About

‘Leigh Holder is an exceptionally capable general counsel and has led the process of integrating the Yara Pilbara Group into the broader Yara International Group. This has involved a wide range of complex transactions to streamline the Yara Pilbara Group and to deal with non-core assets. He has also had carriage and conduct of a number of pieces of complex litigation and arbitration arising from historical arrangements by and within the Yara Pilbara Group with significant success. He has achieved all of this with a very efficient legal team, and is well known in the market. Holder has led the Australian legal function of Norwegian-based Yara (the world’s leading chemical company converting energy, natural minerals and nitrogen into essential products for farmers and industrial customers) for seven years, playing a central legal and commercial role on Yara Australia’s M&A activities, joint venture establishment and management, and [the] development and financing of some of Australia’s largest industrial projects’.

‘Leigh Holder is a dynamic general counsel who is across the range of legal and commercial issues faced by Yara Australia, and clearly plays an integral part in dealing with those issues. He brings both a legal and strategic focus to the business, and marshals his legal resources efficiently and effectively. He is well versed in cross-cultural management (Yara Australia being owned by Yara International), is an effective negotiator, provides Yara with a high standard of legal advice, and is comfortable dealing with a range of external stakeholders such as government agencies. He understands and stays on top of the legal challenges, and at the same time maintains a friendly and approachable demeanour. I have worked closely with him for approximately three years on a series of very contentious matters arising out of a unique project in Western Australia. During that time, he has demonstrated excellent commercial and legal judgment whilst simultaneously delivering on key objectives that were given to him by his board. He also continually provides optimal support to external counsel. Having worked with a number of legal in Australia and elsewhere – I believe Leigh Holder is one of the best and clearly a leading general counsel of his generation’.