Ashurst has substantially bolstered its energy and infrastructure offering with the hire of five partners across the UK and Asia, as the firm responds to client demand driven by the accelerating transition to net zero.

All joining from Shearman and Sterling are London-based project finance expert Sanja (Sonny) Udovicic, Seoul-based Anna Chung, Singapore-based Jean-Louis Neves Mandelli and Scott Baggett, and London-based energy M&A and project development expert Julia Derrick, who returns to Ashurst.

Chung was a partner in the Project Development & Finance practice in her previous firm. She concentrates her practice in the development and financing of projects, with a focus on the power, infrastructure, LNG, oil & gas and petrochemical sectors. She represents sponsors and lenders, and numerous regional development banks and multilateral institutions, such as K-EXIM, K-Sure, KDB and IFC.

Mandelli was the Singapore Managing Partner at Shearman & Sterling, and a partner in its Project Development & Finance practice group. He has extensive experience advising both sponsors and lenders (including DFIs and ECAs) on all development and financing aspects of power (including LNG to power, conventional and renewables), oil & gas and infrastructure transactions worldwide, as well as advising on structured financings, refinancings and sustainable and sustainability-linked financings.

Baggett was counsel in his previous firm’s Project Development & Finance practice. He has a wide variety of financing and development experience spanning projects across a number of industries, with an emphasis on the power, petrochemicals, oil & gas and mining & metals sectors. He has also advised on a number of joint venture and M&A transactions, as well as restructurings and refinancings. He has extensive experience advising both sponsors and lenders, and his clients include PETRONAS, AES, IFC, ADB and OPIC, among others.