Ian is a specialist in commercial litigation and international commercial arbitration.
He has been involved, including as an advocate, in numerous heavy-weight ad hoc and institutional arbitrations, subject to a variety of governing substantive and procedural laws, including arbitrations under the LCIA, ICC, SCC, SIAC, LMAA, UNCITRAL, CIArb, ICSID and lesser-known rules. Ian also accepts arbitral appointments.
Ian has conducted proceedings for and against governments and state entities, multinationals and high-net-worth individuals all around the world and has particular expertise in disputes with a connection to LATAM, CEE, CIS, the Middle East and Africa.
He has considerable experience in energy and natural resources (principally oil and gas, renewables, mining and minerals) and infrastructure fields as well as international trade, commercial shipping and commodities, complex EPC and Turnkey projects and banking and financial instruments.
Ian is dual-qualified in the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe and has a particular interest and focus on international commercial arbitration in Sub-Saharan Africa. He is ranked by the Legal 500 and recognised by Chambers & Partners for International Arbitration.
Recent Experience:
Acting in a London-seated UNCITRAL arbitration in proceedings successfully brought against an African state respondent for damages in excess of US$8 billion arising out of a contract for the construction of a sophisticated onshore natural gas processing plant.
Acting for a Brazilian listed oil and gas major in a number of complex proceedings, including a London-seated LCIA arbitration against claims raised by a consortium of lenders in excess of USD$78 million under a long-term charter party for the use of an offshore floating oil production vessel.
Acting for a Brazilian listed oil and gas major with significant oil prospecting and production licences in a heavyweight LCIA arbitration relating to an aborted high-value farm-out agreement.
Acting for a Central Asian state entity defend significant claims in a PCA arbitration brought by a consortium of oil majors arising out of the construction, development and management of a sophisticated gas processing plant.
Acting for an Eastern European state entity energy supplier in a US$1 billion Paris-seated SCC arbitration brought by a Baltic state raising claims of alleged unfair gas pricing under a long-term gas supply contract.
Acting for a claimant oil trader in a closely fought US$96 million ICC arbitration against the petroleum state entity of a prominent OPEC member state arising out of an aborted long-term complex oil swap contract.
Salvaged a US$96m mining investment for an investor in a Sub-Saharan African state. The action included conducting, managing and overseeing an emergency injunction before the domestic courts, resisting robust challenges and ensuing appeals.
Acted for the successful Appellant in Anzen Limited and others v Hermes One Limited JCPC 2015/0041, a ground-breaking Privy Council case on the interpretation of an arbitration clause contained in a shareholder agreement.