Ms Rachel Speight > Mayer Brown International LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Mayer Brown International LLP Offices
201 BISHOPSGATE
LONDON
EC2M 3AF
England
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Ms Rachel Speight
Work Department
Banking & Finance
Position
Rachel Speight represents banks and sponsors in international structured and project financings. She particularly focuses on the mining finance sector and has experience in infrastructure finance in areas including the road, rail and healthcare sectors, including work on PPP projects.
Career
Rachel joined Mayer Brown in 1999 and has spent some time on secondment to both the Royal Bank of Scotland and WestLB. Rachel has also been listed in The 100 Global Inspiration Women in Mining 2013 and The International Who’s Who of Mining Lawyers 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. She has also been nominated as one of this year’s Hot 100 lawyers by The Lawyer (2015).
Languages
English
Education
Admissions: England and Wales
Lawyer Rankings
London > Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals
(Leading individuals)Mayer Brown International LLP‘s dedicated mining sector group is praised as ‘very experienced with stand-out expertise in mining sector and project management’ and excels in project development, financing structures, construction and M&A on the non-contentious side, alongside mining sector litigation, arbitration and restructurings. The team sees consistent cross-border work, operating in emerging jurisdictions in Africa, Asia and Latin America, alongside established markets such as Japan and the United States. Ian Coles chairs the group, representing banks and major financial institutions on premium mining transactions, in addition to providing advice on financing and the development of domestic mining industries. Rachel Speight is a go-to name for cross-border structures and project financings in the natural resources and infrastructure sectors. Robert Hamill‘s strong track record in the mining sector encompasses corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures.
London > Industry focus > Emerging markets
(Leading individuals)Mayer Brown International LLP is ‘very proactive in understanding client legal needs and providing bespoke advice, guidance and documentation in complex transactions‘. Clients remark that the lawyers ‘put themselves into client’s shoes and anticipate issues ahead of time, and their responsiveness is quite unique‘. The firm handles a vast array of work from London, including anti-bribery and corruption matters, sanctions advice, arbitration, litigation, a diverse range of financings, IP, and M&A deals. Head of the Africa and mining practices Ian Coles, natural resources and infrastructure partner Rachel Speight and finance partner Ashley McDermott are the standout partners. McDermott acted for Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB) in a $600m syndicated, secured landmark facility for Trafigura relating to financing facilities with copper and cobalt producer Chemaf SA, which is based in the Democratic Republic of Congo). Head of international arbitration Raid Abu-Manneh was part of a team that advised Malaysia energy company Petronas on the sale of its upstream business in South Sudan. Islamic finance specialist Barry Cosgrave, counsel Danuta de Vries, who focuses on domestic and international finance transactions, and senior associate Emma Sturt also play key roles in the practice. New partner hire Peter Pears from Clifford Chance LLP brings a strong track record in emerging markets debt transactions.
London > Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
(Leading Individuals)Capitalising on a wealth of expertise from a huge international footprint that includes teams in the US, South America and Asia, Mayer Brown International LLP ‘s London infrastructure team is involved in big-ticket mandates including sizeable renewable energy and key infrastructure builds. Its international mandates span established and emerging markets, including a considerable volume of engagement with the African continent. An offering in Singapore has opened doors to markets such as South Korea, where the London team has advised on mining projects, while in Africa the firm’s mandates include roles advising government and public utility bodies in countries such as Mauritiana, Ghana and Uganda on mineral, ammonia and hydrogen ventures. Rachel Speight leads the group and works with an array of sponsors and financial institutions on complex project financings, while fellow co-head Ian Coles is renowned for his mining expertise and strong understanding of the African market. Third team head Kirsti Massie is the practice’s go-to for renewables and energy transition matters, as well as traditional power developments. Other practitioners to highlight include Jonathan Stone who is able to advise on the whole project development and financing piece; Emma Sturt, who leverages an engineering background to provide clients with tailored advice; Danuta De Vries for her export finance and asset-based lending practice; and Ronan Mellon, who joined from DLA Piper in August 2022, bringing expertise in project bonds and infrastructure financing via capital markets.
Lawyer Rankings
- Leading individuals London > Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Leading individuals London > Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals
- Leading Individuals London > Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
- Emerging markets London > Industry focus
- Infrastructure: Project finance and development London > Projects, energy and natural resources
- Mining and minerals London > Projects, energy and natural resources
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Finance > Asset based lending
- Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
Firm Rankings
- Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Real estate > Commercial property: investment
- Finance > Debt capital markets
- Finance > Derivatives and structured products
- Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Investment fund formation and management > Fund finance
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
- Finance > Islamic finance
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £250m)
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Real estate > Property finance
- Finance > Securitisation
- Finance > Trade finance
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition: trade, WTO anti-dumping and customs
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech
- Finance > High yield
- Industry focus > Hospitality and leisure
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- Insurance > Insurance: corporate and regulatory
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Film & TV
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Employment > Pensions: dispute resolution
- Insurance > Product liability: defendant
- Corporate and commercial > VAT and indirect tax
- Finance > Acquisition finance
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium
- Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- Real estate > Environment
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – mid-large cap
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
- Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Industry focus > TMT
- Employment > Employee share schemes
- Employment > Employers
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Upper Mid-Market And Premium Deals, £750m+