Biography David Charlier is a counsel in Linklaters’ Dubai energy and infrastructure group. Charlier joined the UK law firm’s London office in 2000, before moving to Dubai in 2007. He is a specialist in the development, financing and acquisition of energy and infrastructure assets and has more than 10 years’ experience advising sponsors, lenders and government institutions. Charlier has worked on a number of landmark energy projects in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia’s first independent power project and the $10bn Jubail refinery, the largest project finance transaction in the region. He is currently leading the team advising France’s Total Gas & Power and Spain’s Abengoa Solar on the development of the Shams 1 thermal solar project in Abu Dhabi. With a capacity of 100MW, the solar thermal plant will be the first large-scale renewables plant to be project financed in the region.

Contact Tel: (+971) 4 369 5800

Biography Sohail Barkatali is a projects lawyer at Chadbourne & Parke. He joined the US firm’s London office from UK-based law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner in 2007, before moving to Dubai the following year. Barkatali specialises in energy, water and infrastructure projects in the Middle East and North Africa region. He has also worked on privatisation, restructuring and regulatory issues. He is currently advising the Kuwait government, alongside France’s BNP Paribas and Germany’s Lahmeyer International, on its first independent water and power project. Barkatali advised on the Kamshah wind farm in Jordan and is now advising the Omani government and Oman Power and Water Procurement Company on the sultanate’s first solar independent power project. Barkatali graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1991, and the College of Law in 1992.

Contact Tel: (+971) 4 331 6123

Biography Richard Metcalf is a projects partner at UK law firm Norton Rose. He specialises in energy-related projects, such as oil and gas exploration and power generation schemes. Metcalf joined Norton Rose in 1998 from London-based Denton Hall, where he was a partner in the energy practice. Metcalf previously spent three years as head of legal at an oil major responsible for exploration and production activities in the UK’s North Sea. In addition to traditional energy projects, he has worked on carbon capture and storage schemes, along with the financing of nuclear power projects. Based in London, Metcalf is currently working on Syria’s first wind farm with the UK’s IPA Energy and Water Economics and SgurrEnergy. The project will have a capacity of 50-100MW and bids are to be invited in 2011. Metcalf graduated from Oxford University in the UK in 1977.

Contact Tel: (+44) 20 7444 3482

Biography John Crothers is a Paris-based lawyer at French law firm Gide Loyrette Nouel. Crothers joined the firm in 1995. He focuses on project finance, banking transactions and privatisations. Prior to joining Gide Loyrette Nouel, Crothers worked as legal adviser to the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development in London. In this role, he was involved in more than 40 projects in Eastern Europe and in Russia. Gide Loyrette Nouel is advising the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy on its planned 500MW solar facility in central Ouarzazate. The plant will use a combination of thermal solar and photovoltaic solar technology. Four groups have been prequalified to bid for the contract to build the first phase on a design, build, operate, maintain and finance basis. Phase one will be based on concentrated solar power parabolic trough technologies. It will have a minimum capacity of 125MW.

Contact Tel: (+33) 140 75 2924

Biography Lewis Jones is a partner at US law firm Vinson & Elkins and specialises in project finance, particularly in the energy sector. Jones has advised sponsors, governments, lenders and private equity investors on power, pipeline, liquefied natural gas and upstream projects. He has represented developers for independent power projects in Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Jones is currently representing the sponsors on the development and financing of an integrated carbon capture and hydrogen power project in Abu Dhabi. He is also working for King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy on establishing a legal and regulatory framework for renewable and civil atomic energy sector in the kingdom. Lewis moved to Vinson & Elkins’ Abu Dhabi office in 2007 and currently serves as the managing partner of its UAE offices. He graduated in 1988 from the University of Newcastle in the UK.

Contact Tel: (+ 971) 2 412 0708

Biography Marc Fevre is counsel in UK-based Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s energy and infrastructure team. Fevre has worked on acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures and financing arrangements in the energy and power generation sector, particularly in renewable energy. He spent more than three years working in Japan before joining Freshfields’ London office, where he was based between 2004-09. Fevre is currently advising Morocco’s Office National de l’Electricite on the development of a 150MW wind farm at Taza. The project is part of a series of five wind farms in the country. He has also advised clients on establishing low carbon and energy efficient businesses in the region. Fevre graduated with a degree in political science. He has a master’s degree in Japanese studies from the UK’s University of Sheffield and a master’s in history from St Andrew, also in the UK. 

Contact Tel: (+971) 4 509 9100