Nicholas Buckworth is a partner in the Project Development & Finance practice and the Global Head of Finance. Nicholas has 30 years of experience advising sponsors, lenders, and financial institutions in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia on projects predominantly in the energy sector, specializing in high profile and commercially sensitive first-in-kind and first-in-country projects.

• Advising a consortium of major Turkish and South Korean contractors, on the development and financing of the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge and Highway project in Turkey.
• Advising sponsors on the 1000MW Karapinar Solar Project in Turkey.
• The Lenders in one of the nuclear projects under development in the UK.
• The western financial investors on the financing and gas transportation arrangements for Nord Stream II.
• Angola LNG as borrower on a US$1.8 billion financing to fund the upgrade of the project in 2016.
• A leading European FMCG group on its proposed acquisition of a manufacturing business in Nigeria.
• The minority shareholders in the long-term gas transportation arrangements of South Stream AG in relation to the South Stream pipeline.
• JBIC and the commercial lenders on the development and financing of the US$3 billion 2,520MW and 136.5MIGD Facility D IWPP in Qatar.
• Engie on the sale of its stakes in Paiton (Indonesian power assets) to Nebras Power and Mitsui for approximately $1.5 billion and in Meenakshi (Indian power assets) for an undisclosed sum.
• JBIC and NEXI in connection with the financing of a new build nuclear power plant in Sinop being developed by ITOCHU Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and GDF SUEZ.
• Guinea Alumina Corporation (a joint venture between Mubadala Development Company and Dubai Aluminium) in connection with the development of a bauxite mine, alumina refinery and related infrastructure in the Republic of Guinea.
• Lead arrangers supporting the bid by Marubeni and Alghanem for the Az-Zour North II IWPP in Kuwait, which involves co-financing provided by JBIC.
• The consortium, led by Sumitomo and Rainmaker, selected as preferred bidder by the South African Department of Energy for the development of the €140 million, 100 MW Dorper wind farm in South Africa.
• The Dow Chemical Company in the financing of the $20 billion Sadara Petrochemicals Plant being carried out with Saudi Aramco in Jubail. The project involved IDB, K-EXIM, K-sure, Hermes, Coface, US Ex-Im and ECGD among others and a SAR7.5 billion sukuk issuance and Wakala and Procurement Islamic facilities.
• Santander, Barclays and HSBC on the refinancing of Wembley Stadium’s project debt through a corporate financing at the Football Association level.

Awards & Accolades

• Nicholas is ranked in Band 1 for Projects by Chambers UK 2017. Chambers UK 2017 also commends him on his extensive work across Africa and the Middle East, noting that ‘His strong risk analysis and outstanding communication skills make a quite big difference’.
• Nicholas is also ranked as a Leading Individual by Who’s Who Legal 2016 for both Project Finance and Energy.