Chris Taufatofua > Milbank > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Milbank Offices
100 Liverpool Street
LONDON
EC2M 2AT
England
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Chris Taufatofua
Position
Partner, Global Project, Energy and Infrastructure Finance
Career
Chris Taufatofua has developed significant expertise advising lenders, sponsors, governments and contractors on a variety of international transactions in the energy, power, infrastructure and renewables sectors. He received his law degree and his business degree from Queensland University of Technology.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
(Next Generation Partners)Milbank is noteworthy for its breadth of capabilities in the power space, with a strong reputation for its abilities advising its clients, including renowned banks, on matters involving transitional energy, including battery-related projects; green ammonia projects; green hydrogen matters, as well as on the full scope of renewable, power and gas-to-power work. Its workload in these areas is often multijurisdictional in nature. John Dewar, who ‘exhibits outstanding leadership’, heads up the offering. Battery specialist Matthew Brown joined from Latham & Watkins in May 2022. Climate and sustainability expert Chris Taufatofua is a key name to note, as is Munib Hussain who was promoted to partnership in January 2023.
London > Industry focus > Emerging markets
(Next Generation Partners)Milbank‘s London office ‘has an impressive ability to lead transaction mandates in an efficient and collaborative manner, with clients and the deal as the priority‘. Clients appreciate that the team ‘strongly collaborates with local counsel in emerging markets to provide seamless integrated services‘. Active across Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia, the firm is frequently involved in the development of mega-projects, and handles high-value project bond transactions, ESG-related financings, and matters related to energy transition. Lead partner John Dewar ‘has an impressive ability to marry strategic priorities of clients and the deal to the nitty gritty of the detail‘, and newly promoted partner Munib Hussain is ‘a superb legal technician who is excellent on Islamic finance transactions‘. Together, they acted for underwriting banks including JP Morgan and HSBC, on a first-of-kind $11.5bn GMTN programme and an innovative $1.5bn sukuk issuance. Emerging partner talents Şeyda Duman and Chris Taufatofua also play key roles in the practice. Taufatofua recently advised OnCorp on the structuring and negotiation of project documents in a bid to develop an LNG import and regasification terminal at the port of Suape, Pernambuco, Brazil.
London > Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
A tour-de-force in the energy market with projects experience in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, Milbank excels at advising lenders and sponsors on large-scale, complex financings, with extensive experience advising on first-of-its-kind funding structures across the full array of assets, particularly traditional energy enterprises. Wider work includes a significant aiport expansion in Greece, financing subsea electricity transmission networks across Europe and Asia, as well as overseeing the document drafting and negotiations for a new LNG import terminal in Brazil. Team head and market veteran John Dewar is a frequent port-of-call for financial institutions and export credit agencies for power, oil and gas and mining projects, with significant experience in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Chris Taufatofua has an active presence across a wide-array of mandates, working with stellar sponsor-side clients. Munib Hussain – who was recently promoted to partner – is also recognised for his project finance expertise, particularly in relation to petrochemical . Energy transition specialist Matthew Brown joined from Latham & Watkins in May 2022, alongside special counsel Rachel Croft. Kilian De Cintré is a well-regarded up and coming solicitor within the group, playing a support role on a number of key oil and gas infrastructure mandates.
Lawyer Rankings
- Next Generation Partners London > Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
- Next Generation Partners London > Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Emerging markets London > Industry focus
- Infrastructure: Project finance and development London > Projects, energy and natural resources
- Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) London > Projects, energy and natural resources
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Finance > Acquisition finance
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
- Transport > Aviation
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Finance > Derivatives and structured products
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – mid-large cap
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals
- Finance > Securitisation
- Dispute resolution > Competition litigation
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions – high-value deals (£250m+)
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Upper Mid-Market And Premium Deals, £750m+
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium