“Olivier Mélédo is an excellent partner who is always available and supports us on very complex projects."

Legal 500 EMEA (2021) 

概述

Admitted to the Paris Bar, Olivier Mélédo is a partner in the Paris office and a member of the Global Energy, Infrastructure Investment and Global Projects groups. 

Olivier is a considerably accomplished projects and infrastructure lawyer who advises large corporations, investment funds and other equity investors, multilateral development banks, national governments, project developers and construction contractors on large-scale international and domestic projects and related share and asset deals, primarily in the power, renewable energy, infrastructure and natural resources sectors.

In addition to advising clients in France and overseas territories, Olivier enjoys extensive experience across several other jurisdictions. He has, in particular, been involved in transactions in almost all 17 Sub-Saharan African states subject to the civil law-based OHADA's set of regulations; and also the United States, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.

Olivier serves as a board member and secretary general of the French Association for Energy Law AFDEN. He also regularly provides pro bono advice to non-profit organizations. As such, he is a recurrent advisor on energy- and natural resources-related topics to the Harvard Law and International Development Society (LIDS), which produces research for NGOs.

Olivier is consistently identified by the legal directories among the best lawyers in France in his areas of practice. Ranked 7th of the 100 “most influential lawyers” and named Lawyer of the Year in the “Projects” category by the premier Pan-African weekly news magazine Jeune Afrique 2021, Olivier is also identified among the “Leading Individuals” for Energy Projects and “Next Generation Partners” for Project Finance in France by Legal 500 EMEA 2022. In these publications, Olivier is quoted by clients as giving ‘proper advice and builds strategies to optimally support his clients’ business' and being ‘able to provide the required legal guidance to protect his clients and take care of any potential risks during all phases of a transaction’. Sources further report that ‘the team is well experienced, has deep knowledge of the business and industry sector, and provides the best advice required in one place’ and highlight the practice as ‘one of the best international energy practices in the market; strong in every region around the world, and in particular for covering the difficult markets of Latin America and Africa.’

Prior to joining Mayer Brown in 2016, Olivier Mélédo worked in the Paris, London and New York offices of other international law firms.

语言能力

  • 法语
  • 英语

执业经验

Infrastructure

  • VINCI, in connection with the €3 billion plus privatization of Aeroportos de Portugal (ANA), holder of a renewed 50-year concession for the country’s ten airports (mainland, Azores and Madeira).
  • Governments, project developers and private equity investors in connection with the acquisition, development, construction and financing of multiple other airport, seaport, railway, refinery, pipeline and industrial unit projects in France, Asia and Africa (Cameroon, Chad, Congo, DRC, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Senegal).

Mining and Metals

  • The government of the Republic of Cameroon, in connection with a US$4 billion plus integrated cross-border iron ore project ("Mbalam-Nabeba") comprising the award of mining rights as well as the development of a brownfield mineral export terminal, a dedicated railway and several ancillary facilities.
  • Governments, project developers and private equity investors in the context of several other mining and metals (coal, gold, iron ore) projects in Africa (Burundi, Congo, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania).

Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals

  • China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Corporation (CNODC), a subsidiary of CNPC, China's largest oil and gas producer, in connection with several projects in Africa, including a US$5 billion plus integrated oil and gas project in Niger (Agadem) comprising the acquisition of an on-shore oil block, the construction and financing of the first refinery in Niger and the construction of pipelines for transportation and export of crude oil and refined products.
  • Governments and various other international oil and gas or petrochemical companies including Chevron Corporation, GDF-Suez, Korean National Oil Company (KNOC), LyondellBasell, Maurel & Prom, Sonatrach on their share or asset (Farm-ins, Farm-outs, Carry and other NPI arrangements) deals and other typical operations in the upstream (PSCs, JOAs, Unitizations), midstream and downstream (sales, transportation and storage agreements) hydrocarbon sectors in France (including French overseas departments and territories) and Africa (Algeria, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal).

Power: Hydro, Solar, Thermal (biomass, fuel/gas) and Wind

  • Actis, a UK-based private equity firm, in connection with the acquisition from AES Corporation of a 56% interest in Cameroon's national integrated utility SONEL and in the two IPPs Kribi and Dibamba, for a value of US$202 million.
  • Governments, contractors, project developers and private equity investors in the context of multiple other biomass, hydro, solar, thermal and wind projects development, construction and financing in France (including French overseas departments and territories) and Africa (Cameroon, Chad, DRC, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Togo).

教育背景

Université Robert Schuman, Strasbourg III, France, DESS/DJCE, Business Law

英国利兹大学, LLM, European Business Law

Université de Rennes I, Masters Business Law

执业资格

  • 巴黎

2023

  • Named one of the "Leading individuals" in Energy Projects and one of the "Next Generation Partners" in Project Finance in France. Legal 500 EMEA (2023)
  • Listed as Global Leader Energy - Oil & Gas 2023 and National Leader - France - Energy 2023 in Who's Who Legal.
  • The premier Pan-African weekly news magazine, Jeune Afrique, ranked Olivier Mélédo in the top ten amongst the top 100 business lawyers in Francophone Africa for 2022.
  • The 2023 Décideurs magazine issue, a French media and rating agency for top executives, recognized Olivier Mélédo as “excellent” in corporate and M&A (Africa Desk), natural resources and renewable energies and project (Africa Desk) and in project financing (Africa Desk).

2022

  • Named one of the "Leading individuals" in Energy Projects and one of the "Next Generation Partners" in Project Finance in France. Legal 500 EMEA (2022)
  • Listed as Global Leader Energy - Oil & Gas 2022 and National Leader - France - Energy 2022 in Who's Who Legal.
  • The premier Pan-African weekly news magazine, Jeune Afrique, ranked Olivier Mélédo in 7th position in the top 100 business lawyers for 2021.
  • The 2022 Décideurs magazine issue, a French media and rating agency for top executives, recognized Olivier Mélédo as “excellent” in corporate and M&A (Africa Desk), natural resources and renewable energies and project (Africa Desk) and in project financing (Africa Desk).

2021

  • Named one of the "Next Generation Partners" in Energy Projects and Project Finance in France. Legal 500 EMEA (2021)
  • "Olivier Mélédo is an excellent partner who is always available and supports us on very complex projects. " Legal 500 EMEA (2021)
  • The premier Pan-African weekly news magazine, Jeune Afrique, ranked Olivier Mélédo in 8th position in the top 100 business lawyers for 2020 and named him Lawyer of the Year (2020) in the “Projects” category.
  • Listed and recommended in Who’s Who Legal France - Energy 2021.
  • The 2021 IFLR issue, a guide to the world's leading financial and corporate law firms, has recognized Olivier Mélédo as "Highly Regarded" in Projects.
  • The 2021 Décideurs magazine issue, a French media and rating agency for top executives, recognized Olivier Mélédo as “excellent” in corporate and M&A (Africa Desk) as well as in energy and natural resources (Africa Desk) and in project financing (Africa Desk).

2020

  • Named one of the "Next Generation Partners" in Energy and Project Finance in France. Legal 500 EMEA (2020)
  • Flexible, knowledgeable and efficient. He gives proper advice and builds strategies to optimally support his clients’ businessLegal 500 EMEA (2020)
  • The premier Pan-African weekly news magazine, Jeune Afrique, ranked Olivier Mélédo in 6th position in the top 100 business lawyers for 2019.
  • The 2020 IFLR issue, a guide to the world's leading financial and corporate law firms, has recognized Olivier Mélédo as "Highly Regarded" in Projects.
  • The 2020 Décideurs magazine issue, a French media and rating agency for top executives, recognized Olivier Mélédo as “excellent” in corporate and M&A (Africa Desk) as well as in natural resources and renewable energy (Africa Desk). He also has a “strong reputation” in project financing (Africa Desk).

2019

  • Named one of the "Next Generation Partners" in Energy and Project Finance in France. Legal 500 EMEA (2019).
  • Practice head Olivier Mélédo ‘has a deep understanding of the business and the industry’ and is ‘able to provide the required legal guidance to protect his clients and take care of any potential risks during all phases of a transaction’.” Legal 500 EMEA (2019) – ranked as “Next generation lawyer”.
  • The premier Pan-African weekly news magazine, Jeune Afrique, ranked Olivier Mélédo in 8th position in the top 50 business lawyers for 2018.
  • The 2019 Décideurs magazine issue, a French media and rating agency for top executives recognized Olivier Mélédo as “excellent” in corporate and M&A (Africa Desk) as well as in natural resources and renewable energy (Africa Desk).  He also has a “strong reputation” in project financing (Africa Desk).

2018

  • The 2018 edition of Chambers Europe described partner Olivier Mélédo as a “recognized Practitioner”.
  • The 2018 Décideurs magazine issue, a French media and rating agency for top executives recognized Olivier Mélédo as “excellent” in corporate and M&A (Africa Desk). He also has a “strong reputation” in natural resources and renewable energy and project financing practices (Africa Desk).
  • The premier Pan-African weekly news magazine, Jeune Afrique, recognized Olivier Mélédo as one of the top 50 business lawyers for 2017. 

2017

  • The 2017 Décideurs magazine issue, a French media and rating agency for top executives recognized Olivier Mélédo as “excellent” in corporate and M&A practices (Africa Desk). He also has a “strong reputation” in natural resources and renewable energy and project financing practices (Africa Desk).
  • The premier Pan-African weekly news magazine, Jeune Afrique, recognized Olivier Mélédo as one of the top 50 business lawyers for 2016.