Finance sectorANZ Banking Group Limited: Provided strategic input as the relationship partner on the sale of ANZ’s entire retail, SME, commercial loan, deposit and branch network in PNG to Kina Bank. ANZ Banking Group Limited, and Standard Chartered Bank: Advising on a syndicated facility of US$200 million to New Britain Palm Oil to fund acquisition of Kula Palm Oil Limited (PNG Counsel and coordinating Solomon Islands).ANZ Banking Group Limited: Advising on funding for Pacific National acquisition of Freight Australia.ANZ Banking Group Limited: Advising with respect to a range of financings including management buyouts, share fund liquidity facility, margin lending, syndicated loans and workouts.ANZ PNG Ltd.: Advising with respect to a facility to Air Niugini Limited in connection with the acquisition of a Dash 8, Bombardier Aircraft.ANZ PNG Ltd.: Acting on the takeover of Lloyds Bank PNG which was a share takeover and involved extensive negotiations with the Central Bank and the Treasurer representing the State.CBA: Advising on a range of financings both bilateral and syndicated, including Monash IVF acquisition.CBA: Advising with respect to a Senior Debt Facility to Bagtrans.Papua New Guinea Banking Corporation: Advising the successful acquirer of Papua New Guinea Banking Corporation following the privatization of that entity.International financial institutions and multinational agenciesAsian Development Bank: Leading PNG legal advisor regarding the model Public Private Partnership legislation for PNG.Asian Development Bank: Providing advice regarding ADB Future Carbon Fund in PNG.Asian Development Bank: Providing advice regarding Treasury Bill issues.International Finance Corporation/Export Development Bank and Bank of South Pacific: Acting as lenders’ PNG counsel in relation to project finance provided to Digicel (PNG) Limited for the roll-out of its mobile network in Papua New Guinea.International Finance Corporation: Advising on funding to financial institutions including the equity investments in a micro-finance organization in PNG.The World Bank and Central Bank of PNG: Leading PNG advisor on the restructuring of the banking, superannuation and life insurance sector legislation, which involved working with the PNG Government, the Central Bank of PNG, the Reserve Bank of Australia, APRA, and IMF and the World Bank.World Bank: Advising the World Bank and the cocoa industry on the reorganisation and restructure of the cocoa sector in PNG.Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat: Advising 18 Forum members on the establishment of a AU$1.5 billion Pacific Resilience Fund, to assist with preparedness for climate disasters and the impact climate may have on infrastructure in the Pacific region.Energy and resources sectorBougainville Copper Limited: Providing general corporate advice.Chevron Texaco: Advising on PNG oil and gas interests.Dyno Nobel: Advising on various ammonia and ammonia nitrate projects including Moura, Dampier, Nitrogen, Mooranbah & PNG. One such project involved advising on a AU$242 million project financing for ammonium nitrate facility in Queensland with ABN Amro BNP-led syndicate.Gloucester Coal: Advising on exit of UK coal, project financing with ABN Amro, and acquisition of Itochu interests.InterOil Corporation: Acting as counsel on sale of refinery and downstream distribution business US$525.6 million to Puma Energy Group.InterOil Corporation: Acting on the negotiation of its US$350 million refinancing and general working capital syndicated facility with ANZ (PNG), BSP and BNP Paribas as financiers and as security agent.InterOil Corporation: Advising on the financing, capital raising and acquisition of refinery and upstream investments, including proposed LNG investment with Merrill Lynch.InterOil Corporation: Acting as lead PNG advisor to InterOil in regards to the negotiation of the transaction documents relating to the construction and operation of a two million tonne per annum (mtpa) floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing vessel (FLNG).PanAust Limited: Advising on the acquisition of Glencore Xstrata’s interest in the Frieda River Project. We advised PanAust through the entire bid and execution process. Value AU$125 million.PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd: Advising on formation and set up of a quasi-sovereign fund of US$1.4 billion in Singapore.PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd Ok Tedi Mining: Advising on the buy-back of shares held by Inmet Mining Corporation in Ok Tedi Mining Limited for in excess of AU$335 million. Complicated cross-border transaction involving negotiation with various PNG stakeholders (including the State), international financial institutions and the Canadian-based seller, including deal structuring.Liquid Niugini Gas Ltd: Advising on Liquid Niugini Gas Project Agreement with the Independent State of Papua New Guinea for Gulf LNG Facility.GovernmentIndependent State of Papua New Guinea: Advising on review of AU$1.6 billion bond issue.Independent State of Papua New Guinea: Advising on proposed new Organic Law on the Sovereign Wealth Fund.Central Bank of PNG: Advising on regulatory issues, including liberalization of foreign exchange controls and re-write of financial sector legislation including the Central Banking Act.Central Bank of PNG: Advising on the restructure of Kina Group and banking license issues.Transport and infrastructureAir Niugini: Advising on the acquisition of Airbus and other aircraft, and on structuring and financing.PNG Sustainable Development Program Limited: Advising on the proposed development of a deep sea port facility at Daru in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea (Port) being pursued by PNGSDP.
OBE Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2018: awarded for service to the legal profession and business community of Papua New Guinea
Presentations Ian has delivered a variety of papers on topics including: banking and finance, customary law in Australia and PNG, off shore project financing (Malaysian Bar Council in Kuala Lumpur), legal issues in relation to gas in PNG, doing business in PNG and sovereign wealth fund models.