Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer recognised for advising on ten award-winning project finance deals

Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has been recognised for advising on 10 deals that collectively won 14 awards at leading energy and infrastructure industry awards – IJGlobal APAC and Europe Awards 2025 and Proximo Deal of the Year Awards 2025. These accolades highlight the depth and breadth of the firm's project finance capabilities across key global markets.

The firm advised on the following winning deals:

IJGlobal - APAC

• District Cooling Deal of the Year – acting on behalf of the borrower in relation to the successful AU$465 million debt refinancing of CleanPeak Energy’s CPERI portfolio of assets. The team was led by Sydney Finance partner Elizabeth Charlesworth.
• Onshore Wind Deal of the Year – advised international lenders Société Générale, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and BNP Paribas on the US$125 million external commercial borrowing for CleanMax Tasman Private Limited's greenfield wind power project in Koppal, Karnataka, India. The team was led by London Finance partner Dhananjaya Chak.
• Smart Meter Deal of the Year – advised Australian and New Zealand-based digital energy management business Intellihub on the refinancing and upsizing of its now ~A$3 billion debt facilities. The team was led by Sydney Finance partner Hayley Neilson.
• Transmission & Distribution Deal of the Year and PPP Deal of the Year – advised Energy Corporation of New South Wales, Australia, on the financing aspects of the procurement of the Central-West Orana regulated concession and the implementation of the 6GW Central-West Orana renewable energy zone, along with regulatory reforms and contractual arrangements. The cross-practice team was led by several partners in Australia.
• Energy Transition Deal of the Year – advised on various matters including financing related to the AM Green Ammonia Project in Kakinada, India. The team was led by Dhananjaya Chak.

IJGlobal - Europe

• Power Deal of the Year – advised a syndicate of commercial lenders on the financing for the construction of the Sizewell C nuclear project in Suffolk, UK. London Finance partner Matthew Job and Corporate partner Tom Marshall led the cross-practice team.
• PPP Deal of the Year and Rail Deal of the Year – advised the lenders on the greenfield project financing for the first section of a new highspeed rail line between Porto and Lisbon, Portugal. London Finance partner Matthew Job and of counsel Edgar Monteiro led the team. 
• Water Deal of the Year – advised the lenders to the winning consortium for the c.£3 billion financing of the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP) project in the UK for United Utilities. London Finance partner Matthew Job led the team.
• Biomass Deal of the Year – advised a syndicate of lenders (Santander, MUFG, Natixis, Bank of America and BCC) on the €165 million financing for ENSO Energy Environment & Sustainability's development of two greenfield biomass plants in Cantabria and Valladolid, Spain. Madrid Finance partner Armando García-Mendoza led the team.

Proximo - Europe

• Onshore Wind Deal of the Year – advised OX2 on the project financing of two onshore wind farms in Finland with a total capacity of 472 MW and investment of more than €700 million; the largest renewable energy investment in Finland to date. London Finance partner Helen Beatty led the team.
• Water Deal of the Year – advised the lenders to the winning consortium for the c.£3 billion financing of the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP) project in the UK for United Utilities.
• Rail Deal of the Year – advised the lenders on the greenfield project financing for the first section of a new highspeed rail line between Porto and Lisbon, Portugal.