Andrew Watson

Andrew supports infrastructure and transport development with licensing advice, handling corporate finance, project structuring, acquisitions, joint ventures, and commercial contracts to drive large-scale project success.  

• Advised Moreas S.A. and its sponsors in relation to the €1.4 billion Korinth Tripoli Kalamata Motorway PPP Project in Greece. 
• Advised Sequoia (as arranger), Sequoia IDF (as lender) and The Bank of New York Mellon (as agent) in relation to a fully secured financing of a student housing project in Utrecht (The Netherlands) in an amount of approximately €8 million. 
• Advised Thermaiki Odos S.A. and its sponsors (Elleniki Technodomiki S.A. (now Ellaktor), Archirodon Group N.V. and Boskalis International B.V.) in relation to the €477 million financing of the Thessaloniki Submerged Tunnel PPP Project in Greece. 
• Advised Olympia Odos Group (including Aktor Concessions, Vinci Grande Projets, Impregilo S.p.A. and J&P Hellas S.A.) in relation to their bid for the Maliakos–Kleidi toll motorway project in central Greece. 
• Advised a subsidiary of Ellaktor S.A. in relation to the 27-year concession for the design, financing, construction and facility management of the €105 million Piraeus Police Directorate PPP project in Greece and the related building contract, facilities management agreement and interface agreement. 
• Advised Maritime Company of Lesvos (NEL Lines) in relation to its bid in the tender for the privatisation of IDO (Istanbul Fast Ferries Co. Inc.), the ferry company operating in Istanbul and the Sea of Marmara. 
• Advised European Investment Bank in relation to the financing of the €1.2 billion HSL Zuid High Speed Rail PPP project linking Amsterdam with the Dutch/Belgian border. 
• Advised one of the prospective lending syndicates in relation to Markopoulo Racecourse, Pari-Mutual Betting System and Olympic Facilities project financing in Greece. 
• Advised Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank AG in relation to the Thessaloniki Metro project. 
• Advised The Bank of Tokyo – Mitsubishi, Ltd., Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank, HSBC Bank PLC, Societe Generale and the other arrangers in respect of the financing of the €1.3 billion Athens Ring Road project

Andrew brings deep experience in corporate finance, structuring, and licensing, supporting a wide range of transactions including acquisitions, joint ventures, and funding arrangements across sectors and jurisdictions. 

• Advised Natixis in relation to numerous secured equity bridge facilities, ranging in value from approximately €200 million to €400 million, to bridge finance investments to be made by investors into various funds located in numerous jurisdictions. 
• Advised HIG Capital portfolio companies in relation to the United Kingdom and English-law aspects of various financings in relation to the acquisition of various international corporate groups. 
• Advised a European corporate group in relation to the due diligence on English law-governed ISDA-based derivative transactions including in relation to the master agreement, the schedules and specific derivative transactions entered into on the basis of the same. 
• Advised the Constellation Hotels Group of Qatar in relation to all finance aspects of its acquisition of a portfolio of London hotels (including Claridge’s, the Berkeley and the Connaught) for a purchase value in excess of £1.4 billion. 
• Advised Barclays Bank plc (New York branch) in relation to the issuance by McDermott London of numerous English-law legal opinions in relation to credit enhancement arrangements entered into by Barclays in relation to United States infrastructure and municipal bonds (tax-exempt and non-tax-exempt). 
• Advised the Fosroc group in relation to its re-financing of its existing group loan facilities (including term, revolving and accordion facilities) made available by HSBC. 
• Advised a German bankruptcy trustee in relation to the English-law aspects of the winding up of OW Bunkers (previously one of the world’s largest traders of bunker oil with operations in 29 countries). 
• Advised Acushnet Company, the world’s leading golf equipment company, in relation to the United Kingdom and Dutch aspects of its US$500 million group-wide financing arrangements provided by different banking syndicates, including term, revolving and ABL facilities secured over various assets. 
• Advised Actuant Corporation, a United States company, in relation to various English-law matters related to existing financings of United Kingdom group entities. 
• Advised Fila (the Korea-based multinational sports equipment manufacturer) in relation to the English-law aspects of its international financing arrangements (including senior, mezzanine and ABL facilities) provided by Korea Development Bank and Wells Fargo, as well as in relation to security provided by group companies in numerous countries. 
• Advised a major German munitions manufacturer in relation to its financing arrangements (including various re-financings), supported by security arrangements from group companies in numerous countries. 
• Advised a German Landesbank in relation to its participation in the restructuring of financing arrangements provided to certain Morgan Stanley real estate funds (MSREF) for the acquisition of various European hotels in the ‘Intercontinental’ hotel group, including mezzanine and senior tranches. 
• Advised a major Geneva-based energy trading company in relation to financing made available by a syndicate of international banks in relation to the acquisition of the Signal Peak Mine in Montana, United States. 
• Advised a multinational healthcare company in relation to the United Kingdom aspects of the re-financing of its group. 
• Advised Formula 1 Group in relation to the re-financing of its US$1.4 billion bond issue as well as related arrangements re. Formula One teams. 
• Acted for a lender providing a £42 million acquisition finance loan facility to finance part of the cost of acquisition of a specialist care home group with 23 facilities in England, subsequently upsized by £25 million to fund the purchase of an additional 12 care home facilities in England and Wales. 
• Acted for a lender providing a £30 million acquisition finance loan facility to finance the cost of acquisition of a neuro-rehabilitation care home group with facilities in England, Scotland and Wales, the sale being made by a larger care home group (in administration). 
• Acted for a lender providing a £40 million acquisition finance loan facility to finance part of the cost of acquisition of a specialist care home group (including neuro-behavioural care) with facilities in Ireland. 

Andrew advises on licensing, structuring, and finance across oil, gas, and power projects, supporting conventional and renewable developments, joint ventures, and acquisitions in complex energy markets.

• Advised ExxonMobil in relation to all ongoing aspects of the Chad–Cameroon pipeline project and the related Three Fields oilfield development in Chad, project financed by various commercial banks as well as the World Bank/IFC, EIB, COFACE and US Ex-Im Bank. 
• Advised Shell in relation to its financing of the purchase by a Finnish-based group of Shell’s oil refinery in Gothenburg (Sweden) (including substantial quantities of stored crude and other oil products) and most of its downstream business in Finland, Sweden and Norway, all on a fully secured vendor finance basis. 
• Advised Anadarko (joint venturing with Tullow Oil) in relation to the financing of a US$850 million FPSO for the Jubilee field in deep-water offshore Ghana. 
• Advised Irving Oil Company Ltd. (joint venture partner with Repsol YPF) in relation to a US$ 763 million project financing to build an LNG re-gasification terminal (and all related infrastructure) in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Additionally, advised Irving Oil in the project financing of up to US$120 million to build a third storage tank at this same facility. 
• Advised Irving Oil in relation to a number of matters related to its transport of hydrocarbons including various time charter parties in relation to oil tankers and transportation of crude by rail in Canada and the United States. 
• Advised Oikos Storage Limited (and its parent, Challenger) in relation to the refurbishment of its bulk hydrocarbons storage terminal located on the Thames River estuary and re-establishment of all related pipeline networks. 
• Advised Oikos Storage Limited in relation to multiple long-term tank storage agreements, one with an oil major, and the related non-exclusive use of certain shared facilities as well as blending and additivation of hydrocarbon products. 
• Advised Irving Oil in relation to its establishment of a hydrocarbon storage and blending facility in the Netherlands. 
• Advised A-Tec Petro in relation to its farm in to a deep-water oil block offshore Equatorial Guinea including full due diligence in relation to the asset. 
• Advised JX Nippon Oil in relation to the purchase, sale and exchange of several North Sea assets in the context of joint venture partners in severe financial distress. 
• Advised Nippon Oil in relation to disputes with a joint venture partner in respect of North Sea exploration assets in the context of such joint venture partner experiencing severe financial difficulties. 
• Advised Macquarie Bank Limited and various of its affiliates in relation to the financing aspects of their participation in the purchase from General Electric Co. of the Baglan Bay power plant in Wales and the provision of ongoing financing to the special purpose acquisition vehicle. 
• Advised Macquarie Bank Limited and various of its affiliates in relation to the financing aspects of their participation in the purchase from EDF Energy of the Sutton Bridge power plant in Lincolnshire and the provision of ongoing financing to the special purpose acquisition vehicle. 
• Advised Togo Electricity Board in relation to a PPA and concession in relation to a coal-fired power station in Togo. 
• Advised Credit Suisse AG (New York branch) in relation to the United Kingdom aspects of its fully secured US$50 million financing of the acquisition by a Canadian developer of three solar PV projects in Canada. 
• Advised the Grupotec group (Spain), including its newly established United Kingdom subsidiary, in relation to a series of small (approximately 5 MW) solar PV projects in the United Kingdom being developed by Lightsource for which Grupotec was the contractor, including advice in relation to the EPC contract, the direct agreements and the related parent company guarantees required by Macquarie (which was both lender and an equity investor). 
• Advised WestLB AG and a syndicate of banks on the restructuring of Teesside Power Ltd., owner of the 1300 MW Teesside gas-fired power station, which ran into significant difficulties due to exposure to Enron. 
• Advised Eucom Real Estate and Investment S.A. on the acquisition from Enron of two wind farms in Crete (Greece) and financing of the same. 
• Advised Elcogas and its sponsors in relation to the project financing of a new coal-fired IGCC power plant in Spain. Advised the arranging banks on the financing of the 512 MW IGCC power plant in Priolo Gargallo, Sicily. 
• Advised the arranging banks on the financing for a 275 MW Integrated Gasification combined cycle power plant near Ancona, Italy. 

Andrew advises telecoms and technology clients on licensing and regulatory matters alongside corporate finance, project development, joint ventures, M&A, and contracts, structuring deals to support sector expansion. 

• Advised (and advising) Sequoia (as arranger) and Sequoia IDF (as lender) in relation to financings of intercontinental submarine cable projects. 
• Advised Motorola Credit Corporation in relation to the financing of the supply of equipment for the build-out for Zain Saudi of a 3G mobile telephone system in Saudi Arabia, together with parent company support from a listed Kuwaiti company. 
• Advised Motorola Credit Corporation and Alcatel Financiere, providers of a US$60 million project facility to Orascom Telecom Iraq Corp. to finance the construction and operation of a GSM mobile telephone system in the Central Region of Iraq (including Baghdad). 
• Advised Motorola Credit Corporation on a $2.3 billion financing to Marabu GmbH to partially finance the acquisition of a 3G GSM mobile telephone licence in Germany and the build-out of the mobile telephone system. 
• Advised Motorola, Inc in relation to an export credit financing facility provided by Export-Import Bank of the United States in relation to an iDEN telecoms infrastructure system for New Generation Telecommunications Company (Jordan). 
• Advised Motorola Credit Corporation in relation to a financing of a mobile telecommunications system in Egypt jointly financed with Egyptian banks. 
• Advised Motorola Credit Corporation in relation to the restructuring of debt financing provided by it (as well as an Egyptian bank) to a major Egyptian-based international mobile phone company. 
• Advised Motorola Credit Corporation in relation to the financing of a “Wi-Max” wireless broadband project in the Ukraine. 
• Advised IDT Corporation in relation to its “Net2Phone” project in Pakistan. 
• Advised Motorola Credit Corporation in relation to its financing arrangements to Brightstar Corporation, a major distributor of mobile phones and other devices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

Andrew advises clients operating in African markets on licensing, corporate structuring, project development, and finance, particularly within energy and infrastructure, helping clients to navigate local complexities and cross-border commercial transactions. 

• Advised Anadarko (joint venturing with Tullow Oil) in relation to the financing of a US$850 million FPSO for the Jubilee field in deep-water offshore Ghana. 
• Advised ExxonMobil in relation to all ongoing aspects of the Chad–Cameroon pipeline project and the related Three Fields oilfield development in Chad, project financed by various commercial banks as well as the World Bank/IFC, EIB, COFACE and US Ex-Im Bank. 
• Advised A-Tec Petro in relation to its farm in to a deep-water oil block offshore Equatorial Guinea including full due diligence in relation to the asset. 
• Advised Promasidor Holdings, a pan-African food conglomerate, in relation to its US$30m Revolving Credit Facility provided by Standard Bank South Africa, guaranteed by subsidiaries in Nigeria and Ghana 
• Advising Promasidor Holdings, a pan-African food conglomerate, in relation to its US$10m Revolving Credit Facility to be provided by Absa Bank of South Africa, guaranteed by subsidiaries in Nigeria and Ghana. 

Andrew supports investors and developers in Greek markets with licensing, corporate structuring, and transactional matters, particularly in energy, hospitality, and infrastructure, including acquisitions, funding, and joint ventures. 

• Advised the lenders in relation to the €1.2 billion Attiki Odos Ring Road project around Athens, Greece.  
• Advised the sponsors and project company in relation to the project financing of the Thessaloniki Submerged Tunnel in Northern Greece.  
• Advised the sponsors in relation to the Maliakos Kleidi motorway in Greece.  
• Advised the sponsors and project company in relation to the Piraeus Police Directorate PPP in Greece.  
• Advised the sponsors and project company in relation to the project financing of the Thessaloniki Submerged Tunnel in Northern Greece.