Dhananjaya is a Partner in the firm’s finance practice with a focus on the energy and infrastructure sectors. He is Co-Head of the firm’s India practice.
Dhananjaya Chak is a London‑based partner and Co-Head of the firm’s India practice, advising sponsors and lenders on complex energy transition and infrastructure projects. His practice covers project finance and acquisition finance across the UK, Europe, India, Africa and Southeast Asia.
Dhananjaya is ranked by Chambers 2025 for Projects & Energy and Banking & Finance and is a key lawyer in Legal 500. He is described by clients in the Chambers 2025 directory as "a very dynamic and solution-oriented lawyer". He was also described by another client as "wonderful to work with as everything is always well explained and his responses to any of our questions are very prompt."
Dhananjaya is a key member of our market-leading team considered as the 'platinum' standard in the energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors for providing top quality service to clients. Our sector specialists deliver expert support on some of the most complex energy transition and decarbonisation projects (including CCUS), renewables and power projects, world-class mining projects, large-scale oil and gas projects and first-of-a-kind infrastructure projects. We continue to support our clients, and have done over many years, in navigating the systemic shift in interest in green and sustainable financing.
Experience & capabilities
Selected matters
- the lenders on financing Statera Energy's 300 MW battery energy storage system and 250 MW gas reciprocating engine— Project Finance Deal of the Year, ACT 2024 Awards
- Statera Energy as lead borrower counsel on its £235 million of debt financing for the 680 MW Carrington project
- Sandbrook Capital and Voltwise Power on the underwritten acquisition financing for a portfolio of UK BESS assets from KKR
- VTTI, a Dutch energy storage and infrastructure company, on the holdco acquisition financing for a majority interest in the Adriatic LNG regasification terminal operating in the waters off Cavarzere (Rovigo), Italy
- GIC on the holdco financing for its acquisition of a 30% interest in CETIN, a leading telecommunications infrastructure provider operating across Central and Eastern Europe
- the acquisition lenders and the Holdco lenders on the acquisition by the DIF/ Aberdeen Standard/ LPPIL consortium of Elenia Heat, the Finnish district heating business - European Utility Deal of the Year, IJGlobal Awards 2019
- the Holdco lender on a £120 million bridge facility to a UK data centre
- lenders on the c. USD 600 million dual-currency (USD/JPY) ECB financing for Evren Energy's 300MW greenfield solar, wind and BESS firm and dispatchable renewable energy project in Andhra Pradesh, India
- lenders on their JPY equivalent ~INR 20,000,000,000 ECB project financing for the development, construction and operation of ReNew Hans Urja Private Limited's 600MW AC greenfield solar power project in Rajasthan, India —India Deal of the Year, PFI Awards 2024
- lenders on the USD 135 million ECB financing for CleanMax Tasman Private Limited's greenfield 140MW AC wind power project in Koppal, Karnataka, India —APAC Onshore Wind Deal of the Year, IJGlobal Awards 2025
- lenders on the USD 310 million ECB financing for the AM Green Ammonia Project in Kakinada, India — APAC Energy Transition Deal of the Year, IJ Global Awards 2025
- lenders on the up to USD 397 million ECB financing for Serentica's 300MWac/445MWdc solar, 184MW wind and 790MWh BESS project in Rajasthan, India, with Hindustan Zinc Limited as offtaker
- lenders on the USD 174 million ECB financing for CleanMax VEH Energy's 155MWac greenfield hybrid wind and solar renewable power project in Koppal, Karnataka, India
- lenders the ECB financing for Serentica's 600MW AC / 840MWp greenfield captive solar project in district Fatehgarh, Rajasthan
- lenders on the c. USD 184.5 million financing for AMPIN Energy Green Sixteen Private Limited's 100MW greenfield hybrid wind, solar and BESS project in Andhra Pradesh, India
- lenders on the USD 95 million ECB financing for GIC and Sterlite Power's 115km transmission line between Kerala and Karnataka
- a JV participant onjoint venture arrangements in relation to the development of an USD 11 billion greenfield integrated refinery and petrochemicals complex in Andhra Pradesh, India
- sponsors on India's largest green ammonia project
- Eden Renewables India (a JV between EDF Renouvables and Total-Eren)as borrower on a US$165 million financing for its 450 MW SECI III solar project in Rajasthan, India
- U.S. Ex-im Bank in relation to financing three Saudi Aramco Cogeneration plants in Saudi Arabia
- lenders to Engie on the financing for the construction and operation of a 200 MW solar power plant in Gujarat, India
- lenders on the US$135 million debt financing for solar rooftop projects in India for Azure Power
Background
Dhananjaya is qualified in India (advocate) and England and Wales (solicitor). He holds a B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree from NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, India. While at NALSAR, Dhananjaya won the gold medal for constitutional law and was also awarded the Microsoft IPR scholarship in his final year. Before moving to Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer in October 2015, he worked in the London office of another leading international law firm for seven years. He speaks English and Hindi.
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