Alex Regan
SocioAlex is the embodiment of competence, commitment, and trust. With him on your side, you're not just getting legal expertise; you're getting a lawyer who is personally invested in your success.
A distinguished Partner at DLA Piper, Alex is an expert in all things finance when it comes to infrastructure, energy transition and the natural resources sectors.
With a legacy stretching over 30 years, he's made a mark by navigating complex transactions, especially in ground-breaking initiatives such as Australia's first green hydrogen project.
Engagement with Alex means embarking on a partnership characterised by clarity and dedication. He is in constant communication, ensuring that both team and client are aligned every step of the way.
Alex is always on the lookout for opportunities to expand his knowledge and skills. He's particularly interested in renewable energy, drawn to its innovative breakthroughs and the potential it holds for the future.
EXPERIENCE
- Restructuring and Special Situations: advising a broad range of special situations funds, bondholders, senior and mezzanine lenders, other investors and borrowers in relation to various restructurings, rescue financings and debt acquisitions, both in Australia and elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region. Transactions include: advising Jindal Steel/Wollongong Coal on its debt restructuring via a creditors’ scheme of arrangement in Australia; advising an Asian investor on its acquisition of Millenium Minerals via debt acquisitions and a DOCA process; advising special situations investors on the acquisition of debt in Becton Property Group and subsequent receivership process and work-out; advising various special situations investors on bids to acquire distressed loan portfolios from Australian and international banks; advising an investment bank on the rescue financing for Paladin Energy.
- Private Equity and Leveraged Finance: financing of deals and bids relating to both private and public M&A, including Bain/Retail Zoo, Warburg Pincus/Survitec, PEP/AST, TPG Capital/PCCW, Bain/MYOB, CHAMP/Centric Wealth, Apollo/Nine Entertainment, Southern Cross Media/Austereo, CHAMP/Accolade Wines, McAleese/IES, CVC/Stella Travel, Civeo/MAC Services, Sun Capital/Invensys, CVC/Acument, GTCR/Global Traffic Network, Apollo/Ventia (including Australia’s first A$/US$ Term Loan B financing), Partners Group/Guardian Childcare, Reece Group/JP Morgan (US$ Term Loan B financing into the US market).
- Energy and Natural Resources Sectors: Transactions include : advising a global energy company on the development and funding of a renewable hydrogen project in WA; advising Kalium Lakes on the A$200m project financing of its potash mining project in WA, with financing from NAIF and KfW/Hermes; advising Salt Lake Potash on the financing of its potash mining project in WA, with financing from Taurus; advising Paringa Resources on the project financing of its mining project in the US; advising Mitsubishi on the development of the Oakajee port-rail and mine project in WA; advising Macquarie Capital and Brookfield on the $2.7 billion acquisition of Quadrant Energy; advising Horizon Oil on its borrowing base financing with various international banks; advising Tap Oil on its borrowing base financing with an international bank; advising Ratch on the project financing of the Collinsville Solar Farm, with financing from Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC); advising CEFC on the project financing of the Bannerton Solar Farm, with Foresight as sponsor; advising CEFC on the project financing of the Oakey 2 Solar Farm, with Foresight as sponsor.
- Infrastructure Sector: Transactions include: advising Genesee &Wyoming on its acquisition of the Adelaide to Darwin railway; advising on financing aspects related to the acquisition of PEXA by Link, CBA and Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners; advising the NSW Government on the procurement of the Regional Rail PPP in NSW; advising a credit fund on its mezzanine financing of a bid for Glencore’s rail assets in NSW; advising Beijing Water on its acquisition of Trility Infrastructure in Australia. Advising on financings for bids for Port of Brisbane, Abbot Point Coal Terminal, Lane Cove Tunnel toll road and the Cross-City Tunnel toll road; advising on financings and/or bids for various social infrastructure PPPs (including NSW Social and Affordable Housing PPP, Ararat Prison, Vic Schools, Eastern Goldfields Prison, Royal North Shore Hospital and New Royal Adelaide Hospital).
- TMT Sector: Transactions include: advising Goldman Sachs and Natixis on the financing of Brookfield’s acquisition of DCI Data Centres from Blackstone; advising lenders financing a bid for the Metronode data centre business; advising a global private equity firm on a bid to acquire a data centre business in Australia; advising Speedcast on its US$ Term Loan B financing into the US market and various other financings for bolt-on acquisitions; advising on the financings for several subsea cable projects out of Australia; advising on debt financings for several high-growth listed tech companies.
- Real Estate Finance: Transactions include: advising a global credit fund on various construction financings for commercial real estate developments in Melbourne; advising a Korean pension fund on a bond financing for a university research facility in Australia; advising the banks on the financing of the construction of a commercial property development at Macquarie University; advising on the financing of a student accommodation project in Melbourne.
- Energy, Infrastructure and Resources Transactions in Asia: including Optimal petrochemical project in Malaysia involving Islamic project bonds (project finance deal of the year); Horizon oil terminals project in Singapore (project finance deal of the year); the Santa Rita, San Lorenzo, Ilijan and Mindanao power projects in the Philippines; Cirebon power project in Indonesia; Ratchaburi power project in Thailand; Omon 2 power project in Vietnam; Lihir gold mine project in Papua New Guinea; True Mobile telecoms project in Thailand; various Powergen power projects in India; and various mining infrastructure projects in China and Mongolia.
- University of Exeter, Bachelor of Laws (Hons), 1991
- College of Law Guildford, Law Society Finals, 1992
Awards
Alex has been recognised as a leading lawyer by:
- The Legal 500 (for Banking & Finance). He is noted as being "commercial, clear and concise" when advising on transactions.
- Chambers Global (for Acquisition & Leveraged Finance and also Energy, Infrastructure & Projects).
- IFLR1000 Australia 2020 - Highly regarded for Banking, Project development and Project finance.
- Best Lawyer's Australia since 2013 (for Banking & Finance Law, Private Equity Law, Leveraged Buyouts, Energy Law and for Project Finance and Development).
Prior Experience
Alex was previously based in the London, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong offices of various global law firms. He moved to Sydney in 2008 to join one of Australia's leading law firms.