King & Spalding adds Project Finance partner Robin Bayley in Abu Dhabi

King & Spalding has recruited project finance specialist Robin Bayley as a partner in the firm’s Corporate, Finance & Investments practice based in Abu Dhabi.

Bayley represents sponsors, developers and financial institutions on complex, multi-sourced financings of large energy and infrastructure projects throughout the Middle East and Africa. He has led the advice on major projects across the oil and gas, petrochemicals, metals, mining and power sectors, including headline multi-billion dollar matters such as the Sadara Petrochemical project, the Sweihan Solar IPP and the Dolphin Gas Pipeline project.

“Robin has established a reputation as one of the leading project finance lawyers in the Middle East and his portfolio is a testament to both his legal skills and commercial acumen,” said Todd Holleman, head of the firm’s Corporate, Finance & Investments practice. “His ability to structure complex project financings, including specialised non-recourse debt and Islamic finance facilities, offers an exciting new dimension to our existing infrastructure and energy expertise in the Middle East and internationally.”

Bayley joins King & Spalding from the Abu Dhabi office of Shearman & Sterling, where he has been a partner since 2014. He previously worked at Allen & Overy and was named a Law360 “Rising Star” in 2014.

“Robin has played a pivotal role in many of the Middle East’s most sophisticated projects and that invaluable experience further enhances our ability to advise clients on their most important infrastructure and energy investments,” commented Jawad Ali, managing partner of the firm’s Middle East offices. “We already have a number of significant clients in common – on both the sponsor and lender side – and Robin’s project finance know-how opens up exciting collaborative possibilities for us in other key markets such as London, Tokyo, Singapore and the US. It is great to have him on the team.”

“King & Spalding is a firm with amazing momentum and a proven track record in successfully advising on pathfinder projects,” Bayley added. “I am extremely pleased to join such a dynamic platform and very much looking forward to combining with colleagues in the Middle East and around the world to continue the good work.”