Michael Poole

Michael has over 14 years' experience in advising on international energy and infrastructure projects, with particular emphasis on renewable energy, particularly on-shore and off-shore wind, solar and hydro. His clients include governments, sponsors, investors, private lenders and multilateral financial institutions such as IFC, EIB and EBRD and developers. He has also spent significant time on secondments in banking and industry clients at BP, Marubeni Europower, Nordea Bank and Deutsche Bank and therefore has insight into what clients want from their professional advisers.

Michael has worked on major projects in jurisdictions across the world, including Africa, the Middle East and South America, and advises on development and construction related agreements (including EPC (FIDIC and domestic forms) and construction contracts, equipment supply contracts, FEED/EPCM contracts, ‘early contractor involvement’ contracts, LTSA and O&M arrangements) and finance documents.  

He spent 14 months as a secondee to the Treasury Department of BP Plc (advising on a broad range of treasury matters including trade finance), as well as time seconded to Nordea Bank, Marubeni Europower Ltd, and Deutsche Bank (advising Global Credit Trading on transport, energy and infrastructure transactions). He also spent 11 years working as a lawyer in Italy and is fluent in Italian.

Michael's experience includes advising:

• a Spanish sponsor in relation to the construction of a 40MW solar photovoltaic project based in western Kenya, developed under the Kenyan Government’s feed-in-tariff policy.
• sponsors in relation to the development and financing of a 50MWac solar PV project in Egypt, being developed under the feed-in-tariff policy of the Government of Egypt.
• the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) in relation to issues arising during the construction phase of a coal fired power plant refurbishment.
• EIB, IFC and several private banks on the syndicated financing the Zagreb airport PPP project.
• the Zimbabwe Power Corporation on the operation and maintenance of its 600MW coal fired power station in northern Zimbabwe

Background

Michael holds an LLB (Honours) from Nottingham University, and is admitted to the Supreme Court of England & Wales.