Expertise

Ian is a partner specialising in cross-border and domestic acquisitions & disposals, joint ventures and projects in the economic infrastructure sector. 

Ian has extensive experience with complex high value international agreements, and has led numerous cross-border M&A transactions and projects with values in excess of US$1 billion.  Ian has also had extremely broad international exposure, having run transactions and projects in over 30 countries across six continents, including a significant number of transactions in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Ian has a particular expertise in the ports sector.  Prior to joining Addleshaw Goddard, Ian was the Group Deputy General Counsel of DP World in Dubai, a leading enabler of global trade (one of the largest marine terminal operators in the world, and also an owner and operator of industrial parks, logistics and economic zones, maritime services and marinas).

Having spent over a decade working in-house, Ian takes a truly business friendly, solution-oriented and practical approach to his work.

Ian’s recent experience includes advising:

• DP World on the sale of a US$5 billion minority shareholding in Jebel Ali Port, Jebel Ali Free Zone and National Industries Park to CDPQ
• DP World on the establishment of a US$1.7 billion joint investment platform with British International Investment in relation to investments in ports and logistics assets in Africa, including the sale of seed assets in Senegal, Egypt and Somaliland to the platform
• a multinational infrastructure operator on the establishment and subsequent expansion of a global US$8.2 billion investment platform with a Canadian institutional investor
• the sponsor in relation to the entry into a long-term concession to build and operate a new greenfield container terminal in Egypt
• a multinational port operator on the acquisition of an additional stake (resulting in a majority shareholding) in a US$1 billion entity that holds the long term rights to operate four marine terminals in Australia
• the purchaser on the US$1.1 billion acquisition of Topaz Energy & Marine, an international logistics and solutions provider to the global energy industry (which operates over 100 vessels in the Caspian Sea, MENA and West Africa)
• the sponsor in relation to the award of a 50 year concession to build and operate a US$500 million greenfield marine terminal in Ecuador
• DP World on its acquisition of P&O Ferries and P&O Ferrymasters (a pan-European, market leading, ro-ro ferries operation, and transportation and logistics solutions provider)
• a multinational maritime services company on the acquisition of Unifeeder, a Danish integrated logistics company (the largest European container feeder and shortsea shipping network operator)
• DP World in relation to the acquisition of Drydocks World in Dubai (the largest ship repair and ship build facility in the Middle East)
• the purchaser of a controlling stake in the majority shareholder of a project company holding the concession for the Port of Maputo in Mozambique
• the purchaser on the acquisition of a majority shareholding in a Singapore based pan-Asian feedering and shortsea shipping operator
• the grantor in relation to a long term sub-concession of a liquids terminal in the Middle East
• the seller in relation to a US$1.2 billion sale of a company holding the rights to operate marine container terminals in Hong Kong
• DP World in relation to the sale of a US$640 million minority shareholding in two of its marine terminals in Canada
• the purchaser in relation to the acquisition of a large Indian feeder and NVOCC operator (offering feeding services and regional trade solutions across the Middle East, Indian sub-continent and Far East)