Soraya Salem | Lawyers

Admissions

UK (England & Wales), France

Services

Energy & Infrastructure

Testimonial

"I advise lenders, sponsors and other project participants on complex domestic and cross-border project finance and export finance transactions. I am passionate about enabling power and infrastructure projects where they are needed, and I enjoy working with all stakeholders on those projects."

Overview

Soraya is a Counsel in the Energy and Infrastructure Group based in Paris. French and English law qualified, she advises lenders (including DFIs, commercial banks, ECAs), sponsors and other project participants on the structuring, financing and development of complex domestic and cross-border projects with a particular emphasis on renewable power, conventional power, hydroelectric, natural resources and infrastructure sectors in France, Europe and emerging countries (in particular Africa and the Middle East).

Soraya has been seconded to the legal department of Engie Green France for 6 months in 2021.

Soraya has been recognised by Legal 500 EMEA 2023 as a Rising Star, Project Finance (France) and as One to Watch by Best Lawyers France 2025 in Banking and Finance.

Experience

TotalEnergies and Saria: advising on the project financing by borrower Tessaf SAS for the construction of a biorefinery at Grandpuits, France, capable of producing 230 kt of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) per annum.
IFC, DEG and the Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund: advising on a €120 million sustainability-linked loan to Cabo Verde, as part of Phase 1-B of the public-private partnership framework under which VINCI Airports operates and develops the Cabo Verde airport network
Amarenco: advising on a €300 million HoldCo-level platform financing led by Eiffel Investment Group to support the development of a pipeline of pan-European assets and refinancing certain existing junior debt financings
Acacia: advising on all key aspects of the project financing (offtake, financing) of two greenfield BESS projects in France with an aggregate capacity of 200 MW / 400 MW/h
Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and BNP Paribas: advising in relation to a SACE Push Facility to OCP for a total amount of €365m under the SACE Push Program
Qatar Holding LLC: advising on the existing concession agreement relating to Bugesera International Airport, as well as on the EPC contract and on its investment for the financing, design, development, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of the new Bugesera International Airport led by Bugesera Airport Company Limited (BAC)
Goldman Sachs: advising on a €94 million senior warehouse facility provided to Prosolia Energy to finance industrial self-consumption projects in several countries, including France and Germany
Amarenco: advising on a €188m financing for the construction and development of a portfolio of 124,31 MW of new photovoltaic projects in France, including both rooftop solar installations and ground-mounted solar plants and farm down of such portfolio
Amarenco: advising on a multi-country €500 million senior and junior portfolio financing to support the construction and operation of solar projects in Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Austria, as well as the refinancing of existing debts
EIB: advising in relation to the refinancing of the Fécamp 497 MW offshore wind park, co-developed by EDF-R, Enbridge, and wpd (Fécamp (AO1)
ACC gigafactories: advising on a €4.4bn debt financing for the development of three EV battery gigafactories in Europe (France, Germany and Italy). The financing was underwritten by a consortium of commercial banks and benefits from ECA guarantees provided by Bpifrance, Euler Hermes and SACE
Crédit Agricole Corporate and lnvestment Bank: assistance in relation to an export credit facility for the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Côte d'lvoire, and covered by China Export & Credit lnsurance Corporation (Sinosure) in relation to the project of extension and modernisation of San Pedro Port

Recognition

Soraya is a member of Infravenir an NGO which gathers young professionals in the field of Infrastructure and Energy.

Beyond the Office

Soraya holds an a Master Degree in Business Law and Tax and an LLM in Arab countries Business Law from the Paris II Panthéon-Assas University as well as undergraduate degrees in business law from the Paris II Panthéon-Assas University.

Thought Leadership

Quelles perspectives pour le marché du stockage d’électricité en France ? (What are the prospects for the electricity storage market in France?)
Linklaters LLP - 25 January 2024

Experience

TotalEnergies and Saria: advising on the project financing by borrower Tessaf SAS for the construction of a biorefinery at Grandpuits, France, capable of producing 230 kt of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) per annum.

IFC, DEG and the Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund: advising on a €120 million sustainability-linked loan to Cabo Verde, as part of Phase 1-B of the public-private partnership framework under which VINCI Airports operates and develops the Cabo Verde airport network

Amarenco: advising on a €300 million HoldCo-level platform financing led by Eiffel Investment Group to support the development of a pipeline of pan-European assets and refinancing certain existing junior debt financings

Acacia: advising on all key aspects of the project financing (offtake, financing) of two greenfield BESS projects in France with an aggregate capacity of 200 MW / 400 MW/h

Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and BNP Paribas: advising in relation to a SACE Push Facility to OCP for a total amount of €365m under the SACE Push Program

Qatar Holding LLC: advising on the existing concession agreement relating to Bugesera International Airport, as well as on the EPC contract and on its investment for the financing, design, development, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of the new Bugesera International Airport led by Bugesera Airport Company Limited (BAC)

Goldman Sachs: advising on a €94 million senior warehouse facility provided to Prosolia Energy to finance industrial self-consumption projects in several countries, including France and Germany

Amarenco: advising on a €188m financing for the construction and development of a portfolio of 124,31 MW of new photovoltaic projects in France, including both rooftop solar installations and ground-mounted solar plants and farm down of such portfolio

Amarenco: advising on a multi-country €500 million senior and junior portfolio financing to support the construction and operation of solar projects in Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Austria, as well as the refinancing of existing debts

EIB: advising in relation to the refinancing of the Fécamp 497 MW offshore wind park, co-developed by EDF-R, Enbridge, and wpd (Fécamp (AO1)

ACC gigafactories: advising on a €4.4bn debt financing for the development of three EV battery gigafactories in Europe (France, Germany and Italy). The financing was underwritten by a consortium of commercial banks and benefits from ECA guarantees provided by Bpifrance, Euler Hermes and SACE

Crédit Agricole Corporate and lnvestment Bank: assistance in relation to an export credit facility for the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Côte d'lvoire, and covered by China Export & Credit lnsurance Corporation (Sinosure) in relation to the project of extension and modernisation of San Pedro Port

Admissions

Services

Overview

Experience

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Recognition

Beyond the Office

Thought Leadership

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Experience

Thought Leadership