About

Set to be UAE’s largest regasification terminal, Abu Dhabi-based PPP EmiratesLNG is scheduled for completion in 2018. When he joined the pipeline project in 2013, Ackroyd had a number of changes to contend with, as the entire concept of the project was reworked, requiring ‘quick thinking’ both from both a legal and a strategic perspective. ‘A feature of strategic projects is that they are often fast-track and always unique’, Ackroyd says. ‘The challenge is to be dependable and flexible in the provision of legal support’. It is his close involvement in the project’s main operations, and with it, ‘exposure to key decision-makers both at a corporate and governmental level’, which he enjoys the most; in addition to ‘working with a team who are passionate about what they do and devoted to delivering the project’. A seasoned oil and gas lawyer, Ackroyd’s experience includes cross-border transactions, joint ventures and all major components of the industry’s value chain. Having practised at CMS and Ashurst in the UK and Australia respectively, he stresses the level of sophistication in the region’s legal market across both private practice and in-house. When he is instructing outside counsel, Ackroyd looks not only for ‘quality and timeliness’, but also proactivity. ‘A good law firm will be able to pre-empt those questions to ensure the deliverable is as required, on time and within budget’.