Watson Farley & Williams LLP

Alan Polivnick

Alan focusses on cross-border arbitration and dispute resolution, particularly in the transport and insurance/reinsurance sectors. He has extensive experience of litigation and dispute resolution across the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia and India, South East and North East Asia. His non-contentious practice includes advising foreign investors on their investments and operations in both Thailand and in other ASEAN member states. Clients include multinational corporations, international airlines, insurers and reinsurers and international organisations who he advises on their operations in Thailand including mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiations, commercial and coverage disputes, employment law and regulatory issues. Alan is consistently ranked as a leading lawyer in Thailand, most notably for his aviation and insurance sector expertise by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific noting that clients admire “his ability to turn really complicated legal jargon into something we can understand” and applaud that he “stands out for his accessibility and knowledge.” He is qualified to practise in England and Wales and Australia. · Cross-Border Arbitration

Alastair Holland

Alastair has over 20 years of experience advising clients throughout the Middle East on private and public M&A, equity capital markets, private equity and joint ventures. He advises on the acquisition, disposal and restructuring of assets in the UAE and Middle East region, as well as on day-to-day business matters, particularly commercial contracts and corporate governance. His clients, which include multinational corporations, high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses, also benefit from his sector expertise in energy and infrastructure, maritime, leisure, hospitality and retail, manufacturing, healthcare, education and financial services. Alastair has worked in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as Frankfurt and, during his long career working in international law firms, he has acted on a variety of landmark transactions including the acquisition of Stoll Moss Theatres by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group, Blackstone’s acquisition of Legoland and Merlin Entertainments, and Morrisons’ takeover of Safeway. Alastair is ranked by Chambers & Partners for his expertise in corporate and commercial contracts work. Work highlights Advising Abu Dhabi Ship Building on a wide range of corporate and commercial matters. Advising Edilizi Acrobatica on its acquisition of Enigma (specialised company responsible for cleaning the Burj Khalifa). Advising a Saudi conglomerate on its joint venture with an Aramco JV. Advising an Omani sovereign wealth fund on multiple investments in UAE schools. Advising Etihad Rail in relation to the operational phase of the Etihad Rail Project. · Mergers and Acquisitions

Alexia Russell

Alexia specialises in asset finance, leasing and project finance, where she acts primarily for banks and other financial institutions, equity investors, export credit agencies, and other lenders and lessors. Her asset finance and leasing practice focusses on transactions in the shipping, aviation and rail sectors, while in the project finance sphere she has developed strong expertise in the energy sector, especially as relating to renewables. Alexia has extensive experience in structuring, documenting and negotiating acquisitions, financing and leasing transactions and has been involved in numerous complex restructurings in the last few years. She has also developed a strong track record advising on ECA-backed financings. · Asset Finance

Alfredo Cabellos

Alfredo is a Partner in the Asset Finance Group. He is a transport sector specialist, with extensive expertise in ship, aviation and rail finance. He advises both domestic and international financial institutions, lessors, shipowners and airlines on a wide variety of matters including tax-driven structured transactions (Spanish tax leases and operating leases) and export finance. He also advises several aircraft and helicopter lessors in a variety of structures involving Spanish lessees. Alfredo is experienced in advising on the financing of port terminals, ship arrest, regulatory matters, aircraft repossession and arbitrations relating to ship building contract disputes. · Asset Finance

Ana Lorenzo

Ana is a Partner in the Corporate and M&A group. She advises on corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments and divestments as well as corporate restructuring, insolvency proceedings and general company advice to both domestic and international companies. Ana regularly advises Spanish and foreign companies on several types of corporate and commercial contracts across an array of sectors including industrial, energy and infrastructure. · Corporate

Andreas Wiegreffe

Andreas specialises in advising national and international companies in all individual and collective employment law matters. In addition, he has extensive experience in employment court proceedings. One of Andreas’ main areas of practice is advising on business change processes, in particular restructurings and reorganisations as well as M&A transactions, offering efficient support from strategic planning through to final implementation. Clients also rely on Andreas’ extensive experience in relation to reconciliation of interests and social plan negotiations. A further focus of his work is advising on all issues relating to works councils. Andreas is recommended in leading legal directories (JUVE, Legal500). In the 2024 EMEA edition of Legal500, clients note: “Andreas Wiegreffe: High level of expertise paired with pragmatic solutions. Very well connected and able to convey complex issues to different groups of recipients in a clear and comprehensible manner. Important stylistic tool in works council negotiation.” And in the 2022 EMEA edition of Legal 500, clients note: “Dr. Andreas Wiegreffe: Very precise analysis of the existing problems. Very quick and practical answers that get to the point. Thanks to his expertise, we were able to solve very difficult cases well and promptly. Clear assessments are made and clearly communicated. His role in internal discussions and negotiations with works councils and trade unions is outstanding, where his negotiating tactics and forward-looking approach were able to solve the most difficult conflicts, some of which had been smoldering for years.” The German legal directory JUVE 2022/2023 praises Andreas for his “good advice and careful handling of mandates”. In the following year, he was recommended for his employment expertise. Most recently, in 2024/2025, Andreas was described as “reliable, competent, solution-orientated and professionally skilled and experienced“. Since 2020, he has also been recognised annually, most recently in 2024, for Labor and Employment law in the Best Lawyers in Germany ranking published by Handelsblatt in cooperation with Best Lawyers. · Individual Employment Law

Andrew Nimmo

Andrew specialises in the offshore oil & gas and maritime sectors, where he advises on project and asset financings, leasing transactions and joint venture structures and on a wide variety of commercial oil & gas and shipping documentation, including charterparties, construction/conversion contracts, EPCI contracts, O&M contracts, PSCs/RSCs and JOAs, service agreements and asset sale and purchase contracts. He acts for a wide variety of contractors, sponsors, owners and operators as well as financiers (international banks, private equity funds and other financial institutions) in relation to offshore production, storage and drilling assets, support vessels and other offshore oil and gas and shipping assets. He has been based in Singapore since 2004. · Asset Finance

Arnaud Troizier

A specialist in economic public law, Arnaud has particular expertise advising on public-private partnerships and public contracts in France on matters as diverse as transport infrastructure, municipal and state equipment and buildings, electronic communication networks, and defence and energy-related transactions. He also has strong focus on projects of a similar nature in francophone Africa. He assists manufacturers, investors, banks and public entities during the procurement phase and execution of concession and partnership contracts, including brownfield deals and refinancings. Arnaud has also developed particular expertise in the drafting and negotiation of both public and industrial contracts relating to interface, design and build, operation and maintenance projects as well as in assisting in tender procedures (such as competitive dialogues and calls for tender) and public domain issues regarding such projects. He also works and provides input on finance and corporate documentation relating to the (re)financing, sale and acquisition of PPPs or renewable energy projects. Since 2013, Arnaud has lectured on complex contractual structurings (“montages contractuels complexes”) to Masters and postgraduate level students at the University of Evry and HEC Business School. · Economic Public Law

Blanca López

BLANCA IS AN ASSOCIATE IN THE MADRID TAX GROUP. Blanca specialises in tax advice to financial entities, corporations, funds, private equity firms and insurers on corporate and structure finance transactions and support on international banking, investment and restructuring activities. She focusses on the renewable, real estate and maritime sectors. · Tax Law

C. J. Chido

C.J. focuses his practice in the maritime sector and primarily acts for banks, financial institutions and private equity funds in cross-border asset-backed financings. He also frequently advises ship owners in connection with the leasing, operating, sale and purchase of a variety of vessels in domestic and international markets. In these roles C.J. also regularly advises on matters of Marshall Islands and Liberian corporate and maritime law. · Asset Finance

C.J. Chido

Partner · Asset Finance

Carlo Cosmelli

Carlo specialises in advising Italian and international companies, investment funds and financial institutions on cross-border and domestic M&A transactions, as well as general corporate and commercial matters across industries including energy, infrastructure, logistics, healthcare and real estate. He is also an independent director of management bodies of leading industrial companies. Prior to joining us in 2010, Carlo worked for leading Italian law firms, advising domestic and international corporations on private equity and venture capital investments, establishing special purpose vehicles and corporate joint ventures, as well as advising on general corporate and commercial matters, both contentious and non-contentious. · Mergers and Acquisitions

Celinda Metro

Counsel · Aviation

Charles Viggers

Charles is a partner specialising in Asset & Structured Finance, with a particular focus on the Aviation industry. Charles’ practice focuses on the transport sector, with a special emphasis on aviation finance and leasing, where he regularly advises banks, export credit agencies, lessors, arrangers and core manufacturers on high profile, cross-border mandates. Charles leads the WFW teams who advised on many deals which have won awards from highly regarded publications such as Airfinance Journal and Global Transport Finance magazine. · Asset and Structured Finance

Charlotte Bijlani

Charlotte is an experienced dispute resolution lawyer with full rights of audience before both the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) courts and the higher courts of England and Wales. Charlotte’s practice extends to litigation, international arbitration, expert determination and mediation, as well as advisory work on litigation risk and avoidance. She regularly acts for employers, contractors and funders in construction and engineering disputes across the Middle East, as well as major corporates, developers, investors, financial institutions and high net worth individuals in all types of contentious matters both regionally and in the UK. Charlotte is recognised as a leading dispute resolution and international arbitration lawyer in the UAE by The Legal 500 EMEA describing her as a “superb litigator”, an “outstanding operator”, “strategically-minded” and says that she provides “an unrivalled combination of dedication and shrewdness”. · Dispute Resolution

Charlotte Knight

Banking and Finance

Chris Greiner

He has more than 40 years of experience in M&A, general corporate and commercial advisory work in the real estate sector, with particular emphasis on hotels & hospitality. His areas of focus include acquisitions and disposals of corporate vehicles, businesses and real estate assets, hotel management and franchise agreements, shareholder agreements and disputes, corporations law advice and general dispute resolution. · Mergers and Acquisitions

Christian Finnern

Christian acts for owners, managers and charterers of all types of vessels. He also acts for banks, lessors, alternative finance provides, investors and a broad range of other market participants in the maritime industry. He focusses on shipbuilding, the sale and purchase of second-hand tonnage, all flag and registration matters as well as on the employment, operation and management of ships. Christian advises international and domestic clients on all aspects of ship finance. His advice ranges from debt financing, leasing transactions, complex syndicated financing structures to high profile restructurings as well as warehouse and platform solutions. Another strong focus of his practice is in investments, joint ventures and M&A transactions in the maritime sector. He also represents parties in insolvency and enforcement proceedings as well as in contentious matters. Legal 500 Germany describes Christian as a “strong communicator” who “manages to find practical solutions” and emphasises his “high presence in transactional advice“. He is also recognised in the shipping sector as being “very well connected both locally and globally” and is considered “highly assertive“. Christian’s advice to ship owners and other shipping companies is noted in the legal directories JUVE Handbuch and Chambers Europe. In Chambers Europe, he is recognised as “very active and visible in the market” and is praised to be “a strong practitioner who has a good character and is very supportive”. He has been recognised by legal directory Legal 500 EMEA for his “strong industry knowledge, pragmatic approach and good results” and his “goal-oriented” leadership of the Maritime Service practice group, which focuses on investments, joint ventures and M&A transactions. Furthermore, it says that Christian has “a distinct sense for transaction dynamics as well as excellent shipping know-how and is very well connected”. Christian is also recognised by Legal 500 Germany and Legal 500 EMEA as a leading name in Maritime Law and is praised for his “rapid analysis”, for being “always and immediately available” as well as for being “very helpful and responsive, flexible and unbureaucratic”. · Maritime Law

Christoforos Bisbikos

Christoforos focusses on all types of cross-border asset and project financings (in particular ship lease and debt, including ECA, financings), loan restructurings, work-outs and enforcement. His clients include leading international banks in the shipping sector, Chinese financial leasing companies and top league shipping groups. Christoforos has a wealth of experience advising on finance deals involving Asia and the West and has led in high profile, award-winning and landscape changing ship finance transactions. He is recommended as a leading lawyer in Hong Kong for shipping finance by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific. Legal 500 most recently described him as “excellent”. He is registered as a Foreign Legal Consultant (England & Wales) with the HK law society. · Cross-Border Asset Finance

Cyrille Gogny-Goubert

Cyrille is specialized in corporate real estate law. His scope of activity mainly encompasses legal and financial structuring of development and construction operations, purchase and sale of real estate assets or real estate companies, real estate assets management in particular in the hotel industry. Cyrille graduated from the Paris II Panthéon-Assas University (Business and Tax Law Master) and from the Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne University (Real Estate and Construction Master 2). He was admitted to the Paris Bar in 2006. Before joining Watson Farley & Williams, Cyrille Gogny-Goubert worked for prestigious international and French law firms in Paris and in the United Kingdom. · Corporate Real Estate Law

Damian Adams

Damian has over 20 years of experience in structuring, negotiating, managing and executing complex cross-border investments and transactions – from greenfield, early stage and growth capital investments to joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions. He advises venture capital fund managers, private equity and infrastructure investors and international organisations across a range of the firm’s sectors. Having spent a large part of his career with the firm in Singapore, Damian has significant experience of working with clients in its core sectors in Asia including maritime, energy and mining & commodities. Although Damian has a predominant focus on investment, M&A and other corporate transactions, he also developed early career experience of secured financing transactions, particularly big-ticket assets and commodities, as well as commodities sale and purchase, storage and warehousing.

Daniel Refoyo

Daniel is a Senior Associate in the Madrid Assets and Structured Finance Group. He advises a wide range of clients, including arrangers, lenders and other financial/lending institutions, shipowners, aircraft and rail lessors in asset-based finance structures, particularly within the maritime, aviation and rail sectors. A significant portion of the transactions include a cross-border/international element. His work covers all steps of the projects, including drafting, negotiating and implementing contracts and tax-based structures with a focus on the Spanish tax lease scheme and subsidy structures as well as syndicated financing (involving export credit agencies), ship and aircraft registration and corporate-related matters. Most recently he also advised clients from an insolvency standpoint. · Asset-Based Finance

Davide Canepa

Davide’s practice covers all aspects of shipping, logistics and commercial advisory, embracing the broadest spectrum of shipping, maritime, shipbuilding, insurance, international trade and jurisdictional disputes. He has in-depth experience on contentious and non-contentious matters relating to claims on wet and dry shipping, insurance claims and insurance recourse actions. He is regularly involved in cases arising out of carriage by road (CMR and non-CMR), rail (COTIF/CIM) and multi-modal transport. Davide is also experienced in advising on aviation regulatory matters. He has handled litigation and arbitration relating to complex disputes arising from the loss of goods, EPC contracts, logistics contracts, international sales contracts and the seizure and attachment of ships. Davide advises and assists in non-contentious matters relating to freight forwarders’ rights towards their principal and cargo interests, review of contracts wording (insurance, transport, C/P), demurrage/detention of containers and cargo lien. He is often a teaching assistant to the chair of shipping law at Genoa University. He contributes to specialised magazines and organises and is invited to speak at conferences and seminars on issues regarding his specific area of expertise. · Shipping

Emily Widdrington

Emily specialises in shipping finance with over 12 years’ experience advising and acting for banks and ship owners on loan and security documentation. Her experience ranges from advising on high-value ECA-backed financings to loan agreements involving sustainability-linked margin adjustments. She was named a ‘Key Lawyer’ in the Transport Finance and Leasing category by Legal 500. Emily joined Watson Farley & Williams in 2008 and qualified into the Asset Finance group in London in 2010. Since joining she has spent time in the firm’s Singapore, Paris and London offices and has been on two client secondments, the first with an international bank in Norway and the second with a ship owner in Geneva. · Shipping Finance

Eugenio Tranchino

Eugenio specialises in corporate law, including joint ventures, M&A and private equity, as well as acquisition and restructuring. He has a particular focus on the energy sector, both renewable and conventional, as well as infrastructure where he regularly advises major corporations, private equity funds and lenders on high-profile Italian and cross-border projects. He is admitted to both the Italian and French Bars and the Special Register of the Italian Supreme Court of the State – ‘Albo Speciale degli Avvocati Cassazionisti’. · Corporate Law

Filana Silberberg

Partner

Florian Kutzbach

Florian advises in the areas of global energy, natural resources and infrastructure development, financings and M&A – acting for governments, developers/sponsors, multilaterals/DFIs/ECAs, financial institutions and institutional investors. His extensive experience includes many landmark projects and stretches across major markets in Europe, the Middle East, South America, Asia and Africa. Florian has also given external lectures, presentations and seminars, including in Turkey, Nigeria and Ghana and regularly speaks at conferences and on panels, most recently in Kyiv on Renewable Energy financing in Ukraine and in Serbia on PPP/infrastructure projects in the region. Although English law qualified, he has been ranked for several consecutive years as one of The Best Lawyers in Germany in the fields of Energy Law and Banking and Finance Law by Best Lawyers in cooperation with Handelsblatt. Clients also praise Florian as “one of the most well-known English law advisors in Turkey in infrastructure projects”. · Energy Law

Franck Poindessault

Franck has 20 years’ experience advising and representing French and international companies and their management in business and liability litigation before the judicial and arbitral courts, whilst also offering alternative dispute resolution expertise, including mediation. He has special expertise in advising banks and other financial institutions on liability and insurance disputes, especially relating to financial risk. His expertise in insurance is recognised by the French National Bar Council. Franck’s practice also focusses on contract law matters, including disputes concerning the validity, enforcement and termination of contracts; M&A disputes arising from sellers’ representations and warranties; and business principles governing professional services in the French market, such as fair competition and consumer protections. He began his career in a law firm acting before France’s Highest Court and then worked in French and international law firms. · Business Litigation

Frederik Lorenzen

Frederik specialises in international asset, project and acquisition finance, corporate loans and leasing as well as restructuring transactions. His clients include banks and financial institutions and borrowers as well as lessees and lessors. He is recommended for his expertise by legal directory IFLR 1000. · Asset Finance

Furio Samela

Furio specialises in shipping with an emphasis on financial transactions, loan agreements, sale and leaseback, security packages, restructuring and insolvency, NPLs, workouts and derivatives. His experience includes handling disputes and claims relating to all types of charterparties and bills of lading as well as insurance policy disputes, arrest, sale and purchase of vessels and enforcement of securities. His clients include leading domestic and international shipowners, banks and other financial institutions and insurance companies. · Shipping

George Paleokrassas

George advises on a broad range of work spanning the maritime sector, acting for major shipping lenders and shipowners on the structuring and restructuring of loan and leasing transactions, the acquisition, sale and transfer of shipping loan portfolios, on transactions involving distressed assets as well as for owners, operators and investors on shipbuilding projects, long-term charter arrangements, joint ventures and other general corporate matters involving shipowning groups. He is universally recognised as one of the leading lawyers in the maritime sector both in Greece and internationally, including by legal directories Chambers Europe, Chambers Global, Legal 500 EMEA and IFLR 1000. In 2019, Chambers styled him quite simply an “excellent lawyer” and Legal 500 as “highly esteemed”. Clients have described him as “utterly outstanding.” · Maritime Law

Giannalberto Mazzei

Giannalberto provides legal advice to Italian and foreign companies on administrative law, energy law, public procurement, transport and infrastructure, with a particular focus on the rail sector. As an administrative law specialist, he has acquired experience in the energy market (renewables and oil and gas production), environmental law and public contracts (especially for port works). On an ongoing basis, he assists the second-largest operator of gas transport pipelines in Italy, handling all contractual and administrative regulatory aspects. Furthermore, Giannalberto provides judicial and extra-judicial assistance to international companies operating public services, including aviation, gas distribution and water service. · Administrative Law

Gonzalo Aranzabal

Gonzalo is a Partner in the Madrid Corporate group. With over 30 years of corporate and M&A legal practice, he advises on mergers and acquisitions and corporate and commercial law, counselling on national and international M&As and other commercial transactions within the industrial and service sectors in general and, in particular, the energy sector. He also has a strong insolvency and commercial dispute resolution practice. He has acted as a court appointed insolvency receiver (administrador concursal) in more than 25 insolvency proceedings, as well as legal counsel in more than 100 proceedings before the civil, commercial and arbitration courts. · Corporate and M&A

Isabel Rodríguez de Codes

Isabel Rodriguez de Codes is an Associate in Regulatory & Public Law Group. She specialises in regulated sectors, administrative, urban planning, public contracts and environmental fields. Isabel has experience in administrative and contentious-administrative processes, mainly focused on environmental fields, urban planning and public contracts. · Administrative Law

Ivy Liu

She has significant expertise in advising investors, lenders and contractors on deal structuring, due diligence, drafting and reviewing project and finance documents, implementation strategies and local compliance across a range of industries including the heavily regulated energy and infrastructure sector. Ivy specialises in advising China and SE Asia-based clients on cross-border transactions with a focus on M&A in Thailand and Vietnam markets; she provides proactive and solution-oriented advice to solve knotty legal problems and is adept at ensuring her clients have a clear understanding of the local laws and in mitigating risk to their businesses. Ivy holds an LL.M. (University of California, Berkeley, USA), and an LL.M. and LL.B. (Nanjing University, China). She is a member of the New York and China Bar Associations and speaks English and Mandarin. · Mergers And Acquisitions

Jackson Chow

Jackson Chow is a Partner in the Assets & Structured Finance group, based in Hong Kong. Jackson specialises in structured and asset finance and leasing with a particular focus on aviation. He has advised on a vast range of cross border financing and leasing matters, including JOLCOs, French tax leases, Export Credit Agency supported financings, asset backed securitisations, syndicated portfolio loans, aircraft portfolio sales, PRC SPC structured financings, PDP financings, aircraft restructurings, sale and leasebacks and aircraft and engine operating / finance lease transactions, MRO agreements, simulator agreements, full and non-recourse financings. He has also advised major airlines on aircraft procurement contracts involving aircraft manufacturer’s and has been involved in numerous general (private jet) aviation financing and leasing transactions. His clients include a range of leading aircraft leasing companies, airlines, international financial institutions and high net worth individuals. Jackson regularly advises on award-winning transactions and is recognised as a leading lawyer for aviation finance by leading legal directories in Asia Pacific including Legal 500 and Chambers Asia Pacific. · Aviation Finance

Javier Ester

Javier is a partner in the Corporate group. He has extensive experience in strategic corporate transactions in the energy sector, with a strong focus on renewable assets. He advises on corporate transactions, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions and corporate restructuring, and is involved in the drafting and negotiating of all kinds of corporate and commercial contracts. Javier is deeply specialised in the energy sector, mainly working on renewable projects, advising both Spanish and international players. Additionally, he also advises on infrastructure, industrial and services projects. · Corporate

Javier Gabiña

Javier is a Senior Associate in the Madrid Tax group. Javier specialised in tax advice to financial entities, corporations, funds, private equity firms and insurers on corporate and structure finance transactions and support on international banking, investment and restructuring activities. Additionally, Javier is experienced in local and cross-border M&A as well as asset management. He designs efficient tax structures for M&A and financing transactions, manages due diligence processes and tax financial modelling. He focuses on the renewable, real estate and maritime sectors also having experience in stock lending and swap transactions. · Tax

Jian Guan

Partner of WFW Global LLP and a Foreign Legal Consultant (PRC) in WFW’s Hong Kong office · Asset Finance

Jose María Anarte

José María leads the firm’s Infrastructure offering and is a Partner in the Finance Group. He specialises in project finance transactions, with a strong emphasis on energy, infrastructure and transport sectors. José María constantly advises both lenders and borrowers on a large variety of strategic transactions. His client portfolio includes sponsors, banks, investment funds and institutional investors. His track record covers greenfield assets’ financings and brownfield projects’ refinancing and restructuring. Additionally, José María has a solid background and interest in public procurement and administrative law (public concession agreements, public tendering) and energy efficiency matters. · Project Finance

José María Pery

José María is Counsel in the Madrid Asset Finance group. He specalises in the transport sector, with focus on maritime law. He has extensive experience advising national and international clients on purchase and sale agreements, asset financing and construction transactions in the maritime, transport and logistics sectors. Additionally, he supervises and leads negotiations on services agreements relating to engineering projects in both Spain and globally, as well as advising on administrative procurement agreements, overseas subsidiaries set-ups and insurance policy and claims. · Asset Finance

Juan Vicente Barquilla

Juan Vicente is a Partner in the Finance Group. He specialises in structured finance transactions, including debt issuance transactions, with particular emphasis on energy and infrastructure projects. Additionally, he advises financial entities and private developers and companies on complex cross-border financings, dedicated to acquisition of assets with coverage by major international export credit agencies, having participated in some of the most significant transactions in the market in recent years. Juan Vicente is regularly involved in greenfield renewable energy projects (such as photovoltaic, wind, biomass, etc.) in drafting turnkey contracts (including TSAs, BoPs and BOS) and operation and maintenance agreements, which provides him with a deeper knowledge of the underlying technology in the framework of a financing. · Structured Finance

Kay Kian Tan

Kay Kian specialises in the energy, maritime and insurance sectors, where he advises corporates and multi-nationals on international commercial arbitration and litigation. He is a barrister and is admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales and an advocate and solicitor in Singapore. He has worked in London and Singapore and has been based in WFW’s Bangkok office since 2001. · Energy

Keisuke Imon

Keisuke is a Partner in the Asset & Structured Finance group. Keisuke is a licensed Japanese lawyer (Bengoshi) and has extensive experience in the Japanese market advising on a wide range of financing matters. Keisuke’s primary practice focuses on asset finance representing Japanese financial institutions, Japanese and international leasing companies and Japanese trading houses. Keisuke has been commended by legal directories and industry journals such as Legal 500, Chambers, and Airfinance Journal, particularly in relation to aircraft finance transactions. Keisuke is ranked as a Band 1 Leading Lawyer for Asset Finance in Japan by Chambers Asia-Pacific since 2018 and recognized as a ‘Next Generation Partner (Bengoshi)’ by Legal 500. In addition, Keisuke was recognized as Legal Media Group’s Rising Stars for 2019 in the category of Aviation experts for Japan. Keisuke is fluent in both Japanese and English. · Asset Finance

Khalid Hamed

Khalid has over 30 years’ experience advising multinational shipping, financial, insurance, manufacturing and trading companies throughout the Middle East. He specialises in marine and non-marine insurance coverage disputes before the UAE local courts, particularly for hull and machinery and mariner cargo insurers. His practice involves advising on disputes involving maritime, yacht, property, energy, trade credit and political risks and financial lines insurances. He also advises on non-marine insurance policy disputes, including construction and engineering matters, before all courts in the UAE and across the Middle East. More broadly, his expertise extends to assisting shipping and corporate clients on commercial, maritime, civil, corporate, investment, employment, criminal and intellectual property cases. · Marine Insurance

Kunadha Gajaseni

Kunadha’s experience ranges from international arbitration under the UNCITRAL, ICC, SIAC, LCIA, HKIAC, TAI and KCAB rules and those administered by the PCA and Thai court litigation. His areas of legal work also include commercial, infrastructure, construction, transportation advisory and disputes, in particular in the Energy and Oil & Gas industry. Kunadha is a dual-qualified lawyer. He has been admitted in Thailand since 2012 and in England and Wales (as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales) since 2019. Kunadha is also a certified Thai Notarial Services Attorney and a ICC Young Arbitration and ADR Forum (YAAF) Representative for South Asia 2024-2026 Mandate. · International Arbitration

Laurence Martinez Bellet

Laurence has over 20 years’ experience advising domestic and international clients on asset and project finance, acquisition finance, export credit, leasing, debt restructuring and mezzanine debt (project/green bonds) transactions. She is especially well regarded for her shipping finance, and energy and infrastructure project finance, expertise. Her clients include banks, investment funds, ECAs, DFIs, project developers, lessors and shipowners. With regards to shipping finance, Laurence focusses on complex cross-border shipping transactions, helping on the structuring of financings through leasing, ECA or DFI-backed transactions, also involving JVs and in debt or equity investment funds. In the energy and infrastructure sectors, she specialises in renewable energy, energy infrastructure and innovative projects (energy efficiency, electricity mobility, corporate PPAs), advising on their financing or refinancing, acquisition or sale in the context of leveraged transactions. Laurence was named a Knight of the National Order of Merit (Chevalier de l’ordre national du Mérite) for her career as a finance lawyer in the shipping and energy sectors by the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy in July 2017. · Asset Finance

Laurent Battoue

With a strong focus on the energy and infrastructure sectors, Laurent has over a decade’s experience advising both public and private entities on the awarding and implementation of public contracts, public-private partnerships and the structuring of complex contracts. He has broad expertise in the energy sector, in particular in renewable energy, where he advises developers, industrial groups, investment funds and banks on acquisition, sale, financing and re-financing transactions. Laurent also advises on innovative projects such as electric mobility and on new electricity sale strategies such as corporate PPAs, energy efficiency and guarantees of capacity and origin. · Public Procurement

Lidia Fernández Jiménez

Lidia is Counsel in the Regulatory Group. Lidia focusses on the energy sector, advising domestic and international clients on all regulatory requirements for their projects whether using existing or new technology such as BESS. Her in sector expertise includes advising on corporate and finance transactions as well as litigation matters. She also has growing expertise in the new emerging regulatory trends regarding data centres. · Energy Regulatory

Linh Doan

Widely recognised as a leading adviser to the Asian power markets, Linh has an impressive track record of advising on “first-of-their-kind” cross-border power projects. Her experience covers conventional power, renewables and mining & commodities. She regularly works with government entities, sponsors, lenders and investors on large power plant developments and financings, most notably in Vietnam where she has an unrivalled reputation for excellence and counts key government ministries and state utilities among her clients. Linh splits her time between WFW’s Hanoi and Hong Kong offices, and is the founding Partner of WFW LVN in the former city. · Power Markets

Luca Sfrecola

Luca has significant experience in high-profile acquisitions, capital raising, joint ventures and restructuring. He regularly advises on international public and private law and commercial contracts for the development, construction and operation of large energy and infrastructure projects. Internationally focussed, he has led to the success of many transactions in Italy and abroad for the benefit of sophisticated private, institutional and government players. Luca assists clients with contractual arrangements and multiple legal settings, from structuring to negotiation and closing up the handling of complex disputes. He has published business and civil law books and often writes articles and contributions on energy and infrastructure. · Acquisitions

Luis González García

Luis is a Partner in the Regulatory Group. He specialises in regulated sectors and administrative and environmental laws, with experience in energy and environmental fields such as waste, contaminated soil, water, industrial emissions, impact assessment and environmental liability. Luis mainly focuses on energy efficiency and renewable energy. Joining from a Spanish law firm, where for more than 20 years he advised both local and international financial entities and companies in M&A and financing transactions, as well as on public procurements and contentious administrative processes. He is involved in project development, from early stages to ready-to-build and COD. · Administrative Law

Luis Soto

Luis is a partner in the Tax Group. He advises in transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, asset finance, project finance, capital markets and tax dispute resolution. He has a deep knowledge in international taxation. Luis’s experience includes a wide range of sectors such as energy and infrastructure, transport (maritime and aviation) and real estate. · Mergers and Acquisitions

Madeline Leong

Madeline Leong joined Watson Farley & Williams in 2004 as a consultant and became a partner in 2005 in the firm's international Finance Group. Madeline has over 25 years’ experience practising law on an international basis. Her practice focuses on asset finance, project finance, leasing structures, ECA financings, structured finance, debt restructuring and work-outs. She has acted for most of the leading banks, leasing companies, other financial institutions and major sponsors, contractors, transportation, logistics and shipping companies/operators, and has particular experience in the transportation, natural resources and energy sectors. Recognised by Asia Pacific Legal 500 as possessing “mastery of the subject” of asset finance, a “star” who is “responsive, precise and knowledgeable” in banking and finance and an “intelligent, practical advisor" in the area of debt restructuring and insolvency.Madeline is head of the WFW Hong Kong office and has worked in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. She has considerable experience in Hong Kong, PRC and Korean transactions. She qualified as a solicitor of Western Australia (1989), in Hong Kong (1992) and in England and Wales (1992). Madeline is a regular speaker at maritime and finance international conferences and speaks fluent English, Cantonese and Mandarin. · Asset Finance

Maira Galani

Maira specialises in project and structured finance, mergers and acquisitions and regulations within in the energy sector. She has extensive experience in the Greek energy market and related regulations, environmental law and land rights, as well as advising on corporate structures and corporate governance, employment law and insurance law. Since joining the firm in 2007, she has worked on numerous complex share sale and acquisition transactions in the Greek energy and infrastructure sectors, as well as in privatisations. Maira is recognised as a rising star in Energy by Legal 500 EMEA and is described as ‘insightful and meticulous’, with ‘a very good knowledge of the energy legislative and regulatory framework’ by one of the largest legal publications. · Project Finance

Malte Jordan LL.M.

Malte specialises in M&A, corporate restructurings and corporate finance, with a particular focus on private equity transactions and investments in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Recent transactions include strategic M&A deals in the energy and infrastructure sector, such as the development, financing, acquisition or disposal of wind farms, both onshore and offshore. His clients include investors, project developers and banks. Malte is recognised as a leading lawyer in the renewable energy space by legal directories Chambers Europe, Legal 500 EMEA, JUVE Handbuch, IFLR 1000 and Who’s Who Legal. In 2020, Chambers described him as “a leading lawyer in the area of renewables, advising clients on high-value refinancings, portfolio acquisitions and sales in the wind power sector. He is well versed in acting on large, multi-jurisdictional mandates.” In 2018, he was ranked in sector publication A Word About Wind’s Legal Power List. Malte has been ranked in The Best Lawyers in Germany in the fields of Energy Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law by Best Lawyers in cooperation with business magazine Handelsblatt. · Mergers and Acquisitions

Marcus Gordon

Marcus has represented many shipping companies, oil companies (including oil majors), aviation companies, banks, FPSO owners, contractors, subcontractors and yards, in a variety of disputes, with certain claims exceeding US$1billion. Marcus is dual-qualified, in England & Wales and Hong Kong. “Marcus and his team in Hong Kong conducted the synchronised arrest and sale of numerous vessels in Hong Kong efficiently and cost effectively. The WFW team was extremely knowledgeable, responsive and easy to deal with and got a great result – a 100% recovery on the claim and legal expenses.” (Leading Bank Executive, 2020) “… the ‘amazing’ Marcus Gordon is recommended” (Legal 500 2014) · Dispute Resolution

Marcus M. Bechtel LL.M.

Marcus specialises in M&A, joint ventures and project development transactions, with a focus on the energy and infrastructure sectors as well as M&A transactions involving private equity investors. Recent transactional highlights include advising on the acquisition, financing and project development of onshore and offshore wind farms, photovoltaic plants and other renewable energy projects in Germany and Europe as well as on the establishment of joint ventures and M&A transactions regarding energy and infrastructure projects and businesses. Further, Marcus advises on corporate M&A transactions involving private equity investors, including acquisitions by portfolio companies in connection with “buy and build” structures. Marcus’ clients include financial investors, utilities and other strategic investors, banks and project developers. The German legal directory JUVE 2024/2025 describes Marcus as “very solution-orientated and pragmatic“. He was also recently praised in Legal500 EMEA 2024: “Marcus Bechtel is characterised – of course in addition to his excellent expertise – by his calm and mediating manner. He recognises and points out problems early on and also suggests proactive solutions for them.“ Marcus has been ranked in The Best Lawyers in Germany in the fields of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law by Best Lawyers in cooperation with business magazine Handelsblatt.

Mario D’Ovidio

Mario has extensive experience advising financial institutions, borrowers, sponsors and ECAs on project and export finance transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors. He advises on major asset-based financings in the real estate, sport and transport (including rail, aviation and roads) sectors. Further areas of his expertise include debt restructuring and insolvency matters, acquisition financings (both corporate and leveraged) and private placement transactions. · Project Finance

María Pilar García Guijarro

María Pilar is Energy Sector Head - Europe & Americas and Head of the Madrid office. She is a partner in the Corporate and M&A group with more than 20 years’ experience in the energy and infrastructure sectors in Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, with a special focus on the wind and solar sectors. María Pilar advises investment funds, industrial companies and financial institutions on the full spectrum of corporate transactions. She specialises in corporate and commercial advice including structuring, development, acquisition of projects, portfolios and platforms, M&A and private equity deals, project contracts (such as PPA, EPC and O&M) and joint ventures. She also has extensive experience advising on structured financings, as well as restructurings and refinancings. · Corporate