Mr Ian Coles > Mayer Brown International LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Mayer Brown International LLP Offices

201 BISHOPSGATE
LONDON
EC2M 3AF
England
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Mr Ian Coles

Work Department
Finance
Position
Ian Coles serves on Mayer Brown’s Partnership Board. He concentrates his practice on all aspects of bank and debt finance, ranging from projects and other structured finance to commodities financing and restructuring. He represents banks and other financial institutions, sponsors, and other participants in finance transactions throughout the world. He has particular experience in the mining finance sector. Ian is the head of the firm’s finance practice in Europe. Ian is the author of numerous articles in connection with project finance.
Education
Harvard Law School, LLM 1981 University of Cambridge 1978; BA, First Class Honours
Lawyer Rankings
London > Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals
(Hall of Fame)Mayer Brown International LLP is well known in the market for financing and M&A work pertaining to the mining sector and utilises its international network to handle cross-border deals; on the contentious side, the practice advises on litigation, arbitration and restructuring. Practice head Ian Coles has considerable experience in mining projects in Africa and counts banks, financial institutions, sponsors and governments among his clientele. Rachel Speight is experienced in the natural resources and infrastructure sectors and is a name to note for cross-border structured and project financings, while Robert Hamill deals with corporate finance, M&A and joint ventures.
London > Industry focus > Emerging markets
(Hall of Fame)Mayer Brown provides ‘speedy feedback on questions with very profound answers‘ and one client remarks that ‘the projects and corporate teams are all quite familiar with working in emerging markets with a thoughtful and insightful approach‘. The firm frequently advises banks and other financial institutions, sponsors, governments and corporates on arbitration, export finance, project finance, mining and metals, oil and gas, structured trade commodity finance and sustainability-linked loans. Head of the Africa and mining practices Ian Coles, natural resources and infrastructure partner Rachel Speight and finance partner Ashley McDermott are the key figures in the emerging markets group. Coles, who is ‘world-class, always on top of the file, commercial and client-driven‘, advised Meridian Mining on its acquisition, exploration, development and mining activities in Brazil. Head of international arbitration Raid Abu-Manneh has substantial expertise in disputes arising from infrastructure power and energy projects in such countries as Jordan, Qatar, Libya, Kuwait and Egypt. Counsel Danuta de Vries and senior associate Emma Sturt are prominent advisers on project and export financings, real estate finance and asset-based lending.
London > Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure
The projects and infrastructure team at Mayer Brown International LLP has experience in work ranging from cross-border energy projects and electric vehicle charging infrastructure to mining. The team is led by financing practitioner Ian Coles, who has a strong track record in Africa; Rachel Speight, who acts for banks and sponsors on cross-border structured and project financings; energy and regulatory expert Kirsti Massie; and Meredith Campanale, who acts for both lenders and sponsors on a range of projects across the globe. Peter Pears joined from Clifford Chance LLP in January 2022.
Lawyer Rankings
- Hall of Fame - London > Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Hall of Fame - London > Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals
- Emerging markets - London > Industry focus
- Mining and minerals - London > Projects, energy and natural resources
- Infrastructure - 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
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Real estate > Commercial property: investment
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Finance > Derivatives and structured products
- Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Investment fund formation and management > Fund finance
- 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
- Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Finance > Debt capital markets
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition: trade, WTO anti-dumping and customs
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech
- Finance > High yield
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure
- Insurance > Insurance: corporate and regulatory
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media and entertainment (including media finance)
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Employment > Pensions: dispute resolution
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
- 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
- Employment > Employee share schemes
- Employment > Employers
- Real estate > Environment
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – mid-large cap
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory
- Industry focus > Hospitality and leisure
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Industry focus > TMT
- 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, £500m+