Industry focus
Mayer Brown International LLP leverages global expertise across projects, transactions, disputes, trade, and regulations. The team acts for mining majors, corporates, governments, commercial banks, and development finance institutions on impactful mandates across EMEA, Asia, and North and South America. The team is led by Rachel Speight, an expert in project finance who is highly sought-after among international financial institutions. Ian Coles, a longstanding sector expert, consults for the team across a range of bank and debt finance matters.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
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
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The practice has deep experience in mining, allowing it to deliver practical and timely solutions - especially helpful in managing uncertainty.’
‘An excellent team that has rich experience in the sector, but more broadly on transactional matters, including detailed legal and commercial aspects. They are proactive and have a good approach in dealing with counterparties - quite exceptional.’
‘Deep experience in both the sector and in M&A matters, coupled with a detailed and intellectual approach. An excellent combination. Very clear advice dispensed.’
‘Highly experienced team with international reach and execution ability. Strong legal capability with a commercial mindset.’
‘Rachel Speight's professionalism and care shines through. She brings years of experience with her and provides sound guidance and counsel.'
'Rachel Speight is very client centric.'
Key clients
- Afreximbank
- Africa Finance Corporation
- Bank of Nova Scotia
- Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
- Centamin
- Coris Bank
- Cornish Lithium
- Government of Jordan
- ING
- International Senior Lawyer Project
- Macquarie Bank Limited
- Ministry of Mines of Zimbabwe
- Natixis
- Royal Bank of Canada
- Société Générale Group
- Talbot Group
- Taurus Mining Royalty Fund
- U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
- Women in Mining UK
Work highlights
Advise the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation on a $150m financing for Twigg Exploration & Mining, for the expansion of the Syrah Balama graphite mine in Mozambique.
Represent major gold miner Centamin in multiple key deals, including advising the client as a borrower in a $150m sustainability-linked revolving credit facility related to its principal asset, the Sukari Gold Mine in Egypt.
Advise Cornish Lithium on a variety of issues, including a landmark £53.6m investment made by a group of leading institutional investors, including the UK Infrastructure Bank.