Samir S. Desai

Partner

Projects、Renewable and Clean Energy

Professional Summary

Samir Desai is a partner in the Finance and Projects Group of the Firm’s Tokyo office and has worked in the area of project finance since 1996. From 1999 to 2005, he worked at Baker McKenzie’s Washington DC office as a member of the Global Major Projects Group, including a term advising on transactional and energy regulatory matters at the Firm’s London office. He has been recognized as a Leading Individual by The Legal 500. In the words of one client, “Samir Desai is highly experienced in all aspects of projects work, whether it is construction, LNG SPA, or M&A. He is amicable in negotiations, which works well with our corporate culture.”

Practice Focus

Samir assists clients in the development and financing of natural resources, renewable and conventional electric power, oil and gas (including LNG) and infrastructure projects. He also advises on acquisition and financing matters across multiple industry sectors, including chemicals, automobiles, telecommunications, foods and agribusiness.

Representative Clients, Cases or Matters

Represented Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. in connection with its investment in Octopus Energy Group, a British renewable energy supplier, including their joint venture in Japan.
Represented Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. in connection with its investment in Principle Power, Inc., an offshore wind power technology and development company in the United States.
Represented Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. in relation to the transfer of its entire overseas independent power asset portfolio and that of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. in connection with the establishment of JERA Co., Inc.
Represented Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. and Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance Co. Ltd. in relation to their acquisition of a 49% interest in four submarine power transmission cables which connect offshore wind power plants and onshore facilities in Germany.
Representing a Japanese company in connection with its participation in a consortium proposing investments in four offshore wind power projects in Japan.
Representing a Japanese company in connection with its proposed investment in hydropower projects in the Philippines.
Representing a Japanese company in connection with its supply of telecommunications and installation of a data center in central Asia.
Represented a Japanese company in connection with its joint venture for the large-scale manufacture of electric vehicle batteries in the United States.
Represented a Japanese company in connection with its funding of a carbon capture and storage project in Australasia.
Representing a Japanese company in connection with the formation of an offshore wind private equity fund and its investment in an offshore wind project in the United Kingdom.
Represented a Japanese company in connection with its joint venture for a development in South America and the trading of lithium.
Represented a Japanese engineering and construction company in connection with its LNG terminal expansion project in Taiwan and multiple electric power plant projects in Japan.
Represented a Japanese company in connection with its development and expansion of ports in Angola.
Represented a Japanese company in connection with its proposed investments in a portfolio of geothermal operating assets in the United States.
Represented a Japanese company in connection with its proposed investment in a listed independent electricity supplier and in a portfolio of distributed generation projects in Southeast Asia.
Represented a Japanese company in connection with its proposed investment in an offshore wind project in Portugal.
Represented a Japanese company in relation to its development of a hydrogen-fuelled vehicle joint venture in the Middle East.
Represented a Japanese company in relation to its investments in and acquisition of multiple agribusiness operations in South America.
Represented a Japanese company in relation to its acquisition, integration and restructuring of a large European automobile distributor in Africa.
Represented a Japanese company in relation to its divestment and restructuring of coal assets in Australia.
Represented a Japanese company in relation to its investment and financing of a coal joint venture in Indonesia.
Represented a Japanese gas company in connection with its investment in an LNG pipeline and export project in Canada.
Represented various Japanese companies in connection with potential investments in proposed LNG export projects in the United States and Canada, including in relation to LNG export authorizations and risk management.
Represented a Japanese oil and gas company in relation to multiple LNG spot contracts.
Represented a consortium of Japanese companies in relation to a joint venture in Hong Kong with a Chinese company for the development of a 1 GW x 2 thermal power project in China.
Represented a Japanese company in connection with its 100% acquisition of an infrastructure company in Brazil.
Represented a Japanese trading company in connection with various acquisitions in Turkey, India, Kazakhstan, the Philippines and other locations.
Represented a consortium of Japanese commercial and government interests in connection with the acquisition of shares in a publicly listed uranium mining company in Canada with assets in Canada, the United States, South Africa, Australia and Kazakhstan.
Represented a joint venture of a Japanese trading company and an Egyptian state company in connection with the construction, financing and chartering of two oil rigs.
Represented a Japanese trading company in connection with equity investments, direct loans and project financing in mining projects in Morocco, Argentina, Indonesia, Australia and Canada.
Represented a Japanese electricity company in connection with investments in electric power projects in India, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and the United States.
Represented a Japanese mining company in relation to the development and financing of a nickel mining project in the Philippines.
Represented a Japanese company in relation to the acquisition financing of interests in large-scale LNG development and production projects in Australia.

Publications, Presentations and Articles

Publications

Co-author, “Japan,” International Comparative Legal Guide to Gas Regulation 2006, Spring 2005
Co-author, “Financing Issues in Renewable Energy Projects,” American Council on Renewable Energy, New York City, June 2004
“Foreign Direct Investment in India,” Legal Aspects of Foreign Direct Investment, Kluwer International Press, 1999

Presentations

“Mining Projects in the United States,” Client Workshop, March 10, 2022
“Energy Transition for Japanese Participants,” Japan Institute for Overseas Investment, January 28, 2022
“Carbon Neutrality – What is to be Done in the Chemicals Industry?” Client Seminar, March 30, 2021
“Navigating International Project Finance,” a series of project finance seminars covering all aspects of the development and financing of power projects for large audiences in Tokyo and for multiple client workshops in Tokyo and Osaka, 2019-2020
“Midstream LNG Projects — Typical Structures and Overview of the US Regulatory Framework,” Client Seminar and Training, Manila, June 14, 2015
“Documentation Sequence and Financing of Oil and Gas Projects,” Client Seminar, Tokyo, February 19, 2015
“International Power Project Development and Financing,” Client Seminar, Osaka, January 30, 2015
“IPP Development and Financing,” Client Seminar, Nagoya, December 12, 2014
“Exporting LNG from the United States to Non-FTA Countries,” Baker McKenzie Client Seminar, Tokyo, November 11, 2014
“Fuel Supply Agreements,” Baker McKenzie Asia Pacific Power Academy/Client Seminar, Kuala Lumpur, May 23, 2014
“The Electric Power Sector in India,” Client Seminar, Tokyo, March 20, 2014
“M&A in India,” Baker McKenzie Client Seminar, Tokyo, November 14, 2011

Admissions

Foreign Registered Lawyer (gaikokuho jimu bengoshi)~Japan (2007)
District of Columbia~United States (1997)
New York~United States (1995)

Professional Association and Memberships

Tokyo Bar Association-Member
District of Colombia Bar Association – Vice-Chair, Environmental, Energy & Natural Resources Section

Education

American University, Washington College of Law (LLM) (1995)
Dean’s Fellow and LLM editor of the American University Journal of International Law and Founder/Literary Editor of The Human Rights Brief.
Albany Law School (JD) (1993)
Haverford College (BA) (1989)