Stéphane Brabant leads our energy and infrastructure group in Paris. He is also the head of our Africa practice and global head of Herbert Smith's mining group. Stéphane lived and worked in Africa for seven years and has been involved for over 20 years in a wide range of international transactions, projects and project financings in Francophone Africa on behalf of corporations, governments, banks and lending institutions, focussing in particular on the energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors. In addition to advising on general legal and tax issues, Stéphane has experience in the drafting and negotiation of a wide range of international agreements and advising on pre-contentious or contentious matters, including before local African jurisdictions.
Stéphane's practice in recent years has focussed more specifically on risk mitigation and crisis management, with demonstrated experience in handling crisis situations in Africa.
Stéphane gives lectures at the French School of Mines and at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy of the University of Dundee, where he is an honorary lecturer.
Of French mother tongue, Stéphane speaks fluent English.
Credentials
in relation to its major electricity and mining projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo respectively
the Government of Senegal on BOTs, concessions and other major investments in relation to mining, rail, airport and harbour projects
a group of banks including Standard Chartered, KBC and Rand Merchant on a US$210m. pre-financing of crude petroleum exports in Congo-Brazzaville
SEMOS, controlled by Anglogold, Iamgold and the IFC, in an arbitration proceeding initiated by it before the ICSID
a syndicate of banks led by N M Rothschild & Sons on a US$90m. financing of the Morila gold mine in Mali
a number of oil companies (including Woodside, British Gas, Mitsubishi, Chevron, Sasol, PetroSA, Dana Petroleum, Premier Oil, Tullow Oil, Baraka Petroleum, Roc Oil etc) on the negotiation of PSCs, JOAs and other documents in relation to investments in Africa
Accolades
"Stéphane Brabant heads the Africa group from the Paris office and is valued for his 'vast experience in both English and French-speaking Africa'."
Chambers Global 2010
"Leading the Paris team is Stéphane Brabant, a 'pure francophone expert' with 'immense knowledge about that region.' With his 'commercial focus and high level of intelligence'… "
Chambers Global 2009