Jack advises on the development, acquisition and financing of energy and infrastructure projects and on sustainability and energy transition initiatives.
He has particular experience acting for project sponsors/developers and providing them end-to-end advice across the entire project development and financing risk spectrum (from development to operation) and lifecycle (from opportunity to exit). Jack also advises on a board range of financing and corporate transactions, and has been engaged to advise on sustainability and energy transition initiatives.
He is recognised by IFLR1000 as a Highly Regarded Lawyer for both Project Development and Banking, rated by Legal 500 as a Leading Individual for Projects & Energy and a Next Generation Partner for Banking & Finance, and is also ranked by Chambers and Partners for Projects, Infrastructure and Energy and Banking & Finance.
Clients say that Jack is ‘innovative, practical and understands the market – he has great insights and knowledge’, ‘does not shy away from giving commercially correct views’ and that he is a ‘trusted practitioner to go to in Malaysia and has great experience in energy projects’ (Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024).
He is recognised as a ‘very accommodating energy specialist’ (Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021) and is commended by clients for ‘flexibility, sees the bigger picture’ (Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021) and ‘ability to devise creative solutions to legal issues quickly, and his flexibility and responsiveness’ (Chambers Asia Pacific 2021). Jack has also attracted praise for being ‘able to think outside the box and is practical, flexible and knowledgeable‘ (Chambers Asia Pacific 2020).
EXPERIENCE
Construction & Projects and Energy & Natural Resources
- Advising sponsors and developers on the participation in the corporate green power programme and advising on the structuring, documentation (including the corporate green power/virtual power purchase agreements) and development of for no fewer than six (6) solar power plants for that programme.
- Advised and continue to advise the respective investors, sponsors and developers on the development of no fewer than fifteen (15) large scale solar/LSS power plants in Malaysia, in particular advising on the corporate structuring, project documentation and financing documents, from project conception up to financial close and exit.
- Advised and continue to advise the respective investors, sponsors and developers on the development of commercial & industrial (C&I) solar projects under the net energy metering (NEM) regime and self-consumption (Selco) scheme and on the structuring and drafting of power purchase agreements for those programmes.
- Advising on the development of data centres across various locations in Malaysia.
- Advising on the development of two (2) battery manufacturing facilities in Malaysia.
- Advised on two (2) projects for the proposed export of electricity from Malaysia to Singapore and the development of power plants for that purpose.
- Advised the sponsor on the project development and financing of a 78MW nearshore wind power project in Vietnam.
- Advised the sponsor on the project development and financing of a 2x600MW coal fired power project in Vietnam.
- Advised on the development of a biogas power plant and the management and treatment of animal waste as feedstock.
- Advised on the development of a biogas plant on a build-own-operate-transfer basis.
- Advised a renewable energy developer on the development of a power generation system (thermal oil heater and organic rankine cycle turbine and generator) on a build-own-operate-transfer basis.
- Advised a paper and packaging manufacturer on the development of a paper machine, a waste water treatment plant, a raw water treatment plant, a demineralisation water treatment plant and a cogeneration power plant.
Sustainability
- Advised a global investor and financier of reforestation and biodiverse carbon projects on laws and regulations relating to climate change, carbon rights and land use rights.
- Advised a major financial institution in Malaysia on the bulk purchase of renewable energy credits.
- Advising sponsors and developers on the development and financing of numerous renewable energy projects (utility scale, grid-connected and C&I) in Malaysia, including advising on the ownership and characterisation of renewable energy credits and environmental attributes. Advising a global agriculture and food giant on compliance with EU Deforestation Regulations.
- Supported (in the capacity as local counsel) an international firm on a regulatory benchmarking exercise, for the purpose of identifying and comparing regulatory and supervisory sustainability frameworks across a range of jurisdictions (including matters relating to reporting and disclosure, corporate governance, supply chain due diligence and sustainable finance).
Banking & Finance
- Advised a syndicate of lenders on the S$330 million sustainability-linked project finance facility for a deep water storage terminal facility (Pengerang Independent Terminals). The matter was honoured with the Transport Deal of the Year – Port by The Asset Triple A Awards 2024.
- Acted as Malaysian legal counsel to over 20 financial institutions in respect of an approximately USD 10.4 billion project financing facility for the development of a petrochemical and refinery project in Malaysia. The matter was named Asia-Pacific Petrochemical Deal of the Year by PFI Asia Awards 2019, Petrochemical Deal of the Year by The Asset Triple A Infrastructure Awards 2019 and Project Finance Deal of the Year by IFLR APAC Awards 2020 and ALB SE Law Awards 2020.
- Advised the respective sponsors, developers and project companies on the financing to fund the development of large/utility scale solar projects in Malaysia, by way of issuance of bonds/Sukuk, project financing, term loan, equity/internal financing and/or alternative financing. This includes advising a project company on its:
- RM285 million Asean green SRI wakala sukuk, which was awarded the Renewable Energy Deal of the Year – Solar by The Asset Triple A Awards 2024.
- RM275 million bridge loan facility to finance the development of a solar power plant. The matter won the Renewable Energy Deal of the Year for Malaysia at The Asset Triple A Sustainable Infrastructure Awards 2022.
- Advised an oil & gas production company on its bridge financing facility and a reserves-based lending facility.
- Advising the project company on project financing and trade financing facilities for the construction and operation of a copper foil manufacturing plant.
- Acted as local counsel on a project financing facility to finance the development of glass production lines in Malaysia.
- Acted as local counsel on a project financing facility to finance the development of a gas transmission pipeline system.
- Acted as local counsel on a project financing facility to fund the development of an oil storage terminal, and advised on the post financing restructuring, expansion of the project, up to the repayment of the facility.
- Advised the borrower on the financing to fund the purchase of land and development of an integrated development consisting residential, retail and commercial amenities on it.
- Advised the lender on the provision of a facility to a shareholder to fund the subscription of equity in a project company, proceeds of the subscription which will be applied towards funding the additional development cost of an expressway.
- Advised a Malaysian company in the healthcare sector on a multicurrency syndicated revolving facility to fund its acquisitions, investments and expansion.
- Advised and continue to advise the respective sponsors, developers and project companies on the financing to fund the development of large scale solar power plants in Malaysia, by way of issuance of bonds/Sukuk, project financing, term loan, equity/internal financing and/or alternative financing, all of which have achieved financial close.
- Acted as local counsel on a project financing facility to fund the development of an oil storage terminal, and advised on the post financing restructuring, expansion of the project, up to the repayment of the facility.
- Advised the borrower on an acquisition financing facility for the acquisition of a group of entities holding a portfolio of seventeen (17) hospitals in Southeast Asia.
- Advised the sponsor and project companies on syndicated loans to finance the development of several higher education institutions.
Mergers & Acquisitions
- Advised on the indirect acquisition of a majority stake in a project company which is developing a 50MW floating solar power project in Sarawak.
- Advised on a bid for the acquisition of shares in a major oil & gas upstream (exploration & production) company.
- Advised B.Grimm Public Company Limited, a Thailand-listed energy powerhouse, on its investment in reNIKOLA Holdings Sdn. Bhd., a Malaysian renewable energy company, and the subsequent sale of its stake in reNIKOLA Holdings to Pimpinan Ehsan Berhad, a Malaysian-listed entity.
- Advised on the sale of four (4) large scale solar farms in Malaysia. Continue to advise on transactions involving such assets.
- Advised on the disposal of project companies operating solar power plants with an aggregate capacity of 25MW under the feed-in tariff programme.
- Advised on the acquisition of project companies operating solar power plants under the feed-in tariff programme.
- Advised Thai Plaspac Public Company Limited, a Thailand-listed entity, on its acquisition of Combi-Pack Sdn. Bhd., a plastic food packaging and food container manufacturer.
- Advised Gradiant, an international end-to-end water solutions provider, on its acquisition of Sigma Water Engineering (M) Sdn. Bhd., an industrial water and waste water treatment company.
- Advised London-listed Aseana Properties Ltd on the disposal of Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Hotel.
- Advised global paints and coating company AkzoNobel in its acquisition of the Malaysian paints and coatings manufacturer Colourland Paints Sdn. Bhd.
- Advised on the disposal of the entire equity interest in TF Value-Mart Sdn. Bhd., operator of a hypermarket chain in Malaysia, to KV Asia Capital, a private equity firm.
- Advised on the disposal of the entire equity interest in an air freight operator.
MEMBERSHIPS / DIRECTORSHIPS
- Member, Malaysian Bar
PUBLICATIONS
- Rajah & Tann Asia’s “A Guide to Renewable Energy In Southeast Asia”, May 2022
- Rajah & Tann Asia’s “A Guide to Sustainable Financing In Southeast Asia”, May 2021
- Co-Author, “Lending and taking security in Malaysia: overview”, Practical Law, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020
- Author, Malaysian chapter, “Guide on Promissory Notes and Cheques”, Italian Business Association (Vicenza), July 2014
- Contributor, “Media and Entertainment – A Practical Legal, Business & Strategy Guide”, Sweet & Maxwell Asia, ISBN 978-967-0498-64-5, September 2013
