BigLaw firm Baker McKenzie has welcomed a new head of project finance and partner, Miles Wadley, to its banking and finance practice in Melbourne.
Wadley (pictured), whom Baker McKenzie commended for his “broad commercial background”, was formerly a partner at BigLaw rival Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer.
He served in-house and via secondments at AustralianSuper and Transurban and has attained international experience working at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer’s New York office.
As a specialist in infrastructure and power projects, Wadley has acted for sponsors, arrangers, and financiers in matters involving renewable power plants, transmission assets, social and transport PPPs, infrastructure privatisations, and secondary market acquisitions.
Significantly, Wadley has advised Marinus on a $3.8 billion project financing of stage one of its Marinus Link interconnector project, a 750-megawatt electricity link between Victoria and Tasmania; and advised a syndicate of international lenders on a $750 million green portfolio financing for ACEN Australia’s clean energy projects.
Additionally, he advised HMC Capital on its portfolio financing regarding its acquisition of Neoen’s Victorian renewable assets; BBGI on its refinancing and restructuring of the Northern Territory Secure Facilities PPP Project in Darwin; the financiers to the largest public-private partnership (PPP) in Australia; lenders to Waveconn on acquisitions, including of the TPG towers; as well as renewables project financings and refinancings such as Wattle Point Wind Farm and Bald Hills Wind Farm.
Baker McKenzie national managing partner Anne-Marie Allgrove said the firm is excited to welcome Wadley to its banking and finance team. Allgrove added that it will continue to expand and strengthen its energy, banking, and finance teams across the country, which are “each being key focus areas for the firm globally”.
This appointment follows other news at the firm, including its appointment of two new partners last month (October), appointment of a private equity special counsel in the same month, the acquisition of Corrs special counsel in July, its appointment of a lateral partner and promotion of 23 in the same month, its election of a London partner to global chair in June, and its appointment of a former Hogan Lovells lawyer as special counsel in May.
Carlos Tse is a graduate journalist writing for Accountants Daily, HR Leader, Lawyers Weekly.
