Michael advises global corporations and institutional investors on high-value transactions, regulatory issues and strategic projects across energy, resources, infrastructure and international M&A.
Biography
Michael’s deal experience spans Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa, as well as North and South America, and includes senior legal roles held in Japan, Singapore and the United States.
With over 25 years’ experience, he works with senior leadership teams to manage risk and deliver commercial outcomes. He works closely with multinational organisations, institutional investors and senior executive teams on transactional, compliance and strategic issues.
His practice covers international and domestic M&A, mining and resources, energy (including hydrogen, oil and gas exploration and production, LNG project acquisition and development and negotiating long-term LNG SPAs), traditional power, renewables, decarbonisation, infrastructure, technology, transport PPPs and complex joint ventures. He regularly guides boards and management committees through high-value transactions and regulatory challenges, with deep sector knowledge across energy, power and resource-related markets.
Michael’s approach combines technical excellence with commercial insight, ensuring clients achieve robust and sustainable outcomes in highly regulated sectors.
Michael's experience
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Electric Power Development
Advised on consortium investment to develop the $500m Hydrogen energy supply chain and technology demonstration (HESC) project in VIC. The project involved converting brown coal into high-purity hydrogen, capturing and storing CO₂ emissions, and liquefying the hydrogen for export. -
Sumisho Coal Australia Holdings
Advised on its investment in Loop Decarbonisation Solutions, a company that extracts and captures methane from coal mines to reduce fugitive emissions and assist with meeting Australian safeguarding requirements under the National Greenhouse Energy Reporting Act 2007. -
Carbon Logica
Advised on the acquisition of Moranbah Power Station and lease arrangements with QPM Energy on the expansion of its waste gas to power plant located adjacent to the Argo Natural Resources owned Ironbark coking coal mine in Queensland, from 5MW to 20MW. -
Eneos Corporation, Japan
Advised on the acquisition of a 100 MW solar project in Texas, an 1,100 MW gas-fired power plant in Ohio, USA and on its acquisition from Petronas of a 10% interest in the Train 9 LNG plant in Bintulu Malaysia for USD$400m. -
ITOCHU Corporation
Advised on the joint venture investment in the $3.5bn Aquasure desalination PPP project in VIC, the QLD Government’s New Generation Rolling Stock PPP and on the acquisition of Yallourn W Power Station in VIC for $2.45bn. -
Soul Patts
Advised on a $40m investment in North Harbour Clean Energy, an Australian developer of large-scale battery energy storage (BESS) projects, structured through convertible redeemable preference shares. -
CS Energy, Queensland
Provided strategic advice on the development of the $200m Callide Oxy-Fuel clean coal technology demonstration project involving multiple international partners and government. -
Anglo Coal Assets
Advised a bidder for Anglo American’s coal portfolio in Australia valued at US$3.32bn.