Paul Exley

Paul Exley is involved in a wide range of international and domestic transactional work with a particular focus on cross-border M&A in the energy and financial services sectors. He has extensive experience advising on upstream and downstream oil and gas deals and financial services deals ( including banking, insurance and fintech) and is also experienced in power, renewables, water, infrastructure and other sectors, involving the UK, Europe, Russia/CIS, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Latin America, Australia and the US. Clients include governments, oil majors, state-owned enterprises, international listed companies, banks, and other financial institutions.

Upstream Oil and Gas

• Supermajor oil and gas company on the sale of its interest in a producing oil concession in Chad and related pipeline interests in Chad and Cameroon.*
• Major energy company on the proposed acquisition of upstream oil and gas interests, including assets in the Middle East, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America.*
• International oil company on the strategic auction sale of upstream oil assets in Venezuela.*
• Integrated energy company on a joint bidding agreement and a joint operating agreement in relation to the Round One auction of oil and gas blocks in Mexico.*
• Integrated energy company on an offshore exploration and development project in Ukraine's Black Sea including the acquisition of a 55% participating interest in the project and the joint operating agreement ($4 billion).*
• Private equity and venture capital firm on the restructuring of a $10 billion investment vehicle for upstream oil and gas assets.*
• Supermajor oil and gas company on the acquisition of a 30% participating interest in block C8 offshore Mauritania.*
• Asian NOC on the proposed strategic acquisition of a portfolio of interests in the UKCS and NCS.*
• Middle Eastern oil company on a flared natural gas sales agreement and project to develop the associated infrastructure including gas processing plant.*
• Portuguese energy corporation on oil sales contracts relating to the Tupi field in the Santos Basin, Brazil.*
• Consortium on a proposed bid for an international oil exploration and production company listed on the London Stock Exchange.*
• Dutch natural gas infrastructure and transportation company on the farm-in to a producing field in the Dutch North Sea.*
• Supermajor oil and gas company on the sale of its interest in the Tengiz oil field in Kazakhstan and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium to an oil and gas company for $1.6 billion.*
• Supermajor oil and gas company on the exercise of its pre-emption rights in relation to the separate sales by BG of its interests in the Kashagan oil field in Kazakhstan.*

Downstream Oil and Gas

• Supermajor oil and gas company on numerous refinery and refinery asset transactions, including the separate sales of refineries or refinery assets in the UK, Switzerland, France, Norway, Turkey, and Germany.*
• Supermajor oil and gas company on numerous downstream portfolio/M&A transactions, including the separate sales of oil products businesses in the Eastern Caribbean, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Ireland, and Africa.*
• Supermajor oil and gas company on downstream retail deals in various jurisdictions, including Italy, Germany, France, Poland, and the UK*
• American multinational investment banking firm on the proposed acquisition/refinancing of the Coryton refinery in the UK.*
• American multinational investment banking firm on the proposed acquisition/refinancing of the Ingolstadt refinery in Germany.*
• Private equity buyer on the proposed acquisition of the Addax and Oryx pan African downstream business involving distribution and marketing businesses in over 20 countries in Africa.*
• American petroleum refining, marketing, and transportation company on the acquisition of the Texas City refinery from a supermajor oil and gas company.*

Power and Renewable Energy

• Electricity company, power company and project fund on "Phase 3" of the Azito power project in Côte d’Ivoire relating to the conversion into combined cycle of the existing gas-fired Azito power plant and its expansion to 420 MW.*
• Adiant Capital Partners on the sale of the 4.3MWp Redbridge Solar Park to Oxford CapitalPartners.*
• Adiant Capital Partners on the acquisition, construction and subsequent sale of the 37.3 MWp Parley Court solar park, which was the largest single solar project financing in the UK and the fifth largest renewable energy debt finance transaction in 2014.*
• Adiant Capital Partners on the acquisition and subsequent disposal of the Dillington solar pv park.*
• U.S. private equity fund on the proposed acquisition of a portfolio of “built” and “consented” solar pv projects in Europe.*
• American multinational company on a biomass CHP plant for its main UK manufacturing facilities.*
• Investment firm on investment in Equitix Energy Efficiency Fund.*
• International power project developer on the proposed sale of a portfolio of European solar energy assets including operating and development assets in Italy, Spain, Greece, France and Bulgaria.*
• Ikea on the acquisition of a UK wind farm.*
• Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holding Limited (Hong Kong's largest publicly listed infrastructure company )and its associated company on the $320 million acquisition of a 50 percent interest in the Seabank Power Station.*
• American natural gas utilities company on the acquisition of a controlling interest in a gas and electricity supplier.*
• American utilities company on the sale of a wind farm in Portugal.*
• Supermajor oil and gas company on its exit from the London Array, the largest operational offshore wind farm in the world at the time.*

Financial Services

• Public Joint-Stock Company "Sovcombank" - Advised on the acquisition and subsequent merger with joint-stock Bank "Rosevrobank"
• Public Joint-Stock Company "Sovcombank" - Advised on the acquisition of Garanti Bank - Moscow
• Public Joint-Stock Company “Sovcombank”- Advised on the acquisition of Metkombank
• Public Joint-Stock Company “Sovcombank”- Advised on the acquisition of GE Money Bank Russia
• Public Joint-Stock Company “Sovcombank” - Advised on the acquisition of Orient Express Bank
• Public Joint-Stock Company “Sovcombank” - Advised on the acquisition of MetLife Insurance Company
• Public Joint-Stock Company “Sovcombank”- Advised on the acquisition of Liberty Insurance PJSC
• Public Joint-Stock Company “Sovcombank” - Advised on the acquisition of CiV Life Insurance
• Public Joint-Stock Company “Sovcombank” - Advised on the acquisition and subsequent sale of “Oney Bank
• Public Joint -Stock Company “Sovcombank” - Advised on the acquisition of Pay Engine Limited
• Public Joint -Stock Company “Sovcombank" - Advised on the acquisition of Fintech Limited and ongoing business and regulatory requirements.

Other

• Elliott International on the €820 million ($1 billion) sale of its interest in Societe des Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhone, Europe's fourth-largest motorway operator.*
• The Weir Group PLC on the $237.5 million acquisition of a Chinese-American manufacturer of crushing and separation equipment for the mining and aggregates markets.*
• Leading engineering business on proposed acquisition of German based energy equipment manufacturer.*
• World's largest private-sector coal company on the sale of five coal mines in South Africa.*
• Supermajor oil and gas company on a series of VC transactions including investments in various energy tracker funds.*
• MJ Gleeson Group plc on various transactions, including the separate auction sales of its building, engineering, and rail businesses, on the acquisition of a major global engineering organisation, and on various corporate and strategic matters.*
• Brazilian mining company on the proposed sale of a controlling interest in an AIM listed natural resources company.*
• Sahra Petroleum on various matters, including the reorganisations of the TAM and Alomgy groups in Yemen.*

*Prior to joining Baker Botts

Cross-border Transactions Lawyer of the Year in UK 2022 (Global Law Experts)

Energy M&A Lawyer and Infrastructure Sector Lawyer of the Year in UK 2022 (Global Law Experts)

Recognised in Legal 500 UK 2017 for Corporate/M&A and praised for "his business acumen and strong M&A experience"

Recognised in Legal 500 UK 2017 for Projects & Energy and Power (Incl. Electricity, Nuclear and Renewables

Listed in Chambers UK 2017, for Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas

Recommended in Chambers UK, 2016,"is very well regarded as a technical lawyer," on oil and gas matters, (2015), "leader in their field for energy and natural resources: oil & gas" and (2014), "very skilled transactional lawyer with huge experience of upstream and downstream transactions" and "his dedication is second to none"

Legal 500 UK, 2012-2014, M&A premium deals and energy, oil and gas, and power: "a first-rate energy M&A lawyer" with "huge experience on both upstream and downstream transactions"

Winner of "M&A Team of the Year" by Legal Business and The Lawyer and Euromoney's "European M&A Deal of the Year", 2004

Winner of The Lawyer's Projects Team of the Year, 2003