Thomas Herman
Of Counsel in Energy & Infrastructure acting in France, Europe and Africa
Thomas advises and assists clients on project development and project financing in the energy and infrastructure sectors in France, Europe, francophone North and sub-Saharan Africa. He is heavily involved in drafting and negotiating key project documents (concessions, PPP, construction contracts, O&M contracts, PPAs, GSAs and JV agreements).
He also advises regularly on complex regulatory matters and permitting issues.
Thomas has a public contract law background complimented by 10+ years of experience advising on complex cross border projects. He has the ability to straddle both the regulatory advice required on complex infrastructure products and the drafting of the underlying project documentation and analysis of bankability issues in the context of project financing.
His strong sector expertise means that he has also worked a number of landmark M&A transactions.
He has also advised on a number of projects across francophone Africa including in renewables and in the oil and gas and mining sectors and is a recognised expert for Algeria mainly in the oil and gas sector but also in relation to disputes arising from EPC contracts, custom issues and investment in Algeria generally.
Thomas has been described by clients as "available and responsive" for project finance (Legal 500 EMEA 2020) and he has been ranked as a rising star for Algeria (Foreign Firms) by Legal 500 EMEA since 2020. He was also mentioned by Best Lawyers France 2021 as "One to Watch" in two categories: Energy law; and Project Finance and Development.
Background
Thomas holds a Master's Degree in Business Public Law from the University of Sorbonne Paris, a Master's Degree in Public Contracts from the Institute of Politics Studies (Sciences Po) of Lyon and a Bachelor Degree in Political Sciences from the University of Bergen (Norway).
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- the lenders in the financing of a waste-to-energy project developed by Solvay, Veolia and DIF Capital Partners transitioning three coal fired boilers to a new boiler running on 350,000 tons per year of RDF
- the sponsors on the development and financing of a biomass plant producing steam and power to a paper manufacturing facility in Eastern France in the context of the CRE 5 tender
- Proparco, EIB and IFC on the development, on a project finance basis, of the first two Scaling Solar projects in Francophone Africa (Senegal) (Africa Renewables Deal of the Year 2019, IJGlobal Awards)
- Cellnex group on the EUR 5.5 billion acquisition of SFR’s passive telecommunications assets
- EDF, International Finance Corporation and Government of Cameroon (as an investor) on the development and financing of the Nachtigal hydroelectric project (420MW) in Cameroon, (Multilateral Deal of the Year 2018, PFI Awards; African Power Deal of the Year 2018, IJGlobal Awards).
Sectors
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