Wouter Hertzberger > Norton Rose Fulbright > Amsterdam, Netherlands > Lawyer Profile

The team at Norton Rose Fulbright, led by Wouter Hertzberger, regularly advises ECA-backed facilities, exporters, and international banks. The firm acts for both borrowers and lenders on asset-based transactions and specialised in shipping and aviation financing. With English lawyers located in the Amsterdam office, the team is readily available to advise on transactions within Dutch and English jurisdictions. Mei Land Man has over a decade of experience handling both domestic and cross-border structured finance transactions, including asset finance restructuring within the shipping sector. Omar Salah is also recommended for complex restructuring matters.

Norton Rose Fulbright houses an ‘excellent’ team that advises some of the largest financial institutions in the country. Wouter Hertzberger is at the forefront of the firm’s banking practice and represents lenders and sponsors across a variety of financing transactions, with a particular emphasis on project finance, including mandates within the energy and shipping sectors. Joris Ravelli has experience of advising lenders on financing arrangements, project documentation, lease agreements, and refinancing matters. Marjolein Pichel is another standout lawyer noted for her work in handling financing transactions for both commercial and non-commercial lenders.

The ‘exceptionally good’ Omar Salah heads up the restructuring and insolvency practice at Norton Rose Fulbright which is well regarded for its abilities advising on the remit of complex matters. Its client portfolio features a plethora of well-known banking institutions. The team has impressive expertise advising such lenders on high-stakes restructuring processes, frequently involving values in the multi-millions and multiple jurisdictions. Salah is supported by the firm’s project finance specialist Wouter Hertzberger.

Norton Rose Fulbright specialises in infrastructure and accommodation projects, with a focus on the power and renewable energy industries. The team regularly assists on both international and domestic PPP projects and continues to be a driving force of PPP transactions in the Netherlands. As a go-to for projects regarding biomass power plants, solar energy parks, wind farms and tank storage terminals, the team stands out for its skills in advising on the life cycle of a project, from construction contracts to management agreements and financing. Notably, it has recently advised lenders on hybrid financing of a bioplastics plant and has continued to expand into other inventive plants involving biofuels and hydrogen. Wouter Hertzberger chairs the team alongside Daphne Broerse. Hertzberger leads on structured finance transactions and project finance related to energy and infrastructure, while Broerse combines her background in administrative and civil law to advise private companies and government authorities on large-scale energy, infrastructure and commercial developments. She has also been actively involved in offshore wind projects. Joris Ravelli is experienced in advising on data centre projects.

The energy team at Norton Rose Fulbright is equipped to assist its client base on key project developments in energy contexts, including solar, wind and green hydrogen. Banking and finance specialist Wouter Hertzberger heads up the practice, in which Matthijs Van Leeuwen is a key name to note. On the regulatory side, Floortje Nagelkerke and associate Julia van der Grint advise on the range of matters, including those pertaining to the energy transition.

Norton Rose Fulbright’s transportation group, with a specialisation in aviation and ship financing, is well versed in M&A transactions in the transport sector and caters to a diverse range of clients including ship owners, banks, export credit agencies, leasing companies, and fund lenders. Wouter Hertzberger, who steers the transportation practice and heads the banking department, is skilled in structured finance transactions, particularly in shipping. Joris Ravelli represents both Dutch and international banks and institutional investors in ship finance, while Stefanie Walthaus and Joep Duinker contribute aviation asset finance expertise to the team.