Simon Ratledge is dual-qualified at the Paris Bar and as a Solicitor (England & Wales). Simon is a bilingual practitioner whose practice is focused on major power, energy/natural resources and infrastructure projects and financings across the African continent.
Over nearly 25 years, Simon has represented project finance clients, including major European, African, Asian and International development banks, commercial lenders and sponsor groups in the power/renewables, mining, petrochemicals, oil and gas and transport/social infrastructure sectors.
Simon has been highly ranked for international projects, African projects and project finance from France in all major legal directories (Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, IFLR, Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal) over the past decade. He has also been ranked among the top 100 most influential lawyers in Africa published by Africa Business Plus (Jeune Afrique) and nominated “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers (2019) for Energy & Infrastructure work in Paris.
Selected Experience:
- Advising the developers to a major urban transport system project in Central Africa.
- Advising AfDB, BADEA, BOAD and OPEC Fund with respect to the financing of a 120 MW dual fuel Power Plant in Senegal (Malicounda Project).
- Advising AfDB and EAIF with respect to the Essor solar-based mini-grid program in DRC.
- Advising Facility for Energy Inclusion’s Off-Grid Energy Access Fund (OGEF) in relation with a loan to BBOXX DRC to finance its solar home systems business in DRC.
- Advising Globeleq and IPS West Africa on the 250MW “Phase IV” expansion of the Azito gas fired IPP in Côte d’Ivoire.
- Advising EDF on the Biovéa 46MW biomass power Concession located in Côte d’Ivoire.