As a consultant in Dentons’ Corporate team, Ian draws on more than 35 years’ experience as a partner advising in the Firm’s Corporate and Finance practices. Ian was formerly Chairman of the Firm in Australia for 18 years and also held the position of Global Vice Chair on Dentons' Global Board.

Seen as an expert on PNG and the Pacific, Ian offers strategic advice to a range of banks, international financial institutions, energy and resource companies, financial intermediaries, sovereign wealth funds, multi-lateral development banks, and governments in the Pacific and Australia.

Ian lived and worked in PNG for a number of years, and held the position of President of the Australia Papua New Guinea Business Council for two terms of three years. He is currently recognised as one of Papua New Guinea’s leading (Band 1) business lawyers by Chambers Asia Pacific. Clients praise his “great ability to see the full picture and to provide advice in a broader context than the purely legal.”

Ian has advised on major commercial transactions including aircraft financing and acquisitions, privatizations, and major energy and resource projects. He has also advised the Independent State of Papua New Guinea and State-owned entities extensively with regards to legislative reform and policy.

Through his involvement with the major peak private sector bodies in the Pacific, Ian regularly works with governments in the Pacific and major donor partners, including DFAT, on issues facing the region including more recent efforts to invest in Pacific infrastructure.

Ian is an executive committee member of the Australia PNG Business Council and the President of the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council; he is also the Governor of the Foundation for Development Co-operation.

In 2018 Ian was awarded an OBE in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for service to the legal profession and business community of Papua New Guinea.