CMS bolsters project and energy finance expertise with key partner hire

CMS is delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Simpson as a Partner in the firm’s Banking & Finance group in London. He joins the firm from Shearman & Sterling LLP where he was Counsel in the Project Development & Finance Practice.

Paul is a Project & Energy Finance specialist, with experience of advising sponsors, export credit agencies, commercial banks, development finance institutions and multilateral agencies on a wide range of high value energy and natural resources projects in emerging market jurisdictions. Paul is currently advising the Financial Investors in connection with the EUR9.5bn financing of the Nord Stream 2 offshore pipeline project. He also recently played a key role advising HSBC and JP Morgan in connection with the US1.75bn financing for Delek Drilling to finance the exploration and development of its interest in the Leviathan natural gas field offshore Israel.

Rita Lowe, Head of Banking & Finance at CMS UK, comments: “Increasing our bench strength and working on international market leading deals in Project and Energy Finance has been core to our strategy and Paul's appointment is completely consistent with that. Paul is a fantastic addition to the team. He brings with him a wealth of international experience on market leading infra energy projects, having worked with a wide range of sponsors and financiers (including export credit agencies) on a number of high profile mandates across a diverse range of jurisdictions but with a particular focus on the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. His experience and skillset is very complementary to the firm’s recognised sector expertise and geographical footprint, and will add to the strength and depth we are able to offer our clients."

Commenting on his appointment, Paul adds: “I am excited to be joining CMS, a firm with an expansive international platform that is renowned for its market leading energy and natural resources capability.”