Eversheds Sutherland bolsters its Energy and Infrastructure practice

As the MENA region continues to cement its position in the global energy market, Eversheds Sutherland has announced the relocation of two senior partners to expand the Energy and Infrastructure practice in the region.

Iwan Walters and Karim Mahmud joined the Dubai office in April and July respectively.

Both Iwan and Karim have significant global experience advising on energy and infrastructure projects across the MENA region. As Dubai develops as a capital hub for investments in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and other regions around the world, the global practice is keen to mobilise service expertise to advise its clients.

With a growing trend to develop renewable energy schemes in the Middle East and Africa, Iwan has been appointed Head of Clean Energy and Sustainability MENA. As one of Eversheds Sutherland’s leading clean energy and sustainability lawyers, he has advised on the development of renewables work in the MENA region, including Egypt, Oman, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

With over 25 years of experience, Karim has been appointed Head of Conventional Energy and Infrastructure MENA. He will focus on the development of major energy and infrastructure projects in the oil and gas, conventional power, transport and social infrastructure sectors. Karim has advised project sponsors, governments (including national energy companies) and major engineering companies on multi-$bn projects in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe.

Tawfiq Tabbaa, Regional Managing Partner, commented:

“I am delighted that Iwan and Karim have relocated to Dubai. We have one of the largest teams in the Middle East and continue to invest. Our priority is to provide our clients with a global perspective coupled with local knowledge and expertise. With Iwan and Karim on board we are well-placed to deliver this.”

Rob Pitcher, Co-Head Global Energy and Infrastructure, said:

“Iwan and Karim have been working for clients based in the MENA region for many years. It is important for our clients that they are based in Dubai. Infrastructure and clean energy projects require global consistency and our clients and their investors expect us, in all our work, to incorporate best approaches and lessons learnt from other markets, as well as understanding the dynamics of local markets. Iwan and Karim bring these attributes to the work we are doing for our very important clients in these sectors.”

Iwan and Karim have joined a strong existing team across eight offices in six countries in the MENA region - Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Riyadh, Amman, Doha, Baghdad, and Erbil and Tunis. Team partners include Clint Dempsey, Paul Taylor, Shalagh Massingham, Iyad Zawaideh, Muhammad Arif Saeed, Dani Kabbani, Richard Ward, Tawfiq Tabbaa and Farès Koussay El Heni.

Iwan and Karim’s relocation follows the appointment of partner Paul Taylor to the Dubai team in the Middle East.

For more information visit, Eversheds Sutherland Energy and Infrastructure

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About the energy and infrastructure team: 

The team has advised on some of the most material energy and infrastructure transactions in the MENA region, including advising:

• Scatec on the US$400m financing of six separate ground mounted solar projects in Egypt as part of the Egyptian Round II Solar PV Feed-In Tariffs (FIT) programme which is part of the largest renewables programme in Egypt
• CNPC on its US$1.76bn investment in Abu Dhabi’s largest ever onshore oil concession
• the Tunisian Government on the country’s first two PPP water projects
• the majority (over 20) of the developers on Egypt’s Round II renewables programme
• one of the world’s largest rail companies on the Qatar rail network

Current projects Karim is leading on in the MENA region include advising on a major gas joint venture, advising on the development and construction of a major water desalinisation project, and advising on the restructuring of a major power operations and maintenance business involving a GCC state-owned utility. More widely, Karim is advising on a Belt & Road transaction involving the creation of a Special Economic Zone for an Asian state.

Iwan has advised on eight projects in the Egyptian FIT programme, including advising a bidding consortium on the DAJ 400MW wind programme in Saudi Arabia and advising a leading Saudi conglomerate on the Noor CSP solar programme in Morocco. Further afield, Iwan recently advised Shell on its acquisition of First Utility a leading energy supply business, EDF Energy on its disposal of a majority stake in five operating on shore wind farms and Greencoat Capital on the acquisition of the largest solar PV portfolio in Europe. Iwan brings a global perspective to the work Eversheds Sutherland undertakes for clients in the MENA region and as they invest outside the region as well.

About Eversheds Sutherland:

As a global top 40 law practice, Eversheds Sutherland provides legal services to a global client base ranging from small and mid-sized businesses to the largest multinationals, acting for 72 of the Fortune 100, 61 of the FTSE 100 and 120 of the Fortune 200.

With more than 2,800 lawyers, Eversheds Sutherland operates in 66 offices in 32 jurisdictions across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. In addition, a network of more than 200 related law firms, including formalized alliances in Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa, provide support around the globe.

www.eversheds-sutherland.com

© Press Release 2018