Yann Alix > Ashurst > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Ashurst’s specialist mining practice provides expertise on mining projects at all stages, operating in multiple jurisdictions. The group has a focus on emerging markets, particularly in francophone and anglophone Africa. Drawing on the strength of its M&A, project development, financing, and dispute resolution practices, the team is comfortable handling high-value, complex, and international deals. The team is led by Yann Alix, a dual-qualified French and English lawyer who specialises in M&A transactions and project development. Nick Williamson specialises in M&A and corporate finance, while Tim Rennie has extensive experience in corporate lending, working with both financial institutions and corporate borrowers.

Ashurst‘s London emerging markets group provides ‘invaluable pragmatic, robust advice‘ on project development, project finance, M&A, capital markets, dispute resolution, competition and antitrust, real estate, tax and much more. Head of the Africa group Yann Alix and head of Africa project finance Matthew Wood are the lead partners. Alix recently advised on the development and financing of a large potash project in Morocco. As well as a strong flow of work in Africa, the firm is growing its presence in other emerging markets and its new India desk, co-led by Kalpana Unadkat and Shishir Mehta, formerly of Khaitan & Co LLP in Mumbai, represents a major investment. The firm also hired Sanja Udovicic from A&O Shearman in May 2023. Udovicic handles energy, natural resource, infrastructure, telecoms and media projects in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Energy and resources sector lawyer Quentin Robinson, and head of international arbitration Matthew Saunders are among many London partners handling a strong flow of emerging markets matters.

Ashurst‘s presence in Morocco emanates from its London and Paris offices, where it possesses expertise in M&A, international arbitration, project finance, and project development in the oil, gas, and mining sectors. Yann Alix heads the Moroccan practice and often acts for international buyers and sellers in M&A. Alix also specialises in project development in the energy and resources sector. Mark Barges co-leads the project finance team and advises on infrastructure and energy projects concerning the development of airports, and rail and road projects.

Ashurst LLP’s Tunisian team has capabilities in project finance, M&A, and international arbitration. London-based Yann Alix leads the practice and is well-regarded in the mining sector, and Claudia Cicone focuses on renewable and conventional energy projects. Mark Barges leads the project finance division from Paris, while Tom Longmuir works on financing matters.