John Dewar > Milbank > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Milbank is a strong choice for a range of sponsors, export credit agencies, and commercial banks seeking guidance on complex energy transition projects, often spanning multiple jurisdictions. The team is well-versed in a variety of renewable energy projects, with a focus on the development and financing of solar, wind, battery storage, and green hydrogen. The project, energy, and infrastructure practice is jointly chaired by John Dewar and Matthew Brown. Dewar is noted for his expertise in renewables and energy transition projects, both in the UK and internationally, while Brown brings significant experience to the table, particularly in the development and financing of major transitional energy projects, such as those in the battery, green steel, hydrogen, and alternative fuels sectors. Munib Hussain, who was promoted to partner in January 2023, advises on complex lower carbon power generation projects, while special counsel Seyda Duman is another key contact for cross-border renewable energy project financings. Chris Taufatofua left the practice and is now at Vinson & Elkins RLLP.

Milbank advises on a range of matters concerning infrastructure, oil and gas, energy transition and power. John Dewar, who is praised by lenders and sponsors alike for his adept handling of multi-sourced financings, stands at the helm, alongside Matthew Brown, who regularly leads on development and financing mandates relating to oil and gas, in addition to hydrogen and renewables. Munib Hussain is a first point of contact for ECAs, multi-laterals, and commercial and Islamic banks looking for assistance with international projects and energy and infrastructure financing matters. Alex Brightman is another key contact in the group.

Drawing on strong lender relationships, Milbank regularly advises banks on new money and restructuring mandates involving Islamic finance structures. Many of these deals are cross-border, with Shariah-compliant debt sitting alongside other conventional funding often for the purposes of facilitating large-scale energy and infrastructure projects in the Middle East. John Dewar is at the forefront of many of the highest-profile matters handled by the team and is particularly skilled at handling first-of-its-kind transactions involving creative structuring and often very complex inter-creditor arrangements. Munib Hussain co-heads the team alongside Dewar and is well-versed at handling a range of Shariah-compliant structures, including sukuks and Murabaha facilities, often acting alongside Dewar on transactions as well as working with other practice groups, including aviation finance, on structures that require input from an Islamic finance perspective.

Deploying a ‘collaborative and solution-oriented team’ capable of ‘responding to the needs of projects at different stages’, Milbank is called upon by leading lenders and sponsors for market-first projects across the EMEA region. The firm is regularly engaged on energy transition mandates, counting green steel, EV battery, and ethanol plant-related matters among its workload, and possesses extensive project bond experience. Team head John Dewar is well-equipped to advise multilateral and export credit agencies, commercial and multilateral developmental investment banks, and financial sponsors on sophisticated, multi-sourced project financings, and is also a highly experienced Islamic finance practitioner. Co-head Matthew Brown has a similarly broad finance practice and takes the lead on a number of energy transition mandates, earning praise for his ‘commercial’ outlook and focus on ‘(getting) a deal done effectively and efficiently’. Munib Hussain has recently advised on blockbuster oil and gas projects in the Middle East, covering the financing, refinancing and development aspects for a range of regional and international banks. A ‘tremendous asset’ to clients, Rachel Croft’s extensive finance practice is focused on the energy transition, while Seyda Duman‘s broad portfolio of work includes digital infrastructure, mining and minerals, and oil and gas work. Kilian De Cintré left the firm to join Vinson & Elkins RLLP in November 2023.

Milbank’s mining team is best known for its work advising lenders in this space and is particularly strong in project financing. The team has deep expertise, and its dedicated mining team works closely with its New York office, providing its clients with further expertise and a strong international focus. John Dewar is well-regarded in the space for his work on the development and financing of energy projects. Seyda Duman has extensive experience advising commercial banks, export credit agencies and other financial institutions.