Standing out for his expertise regarding low-carbon energy and infrastructure projects, Stephen Clugston at Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee regularly acts for private equity funds, institutional sponsors, and renewables developers on the development and financing of green assets and portfolios.
Helping catalyse green transition investments within the region, Clugston advised development finance institution British International Investment and sustainable infrastructure debt financing platform Pentagreen on the provision of an $80m facility to Ib Vogt to develop greenfield utility-scale solar, wind, and battery assets across Southeast Asia.
Clugston regularly hosts workshops to support clients in navigating risk in the renewable project lifecycle and leveraging opportunities in the development of green hydrogen projects. A particular expert in the financing of the coal power transition, Clugston shared his expertise within the World Resources Institute’s and Singapore Green Finance Centre’s expert workshop on accelerating the phase-out of coal and deployment of renewables.
Bringing corporate law expertise to the energy, natural resources, and infrastructure sectors, Nick Dingemans at Stephenson Harwood LLP is a key contact for decarbonisation- and energy transition-focused emerging market transactions.
For cleantech group Spectainer, Dingemans assisted in the structuring of voluntary and compliance carbon credit generation activities. A further key client is renewable energy developer and operator Peak Energy, whom Dingemans advised on the regulatory review of its power purchase agreements and operating lease agreements across South Korea, Indonesia, and Singapore.
Dingemans regularly leads key thought leadership discussions across the clean energy landscape, including hosting workshops and presentations to major regional governments on topics including carbon capture and storage. Dingemans also co-heads the firm’s energy trilemma roundtable discussions, which gather industry leaders to navigate solutions to the challenges of energy security, energy equity, and sustainability.
An expert in sustainable and blended finance, Timothy Goh at Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee regularly helps enable the development and acquisition of renewable energy platforms. A particular focus of his practice is assisting investment firms, asset managers, and private equity investors in their investments into climate transition- and renewable energy-focused companies and funds.
As a member of its ESG board, Goh makes a key contribution toward the firm’s internal sustainability initiatives, including helping integrate ESG principles within internal operations and leading training sessions on ESG regulatory developments and sustainable finance trends to upskill staff.
Also making a key contribution within academia, Goh helps organise Nanyang Technological University’s decarbonisation forum, partnering with the university’s sustainable finance innovation centre to lead discussions on industrial decarbonisation. Goh also contributes to the university’s decarbonisation playbook, which develops actionable climate strategies for the textiles and building sectors.
Focusing his practice on the construction aspects of major and transformative energy and infrastructure projects, Loh Yong Hui at Rajah & Tann Asia is regularly entrusted to advise on landmark green transition mandates. Loh brings a breadth of experience across the energy, natural resources, and digital infrastructure sectors, with a recent focus in the solar and bioenergy segments.
As Chief Representative of the firm’s Shenzhen Representative Office, Loh demonstrates strong relationships with Chinese clients. Loh acted for state-owned company China Harbour on the design, procurement, and construction of the 100 MW Jwaneng PV project, marking the client’s inaugural outbound investment and construction in the solar space.
Loh is a regular thought leader across a broad range of green transition topics. Recent focuses include the impact of energy efficiency standards on industrial and digital infrastructure assets, cross-border green electricity trade, and carbon and energy transition investments.
A projects specialist who brings notable expertise regarding ESG, climate change, and carbon, Michael Lawson at King & Wood Mallesons acts for major multinational energy companies on corporate and M&A matters.
A key client is multinational energy and commodities platform Hartree Partners, whom Lawson advised on terms and conditions for trading over-the-counter derivatives for energy and carbon. The product allows corporates to access and leverage the carbon and energy derivatives markets as part of their decarbonisation objectives.
As part of the firm’s ESG practice, Lawson actively engages with clients and industry bodies on sustainability topics. Lawson co-leads the firm’s region-wide initiative to leverage growth opportunities in carbon and, through this, led discussions with energy sector leaders on carbon market access and regulation. Lawson also co-hosted a workshop alongside the Carbon Market Institute on investment opportunities and emerging trends in the carbon market space.
A longstanding banking and projects expert who focuses his practice on sustainable finance, net zero investments, and clean energy, Nick Merritt at Norton Rose Fulbright is regularly entrusted by major multinational lenders on high-value green transition financings.
A key contact is the International Finance Corporation, whom Merritt advised regarding its sustainability-linked loan to chip board manufacturer AT&S. As a landmark sustainability-linked loan in the Malaysian electronics space, the mandate is key to promoting decarbonisation practices in the sector. Merritt also counts the Asian Development Bank among his clients and assisted in the restructuring of its loan facilities to Mytrah Vayu, which support the development of a 149 MW wind power project.
Merritt is a regular thought leader across the energy transition landscape, authoring reports and insights into topics including the offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen segments.
An energy and infrastructure expert and member of the ESG global committee at Milbank, James Orme is an expert regarding the green and sustainability-linked financing of renewable energy and digital infrastructure assets.
In the data centre space, Orme acted for the finance parties in the $1.44bn financing of Adani ConneX’s portfolio of hyperscale data centres to be constructed in Pune and Hyderabad in India. The financing, notable for being among the largest sustainability-linked financings in India, promotes energy efficiency and renewable power consumption in the data centre space.
Orme is a notable thought leader regarding the importance of thematic finance in boosting digital infrastructure across Asia, authoring insights into topics including how sustainability-linked loans can best promote efficient development. Orme also supports impact investment manager Beneficial Returns on a pro bono basis, assisting its loan programme to support sustainable SMEs across Latin America and Southeast Asia.
Linklaters’ Laure de Panafieu is a key contact among decarbonisation- and sustainability-focused companies on critical ESG issues. As head of the firm’s employment and incentives practice, de Panafieu supports clients, particularly in the private equity and alternative investments segments, in integrating and upholding ESG- and DEI-aligned practices and policies.
De Panafieu plays a key role in the firm’s sustainability engagement and ESG strategy on a national and regional level, including co-leading its sustainability committee in Singapore, chairing its Asia environment committee, and serving as a core member of its Asia ESG steering committee.
De Panafieu also helps drive the firm’s ESG leadership roundtable series, which invites leaders from major sustainability- and ESG-focused corporates and civil society organisations to advance the dialogue on climate, carbon, biodiversity, sustainable finance, and greenwashing.
A project finance and development expert who focuses her practice on the green transition, Linklaters’ Xylia Sim leverages strong relationships with major regional export credit agencies and multilateral development banks to help enable transformative renewable energy and green infrastructure projects.
For Macquarie Asset Management, Sim advised on the sale to Macquarie Green Energy and Climate Opportunities Fund of a 17 GW+ portfolio of development-, construction-, and operational-stage solar, wind, energy storage, and natural climate solutions investments. The mandate is key in ensuring the viability of projects at the forefront of the green transition across Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
Sim regularly engages with key industry stakeholders to help promote energy transition opportunities, including hosting a roundtable discussion which explored financial mechanisms to enable phase-out of coal power. Sim has also moderated discussions on developments regarding the carbon capture and storage value chain within the region and on the regulatory treatment of transition finance in Asia.
At Reed Smith LLP, Gregory Xu is regularly entrusted to advise on transformative deals across the maritime, trade, and offshore energy sectors. Bringing deep familiarity regarding clean energy, carbon, and green infrastructure projects, Xu is a key port of call for landmark green and sustainability-linked financings.
Xu takes up a leadership role within the legal sector by contributing to sustainability training webinars and best practice as part of the Law Society of Singapore’s ESG working group. Furthering this leadership within key industry associations, Xu sits on the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association’s green and sustainable finance committee.
Leveraging longstanding environmental law expertise, Corrs Chambers Westgarth’s Anna White is a key authority across sustainability, energy transition, and climate reporting matters. White also brings notable expertise on carbon projects as head of the firm’s carbon markets taskforce.
In a critical and landmark claim at the forefront of environmental litigation, White is representing a group of clients before the Victorian Supreme Court seeking to recover the costs of managing PFAS contamination caused by 3M’s products. The matter is crucial in seeking to build and enforce accountability for widespread environmental contamination.
White is a standout thought leader across the sustainability space, authoring articles on topics including nature positivity and Australia’s climate-related financial disclosures regime, as well as hosting talks and presentations on carbon markets matters, net zero pathways, and biodiversity conservation.
Lux Nova Partners Limited’s Tom Bainbridge is an expert in the delivery of clean energy projects. Building off a wealth of experience across the clean energy segment, Bainbridge now focuses his practice on the clean heat segment.
A key client is the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, whom Bainbridge assists in the delivery of the Heat Network Investment Programme and Green Heat Network Fund. For the client, Bainbridge advised on all legal aspects of the funding application, award, and contract process, helping enable the UK district heating sector to effectively scale up and delivery low-carbon heat to consumers.
Bainbridge has contributed to the establishment of best practice across the clean energy segment, including publishing a set of government-sponsored free-to-use template district heating contracts. Bainbridge also sits as a member of the Heat Trust Committee and served as director of the UK Emissions Trading Group until 2024.
Heading the global ESG practice at Linklaters LLP, Rachel Barrett is a key contact on pressing ESG governance and risk management mandates. A trusted advisor on strategic ESG matters, including navigating regulator and stakeholder obligations and expectations, Barrett supports major global corporates and financial services companies in meeting disclosure requirements, managing risk, and effectively planning for the green transition.
Bringing deep expertise on how multinationals can leverage opportunities within the sustainability regulatory and risk landscape, Barrett acts for Barclays in navigating ESG regulation, climate disclosures, sustainable finance matters, and in implementing its ESG strategy.
Barrett plays a key role in shaping the firm’s green commitments, including supporting the internal sustainability team in navigating climate disclosures, understanding the legal sector’s climate-related risks, and preparing its sustainability report. Barrett helped design the firm’s ESG accelerator programme, which supports global teams in integrating sustainability considerations into their client work.
Jannis Bille heads Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP’s UK ESG team and is a key contact across transactional and regulatory matters. Focusing his practice on ESG and climate change issues, Bille acts for leading multinational companies – particularly in the consumer goods, resources, and commodities spaces – in climate change risk management mandates and navigating regulatory frameworks including CSRD, CSDDD, and the EU Taxonomy.
Bille is an expert in navigating regulatory matters regarding the energy and low-carbon transition, including the EU Methane Regulation, EU Batteries Regulation, EU CBAM, and sustainable fuels regulation.
Bille is a leader on climate matters in the legal and business communities. Alongside serving as a trustee and co-chair of Legal Response International, through which he provided pro bono legal support to developing countries in the COP28 and COP29 climate negotiations, Bille also supported the International Council of Mining and Metals in creating its scope 3 guidance. Internally, Bille played a key role in the development of the firm’s CSRD Mapper tool and Climate Fresk workshop.
An expert on construction, commercial, and concession contracts, Nathan Bradberry at Bevan Brittan LLP is highly sought-after among energy developers, local authorities, and investors, particularly concerning district heat and power projects.
A key client is the BXS joint venture, which is managing the design and delivery of the district energy scheme for the Brent Cross South development. Alongside his advice on the delivery of the utility networks, Bradberry also assisted in the deployment of funding from DESNZ’s Green Heat Network fund, supporting the project to become net-zero carbon by 2030.
A thought leader across the clean energy sector, Bradberry regularly speaks on green heat topics, including chairing a panel on heat network developments and hosting presentations on the district heating space. Bradberry also led the establishment of the firm’s internal environmental sustainability group, which is working toward carbon reduction and neutrality, environmental management, and staff awareness-raising.
Boasting a wealth of expertise on natural capital and novel environmental law issues, Richard Broadbent at Freeths LLP is a leading authority on the intersection of law and policy in the sustainability arena.
Broadbent possesses broad experience in matters concerning protected sites. In a mandate which helps improve the legal regimes protecting biodiversity, Broadbent acted for the Office for Environmental Protection in its review of the frameworks governing protected nature conservation sites.
A key thought leader across the sustainability landscape, Broadbent speaks at industry and educational events concerning nature conservation and biodiversity, participates in podcasts and webinars on nature and sustainable development, and authors articles on developments in the habitats, biodiversity, and nature recovery spaces. Broadbent also provides public and private sector clients with training on topics including marine ecosystems and biodiversity net gain.
Bringing deep operational risk and environment expertise to his roles within Travers Smith LLP’s ESG and impact group and ESG transactions and advisory sub-committee, John Buttanshaw acts for leading multinational corporate clients on business-critical sustainability mandates.
A key client is KFC, whom Buttanshaw is advising on environmental and climate risk, reporting, and compliance matters, helping navigate the regulatory landscape surrounding topics including packaging waste, circular economy, climate change, biodiversity, and deforestation. Buttanshaw is also acting for Meta regarding its compliance with EU CSRD and NFRD reporting obligations and navigating supply chain risk under the EU CSDDD.
As a leader of the firm’s ESG initiatives committee, Buttanshaw supports the delivery of internal sustainability programmes including the implementation of low-carbon procurement and circular economy practices. A notable thought leader in the sustainability space, Buttanshaw is active on the British Property Federation’s sustainability committee and elsewhere speaks on topics including nature-positive legal solutions.
As the environmental team head and sector lead for energy and utilities at Weightmans LLP, Simon Colvin is a notable advisor across a diversity of clean energy, carbon and emissions management, and ESG mandates.
A key client is construction group VINCI, whom Colvin is assisting in its internal carbon management upskilling and in the development of a PAS 2080 standard-aligned action plan. The mandate makes a significant contribution toward the client’s carbon reduction plan by boosting its management of whole-life carbon in buildings and infrastructure.
Colvin plays a key role in the development of the firm’s internal ESG strategy and works to build an awareness of sustainability challenges and opportunities among junior staff. Alongside this role, Colvin supports the firm’s participation in the Legal Sustainability Alliance and Greener Litigation Pledge. Colvin is also a member of the Global Association of Impact Lawyers and a fellow of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals.
Possessing longstanding experience at the forefront of the UK’s clean energy sector, Maria Connolly at TLT boasts strong relationships with leading renewables developers. As head of the firm’s future energy team, Connolly assists in development, commercial, and transactional mandates across the renewables generation and storage segments.
In a high-value mandate, Connolly acted for renewables and sustainable agriculture developer AGR power in negotiating a virtual Power Purchase Agreement with Manchester City Council. The matter is key in advancing the decarbonisation of the city.
Serving as the executive board sponsor for the firm’s sustainability strategy and as a member of its impact committee, Connolly is committed to building green dialogue and best practice internally and assessing how the firm can play a positive role regarding its people, environment, and community. Extending her leadership into the business community, Connolly is a founding member of the Regen Entrepreneurial Women in Renewable Energy programme.
Keith Davidson at Irwin Mitchell leverages longstanding expertise at the forefront of environmental law issues to advise on climate change and environmental liability issues. As a core focus of his practice, Davidson assists in navigating net zero readiness assessments and by integrating climate clauses into transactional documents.
In a high-value mandate, Davidson is advising the shareholders of FM Conway on its sale to VINCI Construction, assisting in environmental due diligence, negotiating environmental indemnities, navigating contaminated land issues, and advising on UK and EU Emissions Trading Scheme issues. Davidson also provides expertise on PFAS contamination matters.
Davidson is a key voice on sustainability best practice within the legal sector. Alongside serving on the Law Society drafting group for its practice note on conveyancing and climate risk, Davidson sits on the Law Society climate change working group, where he provides insights into topics including net zero ambitions and climate action within the real estate and environment spaces.
