King & Wood Mallesons adds two new senior partners to Projects, Energy and Resources practice

King & Wood Mallesons is bolstering its Projects, Energy and Resources group in London with two heavy weight partner hires.

Recognised internationally as one of the most respected project finance lawyers, James Douglass, who worked at Mallesons, re-joins the firm from Linklaters. Ian Wood, who joins from DLA Piper, is one of the UK’s most experienced nuclear energy and decommissioning specialists having been involved in the area for in excess of 15 years.

James Douglass

James has been a partner in the Linklaters global projects group since 1998. He has been based in the Beijing office since 2011, leading the development of the China Energy and Project Finance practice, having also worked in the Hong Kong and London offices. Prior to Linklaters, James worked at Mallesons.

James advises numerous Chinese banks and companies on outbound investments in the Energy and Resources sector as well as international clients looking to do business in China. He advises on a range of energy transactions including M&A, project development and financing in the oil & gas, petrochemicals, power and mining sectors.

Ian Wood

Ian joins from DLA Piper, where he was a partner in their Projects practice group having founded their nuclear practice. He is dual qualified having been called to the Bar in 1990 and admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2009.

He was in-house counsel to the British Nuclear Fuels Group for six years including Westinghouse and Uranium Asset Management, before joining DLA in 2006. Ian is one of the UK’s most experienced and respected nuclear energy, waste management and decommissioning specialists having been involved in the area for more than 15 years, and having been a long-time advisor to Uranium Asset Management, British Nuclear Fuels, Sellafield, Magnox and Westinghouse. He also has a great deal of experience in utilities, regulated procurement and renewables.

Neil Upton, head of Projects, Energy and Resources in London, said:

“The hires of James and Ian fit perfectly into our strategic objectives as a firm. Ian will help us grow one of our areas of focus, which is power, and nuclear power in a carbon-constrained world is key to this. The nuclear market - waste management, decommissioning and new build - has massive potential, growing in the UK and in a multitude of other jurisdictions, particularly the Middle East.

“James joins us to focus on oil, gas and power projects globally, with a particular emphasis on our banking clients. As we continue to help our Chinese clients invest globally, and our global clients invest in China and with the Energy market in China opening up to foreign investment at a rapid rate, James is joining us at a perfect time. I have known and worked with James for 20 years and he is a great guy and terrific lawyer and I really look forward to leading the practice with him going forward.”

James Douglass said:

"Joining King & Wood Mallesons was an easy decision for me as the firm's tremendous strength with Asian and particularly Chinese clients and in the energy and infrastructure sectors perfectly complements my eight years on the ground experience in Beijing and Hong Kong and over 20 years doing energy and infrastructure deals for these clients. I look forward to joining a growing, strong and dynamic London and global team."

Ian Wood said:

"I am exceptionally excited and indeed consider myself very fortunate to join the Projects, Energy and Resources team at King & Wood Mallesons, who have an enviable reputation in the sector, with a deeply talented team, many of whom I have worked with previously."

Their hires follow the appointment of partner Richard Mugni as head of the newly formed Energy & Infrastructure group in Paris.

Richard is focused on the rapidly growing market in Africa - especially in French-speaking Africa. A qualified lawyer with over 14 years’ experience in African investments, he joined from French investment and industrial holding company, Bolloré Group, where since 2001 he has held a variety of roles, including, head of English speaking jurisdictions and General Counsel for projects and privatisations.