Renewables: Current Trends, Likely Developments and… Disputes

Speakers:

Peter Lynch – Deputy Head of Renewables & Transition

Peter has worked for UK Export Finance for over 32 years, in a range of roles, including Underwriting, Banking and Corporate Risk, Policy and Country Risk. Formerly the Business Manager for Construction and then Oil & Gas, he moved over to Renewables & Transition in 2021 and has been the lead for offshore wind projects as well as other sectors, and has worked on a number of major project financings. With a recent change of role to Deputy Head, Peter is responsible for all sectors in the renewable landscape, and will seek to develop the UK offering for projects large and small to meet the challenges and provide support for viable transactions with a UK element.

Caragh McWhirr

Caragh is Global Hydrogen Director for Xodus. Caragh McWhirr leads Xodus’ Hydrogen Xcellence Hub and has over 20 years’ experience in the energy sector. She has a broad and multidisciplinary technical base covering electrical, mechanical, process and safety engineering. She leads a small team of hydrogen experts (commercial and technical), monitoring policy and markets globally, and providing strategic direction to the rest of the business related to hydrogen opportunities. The Xodus Hydrogen Xcellence Hub aims to be custodians of expertise on hydrogen and hydrogen projects, technically and commercially, providing tools and expertise relating to Hydrogen to the rest of the business.

Mary Anne Roff – Vice president legal Seaway7

Mary Anne is an English-qualified lawyer with 30 years of international experience in managing construction and engineering projects and disputes, including advising on arbitration, litigation, adjudication and alternative dispute resolution procedures. She has worked extensively with companies in the renewable energy and infrastructure sectors. After many years as a partner in international law firms, most recently Clyde & Co, Mary Anne joined Seaway7 in April 2023 as Vice President Legal, managing legal risk, compliance and the legal function across Seaway7’s global activities.

José Manuel Gutiérrez Delgado

Have worked for 34 years as Abogado del Estado at the General Attorney’s Office in senior positions in many different fields at the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Economy and Taxes.

Currently managing partner of LCS Abogados.

Former Head of the International Arbitration Department of the General Attorney´s Office of the Kingdom of Spain and Legal Counsellor of the Spanish Permanent Representation to the European Union.

Have worked as General Director of Legal Policy and International Affairs in the Ministry of Justice and as Financial Counsellor of the Spanish Embassy to the United Kingdom.

Dennis Sarobe

Dennis Sarobe is a Principal at Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) focusing on energy infrastructure investment and portfolio management. He is based in London.

Dennis joined GIP in 2012 from the Energy team in Credit Suisse, where he worked on transactions across the oil & gas, power and renewables sectors. At GIP, he is active across all Energy activities across EMEA with particular focus on power, renewables and energy transition. He was a key part of investments in Naturgy, Vena Energy and our 3 offshore wind partnerships with Orsted and, most recently, lead the divestment of Hornsea 1.

Dennis graduated with an MSc. in Physics from Imperial College London.

Paul Kinninmont

Paul specialises in international arbitration – commercial and investment, institutional and ad hoc – as well as related injunctive relief and award enforcement. Paul’s arbitration experience encompasses different geographies, applicable laws, seats and sectors, including joint ventures, renewable energy, oil and gas, construction, life sciences, technology and project finance. He has frequently co-counselled efficiently and effectively with legal practitioners from countries around the world.

Having drafted several New York Convention compliant awards, Paul accepts appointments as an arbitrator. He is also an accomplished litigator at first instance and on appeal, again across a range of sectors. Please see below for further details.

Paul deploys his expertise to help clients to mitigate political risk when structuring transactions and/or to advise clients on how best to draft contracts to ensure enforcement of their contractually agreed allocation of risk. He is adept at dispute avoidance, settlement and mediation.

Paul is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators. He holds an LLM in International Dispute Resolution, speaking at industry events and lecturing regularly.

Tom Melbye Eide

Tom Melbye Eide is an independent adviser on strategic and commercial legal matters and an international arbitrator/mediator/expert.

Tom works in association with Rockflow Resources.

Tom has more than 20 years of executive experience in the International Energy Market and has held positions as General Counsel of Equinor Group, BG Group and Shell Global Upstream.

FCiARB, Diploma SCC, MLCIA, Supporting member LMAA, CEDR.

Rouha Hussaina

Rouha Hussaina is the Head of Energy Transition Services and Director at ERC Evolution. She has over 15 years of industry experience that includes lenders’ advisory, decarbonisation, industrial construction, climate policy advisory, project engineering and management and manufacturing. Previosly she represented Tata Steel UK, the largest steelworks and the 2nd largest GHG emitter in the country, at the South Wales Industrial Cluster for decarbonisation.

ERC Evolution is a Climate and Sustainability consultancy the provides independent assurance and technical services for energy transition. This includes geothermal energy, geological storage of CO2 as well as identifying climate related risks and opportunities.

Colleen Parker Bacquet

Colleen Parker Bacquet is Counsel of the Common Law team at the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, France. As Counsel, she oversees international commercial arbitration cases under the ICC Rules related to the UK, Ireland, and common law countries in Africa. Colleen has completed her legal education in the United States and France and has experience working with law firms in Italy and the United States.