Overview
Justin is a Partner in the Energy & Infrastructure team with significant experience on transactions across the African continent.
Justin’s practice spans all areas of transactional activity in the energy, infrastructure and natural resources sectors. Technically proficient, versatile and solution-oriented, he has significant experience providing seamless advice to sponsors, lenders, multilateral institutions, contractors and host governments on the structuring, financing and development of major projects in France and across Africa as well as regularly supporting the firm’s premium clients on corporate transactions in the energy (including energy transition), infrastructure and natural resources sectors.
Justin has been involved in a number of ground-breaking mandates in Francophone Africa, including the Scaling Solar projects in Senegal and Togo and the Congo bridge project.
Before joining Linklaters, Justin worked for two years in another international law firm in Paris. In 2015, he was seconded for six months to the Energy & Infrastructure team in the London office.
Work highlights
Justin has taken the lead on large number of high-profile transactions. These include advising:
- Proparco and EAIF as lenders and grant providers on the financing of the Biovea biomass power project in Côte d’Ivoire
- the European Investment Bank on the financing of the Courseulles Offshore Wind Farm Project
- Glencore Energy UK Ltd on a series of multi-million dollar crude oil prepayment financings and refinancings in Chad and the Republic of Congo
- on the structuring of a programme to develop solar powered mini-grids in the DRC sponsored by DFID and Essor
- International Finance Corporation on the roll-out of the Scaling Solar programme in Senegal and in Togo
- Arise on the 65% stake investment in Terminal Industriel Polyvalent de San Pedro, the concessionaire of the industrial port terminal at the San Pedro port, Côte d’Ivoire
Professional experience
Other notable transactions on which Justin has been involved include advising:
- Africa50 as project sponsor on the structuring and development of a crossing between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo over the river Congo
- STOA on its acquisition from the International Finance Corporation of a 10%-equity stake in the EUR 1.2 bn Nachtigal Hydro Power Project in Cameroon
- African Development Fund on the partial risk guarantee (PRG) arrangements for the financing (by AfDB and Proparco) of the Djermaya solar project in Chad
- the purchasers on the acquisition of a portfolio of HFO-fired power plants in Kenya and Senegal
- CGN Europe Energy on the acquisition of a photovoltaic power plant in Malicounda (Senegal) with a total installed capacity of 22 MW from Chemtech Solar
Education and qualifications
Justin holds a master’s degree in Business Law and Tax and a master’s degree in Banking and Financial Law, both from Paris II Panthéon-Assas University.
He speaks fluent French, English, Sérère and Wolof.
