Matthew is a Senior Associate in our Nairobi office and a member of the Projects, Energy and Infrastructure and Mergers & Acquisitions practice groups.

Matthew is recognised as a leading young lawyer and has extensive experience acting on: a broad range of project, energy & infrastructure transactions, corporate & commercial transactions, a strong background in banking & project finance transactions across a range of sectors and a rapidly developing environment, climate change and carbon contracts practice.

He has been involved in advising on a wide range of transactions including energy and infrastructure projects, corporate and finance transactions, public-private partnership transactions, syndicated lending’s, debt and equity capital markets transactions, project finance and regulatory compliance. He has acted for a variety of clients including multilateral institutions, international and local banks, development finance institutions and various local and international corporates.   

He has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) (Hons.) from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in Strategic Management from the United States International University – Africa and a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law. He is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a member of the Law Society of Kenya and the East African Law Society.

Relevant Experience

Energy and Project Finance Experience

• Advising on the development of a C&I project for one of Kenya’s largest cement manufacturers.
• Advised an independent power producer on its development and financing of a 50 MW wind power plant in Kenya.
• Advised an international financial institution and various State agencies and regulators on the formulation, implementation and structuring of a renewable energy auction policy in Kenya.
• Advised and represented a syndicate of international lenders in a secured project financing of a 40 MW solar power plant project.
• Advised a syndicate of international lenders in a multimillion dollar secured project financing of two 40 MW solar projects.
• Advised and represented a syndicate of international lenders in a multimillion dollar secured project financing of a 35 MW geothermal power project.
• Advised an independent power producer on its development and financing of a multimillion dollar secured 40 MW solar power project in Kenya.

Banking & Finance, Sovereign Debt and Corporate Commercial Experience

• Advised and represented the Joint Lead Managers in the 2019 and 2018 multibillion dollar sovereign bond issues by the Kenyan Government.
• Advised and represented a development financial institution in its multimillion dollar cross-border financing of a Kenyan group company.
• Advised a leading international firm in its acquisition of a majority stake and entry into a Kenyan partnership over a series of transactions including restructuring of the partnership into a limited liability partnership.
• Advised an international investment fund in its multimillion dollar financing of a large Kenyan financial company.
• Advised an international development financial institution in its multimillion dollar financing of a large Kenyan manufacturing company.
• Advised a trade and development financial institution in its multimillion dollar sovereign financing transaction.
• Advised various clients in various commercial sectors in lending transactions, project finance transactions, capital markets transactions, PPPs, Mergers and Acquisitions and a broad range of corporate and commercial transactions and general corporate advisory.

PPP and Infrastructure Projects Experience

• Africa50 and Power Grid Corporation of India Limited who have been mandated by the Government of Kenya to develop, structure, finance and build certain high priority transmission lines on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis in collaboration with the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) (the national electricity transmission utility). This project will be the first privately owned transmission line and the first transmission line PPP in Kenya’s history.
• Advising the Kenya Joint Venture (led by Tullow Oil, including Africa Oil and total) on various legal and regulatory aspects of their petroleum sharing contracts.
• Advising a consortium of Shandong Hi-Speed, Hass Infra Limited and GVR Infra Projects Limited on Lot 3 of the Kenya Roads Annuity Program. The Lot 3 project scope includes the design, construction, commissioning, financing, operation and maintenance of the Modogashe – Habaswein – Samatar and Rhamu – Mandera (A13 Roads).
• Advising a joint development group on the development of a market first private sector led wastewater infrastructure project in Kenya on a microgrid basis.
• Advising Solar Water Solutions Oy Ltd and Climate Fund Managers on the structuring and development of a water supply project including advising on the regulatory and licensing framework, water rights and supply, environmental compliance and power generation, determination of and advice on various project rights (including land and water rights of the project), establishment and structuring of the most appropriate PPP set up of the project.

Environment, Climate Change, Natural Resources & Mining Experience

• Advising on the implementation and roll out of a multicountry agroforestry programme to restore the land and livelihoods of over two million vulnerable small-scale farming households and enhance the sequestration of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from changes in land management practices across six countries: Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Ethiopia.
• Advising on the implementation and roll out of a sustainable grazing programme to restore the land and livelihoods of over two million vulnerable small-scale farming households and enhance the sequestration of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from changes in land management practices.
• Advising various clients in the mining sector including development of mining projects and commercial transactions in the mining sector.

Advising on Free Prior Informed Consent matters in relation to various projects.

Awards

• The African Legal Awards: 2021 Rising Star Award Finalist
• The African Legal Awards: Winner 2020 Private Practice Most Promising Newcomer Award.
• Law Society of Kenya – Nairobi Legal Awards: 2020 Young Lawyer of the Year 1st Runner Up Award
• The African Legal Awards: Finalist 2019 In-House and Private Practice Most Promising Newcomer Award
• Law Society of Kenya – Nairobi Legal Awards: 2019 Young Lawyer of the Year 1st Runner Up Award

• Kenya: What the carbon – series 1: a snapshot of the recent developments in Kenya’s carbon space
• Kenya: The road to COP27 – Actions towards a greener future for Kenya
• Kenya: Sustainable Practices Towards a Circular Economy: Introduction of the Sustainable Waste Management Act, 2022
• Expansion of electricity access in Kenya: Proposed new regulations on mini-grids
• Kenya: The 2021-2030 least cost power development plan, introduction of the 2021 renewable energy auction policy and the 2021 FIT policy
• Bowmans and Simmons & Simmons collaborate on a Clean Energy tool