Ayesha Waheed practices principally in the project finance, infrastructure, and natural resources practice. She represents developers and lenders in oil and gas, power generation, and infrastructure projects, and has experience in all aspects of structuring, negotiating, and drafting finance and commercial documents in connection with international project financings and privatizations.
Ayesha is recognized as a “leading lawyer” for Project Development and Banking and Finance by IFLR 1000; a “thought leader” and “global leader” by Who's Who Legal, and a recognized practitioner by Chambers UK.
Before joining Morgan Lewis, she was a partner at another global law firm.
Selected Representations
Oil & Gas
Represented the commercial banks in connection with a $2.55 billion syndicated facility for the Australia Pacific LNG project
Represented the purchasers in connection with a $1.4 billion US private placement for the Australia Pacific LNG project
Advised several banks in connection with the proposed Al Karaana petrochemicals project in Qatar
Represented the lenders in connection with a bank and bond financing for the $42 billion expansion to the Tengizchevroil Project in Kazakhstan
Mining
Represented Yildirim Holding as sponsor in connection with the $260 million acquisition and capex facilities provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for a chrome ore mine in Kazakhstan
Represented Yildirim Holding as sponsor in connection with the $100 million acquisition financing of the Tikhvin ferroalloy plant in Russia
Power
Advised Akfen Renewables in connection with the project financing in the development, construction, operation, and maintenance of a portfolio of solar power plants in Turkey financed by EBRD and Turkish commercial banks
Represented Akfen Renewables in connection with the project financing in the development, construction, operation, and maintenance of four greenfield wind farm projects in Turkey financed by EBRD and commercial banks with export credit agency cover
Advised ContourGlobal in connection with the development of a lignite fired project in Kosovo
Advised a potential investor in the financing of a South African solar project
Infrastructure
Represented Yilport Holding in connection with an Export Credit Agencies (ECA) covered loan for its port in Ecuador
Advised Yilport Holding in connection with the acquisition and capex financing provided by the European Investment Bank and commercial banks for its portfolio of ports in Portugal
Represented DenizBank as lead arranger in connection with the financing provided to an SPV set up by TAV Airports for the concession to operate and maintain Bodrum Airport
Represented Sinohydro in connection with the concession agreement for the development of an elevated expressway PPP in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Education
Georgetown University Law Center, 1991, LLM
University of Cambridge, 1990, BA, Law
Admissions
England & Wales (Solicitor)
New York
Awards and Affiliations
Ranked, Projects, UK-wide, Chambers UK (2017–2021)
Recommended, Industry Focus: Emerging Markets, The Legal 500 UK (2021)
Recommended, Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil and Gas, The Legal 500 UK (2021)
Highly Regarded, IFLR1000 Financial and Corporate (2020, 2021)
Global Elite Thought Leader, Project Finance, Who’s Who Legal (2019–2020)
Best in Project Finance Award, Euromoney LMG (2019)
