DLA Piper adds Oliver Wright as a partner in the firm’s Project and Energy team
DLA Piper is pleased to welcome New York-based partner Oliver Wright to the firm’s Project and Energy team within the Finance group.
Oliver focuses on mining and metals and energy transactions, regularly taking the lead on project development, financing and M&A transactions. He represents clients in relation to deal structuring, investment risks, joint venture management, offtake arrangements and other operational matters, new country entry, and relations with host country governments.
Wright advises sponsors, lenders and private equity and private credit clients on transactions spanning several jurisdictions. His work combines aspects of project finance and M&A in renewable energy and the mining of minerals for energy transition, such as the ingredients for batteries and the copper necessary for building and connecting renewable energy facilities to the electrical grid.
Some of Oliver’s notable experience includes the representation of an industrial minerals and technology company on the project financing and development of a graphite anode processing facility in Louisiana, including the first Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan with the US Department of Energy for the critical minerals sector; notable financial institutions in a US$140 million limited recourse financing for the development and construction of a greenfield copper/gold project in Brazil; the representation of the underwriters in connection with multiple offerings of American Depositary Shares of a lithium mining company; and the representation of a major US-based global investment management corporation in its debt investment in a portfolio of certain mining assets in the US, Brazil, Finland, Canada and Peru. Additionally, Oliver has past in-house experience with investment fund Mubadala Investment Company, managing a global mining and metals portfolio.
“With his diverse experience advising on a broad range of transactions across the mining and metals sector, Oliver will expand our Transactional Vertical strength in the Energy and Natural Resources Sector, add to our team of lawyers active in the US and Middle East strategic initiative and add a recognized Energy and Natural Resources practice,” said Matt Schwartz, chair of the US Finance practice.
“We are excited to welcome Oliver to the New York office and believe that DLA Piper will provide Oliver with the best platform to pursue opportunities that will further supplant his reputation as a global leader in the energy and mining sector,” said Cara Edwards, managing partner of the New York office.
DLA Piper advises on all aspects of financing, across borders, sectors and financial products. The firm’s lawyers advise issuers, underwriters, selling shareholders, sponsors, arrangers, lead managers, originators, dealers, trustees and depositaries on a broad range of capital markets offerings, including equity, equity-linked and debt securities, structured and project financings and securitizations.
DLA Piper's Energy sector lawyers advise regulators, the regulated, investors and other industry participants on the implications of the regulatory framework during the planning, development and operational stages of many energy assets and transactions. For decades, the firm has represented organizations operating in the sector throughout the world, with a global team serving clients in the power, oil and gas, renewable, nuclear, energy trading, climate change and water markets. In addition to energy companies, the firm’s clients also include project sponsors, corporations, developers, financial institutions, governments, utilities and regulatory bodies.
