Baker & McKenzie appoints high profile South Africa Projects & Energy Partner
Baker & McKenzie, global law firm, has expanded its presence in South Africa with the addition of leading projects and energy partner Kieran Whyte as of 16 March 2015.
Kieran Whyte's appointment follows the arrival of banking & finance and projects partner Jennifer Stolp in December 2014; and the appointment of high profile Competition lawyer Vani Chetty and her team in August 2014.
The arrival of Kieran significantly expands Baker & McKenzie's on the ground projects capability in South Africa. Kieran is a leading practitioner in this area in South Africa, having over 25 years' experience and being one of the top ranked Projects and Energy lawyers in the Chambers Global 2014 legal directory. He was also part of the team that won the 2014 Project Finance International - Africa Energy deal of the year.
Baker & McKenzie's Johannesburg office launched in May 2012 with 31 lawyers and staff and has since grown to nearly 90 lawyers and staff. Kieran Whyte will be part of Baker & McKenzie's Global Energy, Mining and Infrastructure practice, which numbers more than 400 lawyers around the world and has extensive experience of projects in Africa.
Recent matters undertaken by the Global EMI practice include: acting for Sonangol in relation to the US$10 billion development of a 200,000 BD refinery on a greenfield site in Angola; advising SolarReserve in South Africa on the Lesedi and Letsatsi photovoltaic project, which is one of the largest renewable projects in Africa; and a US$3.7 billion project financing for the Egyptian Refining Company greenfield project at Mostorod, near Cairo.
Wildu du Plessis Johannesburg Managing Partner and Head of Banking & Finance said:
"We aim to support our clients by being a leader for projects and energy work. With the addition of a lawyer of the calibre of Kieran, we are cementing that position. I'm delighted to welcome him to our team."
Kieran Whyte added:
" With the huge growth in African infrastructure and energy projects , I am thrilled to be a part of this market leading, integrated cross-border team that will enable me to do work across the African continent."
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