Alexander Msimang
Alex Msimang has around 30 years of experience advising clients on the full range of energy-related projects and transactions and he has worked on all sides of the table. Alex focuses a majority of his work on global energy M&A – principally in the oil and gas sector – with the balance made up of project development and regulatory advisory work. Over the course of his career, Alex has come to appreciate how the different pieces of his practice inform and strengthen each other.
Alex advises clients across the globe. In the UK, he helps them navigate the highly sophisticated and regulated energy market and he brings that experience to bear on projects across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Europe.
In 2023, Chambers recognized Alex for his individual efforts as an “eminent figure in the oil and gas sector” and “a big name in the industry” and again ranked him in Band 1 for Energy and Natural Resources. He has previously been recognized by that same publication as “one of the world’s best lawyers” for oil & gas matters, with reviewers also noting “he’s a brilliant and incredibly knowledgeable lawyer”. Alex has also been ranked in Legal 500 UK’s “Hall of Fame” for oil & gas (2021–2023). Alex has long been a member of The Association of International Energy Negotiators and he is a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the City of London Solicitors’ Company.
Alex was Managing Partner of the London Office for 13 years from 2010 to 2023.
Experience Highlights
Equinor (formerly Statoil) in its successfully completed $2.9 billion acquisition from Petrobras of a 25 per cent interest in the Roncador field, located in the Campos Basin in Brazil. The purchase price consists of an initial payment of $2.35 billion, plus additional contingent payments of up to $550 million
Equinor (formerly Statoil) in the $2.5 billion acquisition from Petrobras of a 66 per cent interest (and operatorship) in the Bacalhau (formerly Carcara) field in block BM-S-8 offshore Brazil
Africa Oil Corp. on the successfully completed $1.4 billion acquisition of a 50% ownership interest in Petrobras Oil and Gas B.V., which owns interests in two of Africa’s largest producing oil & gas assets, located offshore Nigeria
Woodside on its approximately $430 million acquisition of the assets of ConocoPhillips in Senegal
A multinational oil and gas exploration company in the $2.9 billion sale of interests in production-sharing contracts and related assets located in the Republic of Uganda, and on related issues arising from the acquisition, sale, and development of its assets in Uganda
Helios Natural Resources Ltd (a Helios Investment Partners portfolio company) on the acquisition of a 29.4% shareholding in Eland Oil & Gas plc, an AIM-listed oil and gas company with an interest in an onshore oil field located in the Niger Delta, Nigeria
Equinor (formerly Statoil) in the $3.08 billion sale of a 40% share in the Peregrino oil field in Brazil to Chinese state-owned oil company Sinochem Group
Africa Oil Corp. on the successfully completed sale to TotalEnergies (Maersk Oil & Gas) of 50% of Africa Oil Corp’s interests in upstream oil and gas blocks located in Kenya, and in the Rift Basin and South Omo in Ethiopia, for an aggregate consideration of up to $845 million; Named Oil & Gas Council’s African Deal of the Year 2015
Hawler Energy Limited in the sale of a 21% interest in the Bina Bawi exploration block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to Genel Energy plc for $240 million
An international energy company in its farm-out of assets in Mozambique and farm-in to assets in Suriname
Equinor (formerly Statoil) on the sale of its Nigerian subsidiary, including its share in the giant Agbami oil field (Nigeria’s largest deep-water field), to Chappal Energies for a total value of up to $1.2 billion, including a purchase price of $710 million and additional contingent payments; the landmark deal marked Equinor’s complete exit from Nigeria
A UK oil and gas exploration and development company in the proposed acquisition of interests in two upstream oil and gas exploration assets in Republic of Congo (Brazzaville)
Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation in connection with its C$10.3 billion acquisition of Addax Petroleum Corporation, a Canadian company publicly traded on the Toronto and London Stock Exchanges, with assets in West Africa and the Middle East; this deal was the largest overseas energy acquisition by a Chinese company to date, and was named a Deal of the Year by Asian-Counsel
A major European company in the financing of telecoms and related infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region
A major European energy company in the proposed acquisition of offshore oil and gas assets in Nigeria with a value in excess of $2 billion
An international oil and gas company in the signed acquisition of producing North Sea assets with a value in excess of $400 million
A major energy company in the drafting and negotiation of production-sharing contracts and joint operating agreements relating to blocks in the Nigeria/Sao Tome Joint Development Zone
Representing an independent oil company in connection with multi-jurisdictional debt recovery proceedings (through both court proceedings and mediations)
A major Asian oil company in the proposed acquisition of offshore oil and gas interests on the Nigeria-Cameroon border, including full due diligence and analysis of issues surrounding the Nigeria-Cameroon border dispute
A major European-based energy company on the disposal of its interests in upstream assets in Federal Iraq
A major European energy company in the proposed acquisition of a company holding oil and gas assets located in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea
A Canadian energy company in the successful acquisition of interests in Nigerian offshore oil and gas assets, together with the drafting and negotiation of joint operating agreements and associated documentation
A major energy company in connection with the proposed acquisition (in joint venture with financial investors) of the 4,000 MW Drax coal-fired power plant, the largest coal-fired power station in the UK, for a consideration of approximately $4 billion
Led the team advising on the successful sale of the Enfield 400 MW combined-cycle gas turbine power project in London, including vendor due diligence, drafting and negotiating the sale and purchase documentation, and arranging for repayment of all project finance debt
A major corporation in its proposed acquisition (for a possible purchase price of approximately $1 billion) of 100 percent of the equity in the Saltend 1,200 MW combined heat and power project located in the north of England
A global chemicals company in the successful acquisition of a worldwide textile effects business with operations in more than 60 countries
European energy companies in the acquisition and development of windfarms in the UK
A European energy company in the development of a major LNG plant in West Africa, including the acquisition of upstream natural gas reserves and the development of onshore liquefaction facilities and associated infrastructure
A multinational telecommunications company in the $900 million financing of new infrastructure in Nigeria secured by offshore oil reserves
A UK energy company in the development and financing of offshore gas fields in the Republic of Ireland, including drafting and negotiating gas sales arrangements, advising on gas transportation and regulation, and negotiating project financing and security documentation
An electricity utility in Croatia in one of the first independent power projects in the country, including assisting in the preparation of the RFP, PPA, and government support package, negotiating documentation with possible participants, and evaluating proposals
A major energy company in the development of power generation projects in West Africa, including advising on, drafting, and negotiating power purchase, interconnection, fuel supply, and government support arrangements
A U.S. power corporation in the development of UK and European power generation projects, including structuring, negotiating, and drafting fuel supply arrangements
A global energy company in gas transportation arrangements relating to development of a major project in India
As part of a team, the UK electricity regulator in the implementation of new electricity trading arrangements in England and the reform of the electricity pool
Credentials
- College of Law, Law Society Finals, 1994
- Oxford University, England, B.A., M.A., Law, 1992
- Legal 500 UK, Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil & Gas, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2025; “Hall of Fame” in Project, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil & Gas, 2021–2024
- Chambers UK, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil & Gas (UK–wide), 2016−2025
- Chambers Global, Energy & Natural Resources (UK) “Foreign Expert,” 2016−2024; Projects & Energy (Africa–wide) “Foreign Expert Based Abroad,” 2016−2023; Projects (UK) “Foreign Expert,” 2016−2019; Projects & Energy (Nigeria) “Foreign Expert Based Abroad,” 2020–2024
- Expert Guides, Best of the Best Global, Energy and Natural Resources, 2022
- Energy and Natural Resources, Best of the Best 2016 – Expert Guides (The world’s leading lawyers chosen by their peers)
- Legal Media Group’s (Euromoney’s) Expert Guide to Energy and Natural Resource Lawyers, 2013 and 2016
- Legal 500: UK, Corporate and Commercial, M&A Upper Mid Market and Premium Deals, 2015−2018 and 2021
- Selected to the London Super Lawyers list, Energy & Natural Resources, London Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2013 and 2015
- Legal 500: UK, “Leading Lawyers” list, Projects, Energy and Natural Resources, 2013 and 2017
- Legal 500: UK, Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Power (including Electricity, Nuclear and Renewables), 2013
- Legal 500: Latin America, Corporate & M&A, 2013 and 2019; Projects and Energy, 2019
- Latin Lawyer 250, 2018 and 2020
- Selected as one of “The Top 100” lawyers in London, London Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2013
- Best Lawyers UK, (BL Rankings, LLC), Energy & Natural Resources, 2013 and 2024; Mergers & Acquisitions Law, 2023 and 2024
- Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC, IFLR1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms, Project Finance, Banking, M&A, Project Development, United Kingdom, 2018
- IFLR 1000’s Sub-Saharan Africa Energy and Infrastructure Fund, Private Equity, Oil & Gas, Nigeria, East Africa, and Energy, 2013 and 2016
- Who’s Who Legal (Law Business Research Ltd.), Energy, 2016, 2017, and 2020; Energy: Oil & Gas, 2022 and 2024; Energy: Oil & Gas, “Global Elite Thought Leader,” 2024
- Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards, Shortlisted for “Energy Lawyer of the Year–UK,” 2013
- Legal 500: UK, Projects, Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas, 2011–2012
- Legal 500 UK, Leading Lawyer, Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil & Gas, 2012
- International Who’s Who of Oil & Gas Lawyers (Law Business Research Ltd.), 2012
- International Who’s Who of Oil & Gas Lawyers (Law Business Research Ltd.), nominated as a “Leading Practitioner in the Field of Oil & Gas,” 2011
- Chambers Global, Leader in their Field in Projects & Energy: Africa (Global), 2008–2013; Energy & Natural Resources: Overseas Counsel (Nigeria), 2008–2013; Projects: Regional Specialists (UK), 2012–2013; Projects (UK), 2013; Corporate/M&A: Regional Specialists, 2007–2012; Corporate/M&A (UK), 2012; Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas (UK), 2007–2013, 2019, 2020, 2022–2024; Projects & Energy (Africa–wide), 2024
- Legal 500: UK, Projects, Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas, 2009–2012
- Legal 500: UK, Projects, Energy & Natural Resources: Power (including Electricity, Nuclear and Renewables), 2009–2012
- Legal Experts, UK Legal Expert in Energy and Natural Resources, 2009–2012
- Leader in the field of energy Chambers Europe, 2007
- Legal 500: Guide to the UK Legal Profession, in Electricity, Nuclear, and Renewables law, 2006
- Legal Media Group’s (Euromoney’s) Expert Guide to the World’s Leading Energy and Natural Resource Lawyers, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011
- International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers Oil and Gas (Law Business Research Ltd.), 2007 and 2009
- International Who’s Who of Oil & Gas Lawyers (Law Business Research, Ltd.), 2009–2012
- Legal 500 UK, Corporate and Commercial, M&A Upper Mid Market and Premium Deals – £500M+, 2021
- IFLR1000, 2020–2023
- Member: Association of International Petroleum Negotiators; UK Energy Lawyers’ Group
- Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales
- Deals & CasesDecember 9, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsOctober 17, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsOctober 3, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsJuly 18, 2024
- InsightJune 24, 2024
V&E Energy Update
- InsightMay 21, 2024
Published in Upstream Oil and Gas in Africa
- Rankings & AwardsFebruary 15, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsOctober 19, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsOctober 4, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJuly 14, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsFebruary 16, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsOctober 20, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 29, 2022
- IFLR1000 2022 Recognizes Vinson & Elkins in 21 Practice Categories, Recommends 49 Individual LawyersRankings & AwardsAugust 25, 2022
- Vinson & Elkins Achieves 12 Rankings in The Best Lawyers in America (BL Rankings, LLC) UK 2022 GuideRankings & AwardsJune 30, 2022
- Deals & CasesFebruary 22, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsFebruary 17, 2022
- InsightFebruary 7, 2022
Published by Energy Intelligence
- InsightJanuary 26, 2022
Published by Energy Intelligence
- “African divestment deals are back in the frame,” Petroleum Economist, November 11, 2024 (quoted)
- “What Lies Ahead for Blue Energy?,” LexisNexis PSL Environment, January 2014 (co-author)
- “Significant Changes Proposed to UK Continental Shelf Regulation following DECC-Commissioned Report”, Offshore, January 2014 (co-author)
- “Round Table: Oil & Gas”, Corporate Wire, 2013
- “Out of Africa – How African Oil Experts Can Sustain Global Growth,” Oil & Gas Monitor, 2012