Norton Rose Fulbright boosts project finance

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has made a significant move by hiring Mike Niekoop as a partner in its Amsterdam Banking & Finance practice. Focusing on digital infrastructure and project finance, Mike joins the firm from Clifford Chance and brings over 15 years of experience in advising various stakeholders, including developers, operators, sponsors, lenders, and investors on complex domestic and cross-border financing projects. Having spent more than a decade specifically on data-centre transactions, he possesses extensive knowledge in this rapidly growing area.

Mike's areas of expertise include project finance, infrastructure finance, real estate-backed finance, portfolio and platform financings, and hybrid financing solutions. He has led several landmark data-centre transactions across regions such as Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. Further, he is knowledgeable in hyperscalers and various offtake arrangements, as well as related fields like SNDA, data-centre M&A, ABS, and AI/GPU infrastructure financing.

A significant portion of Mike’s practice is international and often multi-jurisdictional, requiring close collaboration with teams located in various global offices and disciplines. In addition to his work in digital infrastructure, he has a commendable record in renewable energy and traditional infrastructure projects, including offshore and onshore wind, solar, battery storage, and sustainable heat.

Mike's appointment is part of Norton Rose Fulbright's ongoing investment in its international projects, energy, and infrastructure platform, which follows the recent onboarding of Fredrik Lindblom in projects and Remy Lerner in energy and natural resources.

Madhavi Gosavi, Head of Banking & Finance for Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific at Norton Rose Fulbright, expressed her optimism about Mike's arrival, stating that "Mike’s arrival reflects our continued investment in our global project financing capabilities. His extensive experience in digital infrastructure, combined with his strong international client base and track record on complex multi-jurisdictional financings, will enhance our ability to support clients across one of the fastest-growing areas of the market."

Wouter Hertzberger, another partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, emphasised the strategic importance of digital infrastructure for their clients, noting that "Digital infrastructure is a key strategic focus for our clients and Mike’s will significantly strengthen our capabilities in this space. We are excited to continue to extend the breadth of our Amsterdam financing offering to clients."

Reflecting on his new role, Mike Niekoop remarked, "Norton Rose Fulbright’s global platform and strength in energy, infrastructure and finance provides an excellent platform to further develop my international data-centre practice while continuing to support clients across renewable energy, the energy transition and broader infrastructure. I look forward to working with colleagues across the global network to support clients on increasingly complex cross-border transactions."