FunctionParticipant for the Custodian for the Aventura Mall Mortgage Loan on and afterNovember 1, 2021, 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, as Custodianfor the Westbrook Corporate Center Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge Lender ServicesLLC, as Operating Advisor for the Westbrook Corporate Center Mortgage Loan,CoreLogic Solutions, LLC, as Servicing Function Participant for the WestbrookCorporate Center Mortgage Loan, Computershare Trust Company, NationalAssociation, as Servicing Function Participant for the Custodian for theWestbrook Corporate Center Mortgage Loan on and after November 1, 2021,Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Primary Servicer for the 181 FremontStreet Mortgage Loan, CWCapital Asset Management LLC, as Special Servicer forthe 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan, Wilmington Trust, National Association,as Trustee for the 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, NationalAssociation, as Custodian for the 181 Fremont Street Mortgage Loan, Park BridgeLender Services LLC, as Operating Advisor for the 181 Fremont Street MortgageLoan, CoreLogic Solutions, LLC, as Servicing Function Participant for the 181Fremont Street Mortgage Loan, Computershare Trust Company, NationalAssociation, as Servicing Function Participant for the Custodian for the 181Fremont Street Mortgage Loan on and after November 1, 2021, KeyBankNational Association, as Primary Servicer for the Workspace Mortgage Loan,KeyBank National Association, as Special Servicer for the Workspace MortgageLoan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee for the WorkspaceMortgage Loan, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Custodian for theWorkspace Mortgage Loan, Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, as Operating Advisorfor the Workspace Mortgage Loan, Computershare Trust Company, NationalAssociation, as Servicing Function Participant for the Custodian for theWorkspace Mortgage Loan on and after November 1, 2021, KeyBank NationalAssociation, as Primary Servicer for the Overland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan,Midland Loan Services, a Division of PNC Bank, National Association, as SpecialServicer for the Overland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan, Wilmington Trust,National Association, as Trustee for the Overland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan,Citibank, N.A., as Custodian for the Overland Park Xchange Mortgage Loan, ParkBridge Lender 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 10,2022

 

 

/s/ Kunal K. Singh

Kunal K. Singh

President and Chief Executive Officer

(seniorofficer in charge of securitization of the depositor)