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Shepherd and Wedderburn appoints finance expert to head Aberdeen office

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John Rutherford
John Rutherford

Aberdeen based John Rutherford has joined Shepherd and Wedderburn as a consultant to head up and develop the firm’s Aberdeen operations.

Mr Rutherford joins from Pinsent Masons, where he was a senior corporate partner specialising in corporate and corporate finance work including acquisitions and disposals, private equity and corporate reorganisations.

Shepherd and Wedderburn chief executive, Stephen Gibb said: “Together with technology businesses, energy and renewables forms a nucleus of activity for our corporate practice. With John’s extensive experience in both sectors, his appointment is a great addition to a team that is routinely called upon to act in ground-breaking deals such as:

  • advising North Sea Midstream Partners – an affiliate of ArcLight Capital Partners LLC – on the Scots law real estate, consenting and financing aspects of its £585m acquisition and simultaneous funding of Total’s 100 per cent operating interest in the Frigg natural gas pipeline and St Fergus Gas Terminal and Total’s 67 per cent operated interest in the SIRGES gas pipeline.

  • advising Her Majesty’s Treasury in relation to its guarantee of the project debt of up to £86m to Bank of Scotland as lender to Countesswells Development Ltd (a subsidiary of the Stewart Milne Group Ltd). The financing will be used to fund the development of a major infrastructure and housing project outside Aberdeen.

  • the MeyGen tidal array project, the world’s first commercially financed tidal project;

  • the Glasgow, Southend-on Sea and Stirling street lighting projects, where we advised the Green Investment Bank on the development and deployment of the Green Loan.

    • Speaking about his appointment, John Rutherford said: “I have long been an admirer of Shepherd and Wedderburn, a firm that is supremely well-equipped to attract and retain so many top-drawer clients with interests that span key industries and across so many jurisdictions.

    “Working in Aberdeen, I certainly understand the current economic challenges faced by businesses in the region, but I also see businesses that are innovating and adapting well to these challenges, and in my new role I look forward to helping them find the right solutions to forge ahead.”

    Next month Mr Rutherford, together with Shepherd and Wedderburn Chairman, Paul Hally and corporate partner, Stephen Trombala, will travel to Houston Texas to attend the oil and gas industry’s foremost event the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), which is expected to attract over 100,000 attendees, and 2,700 exhibitors.

    Mr Hally said: “Shepherd and Wedderburn’s oil and gas clients operate globally, and we act for them wherever they transact business. Attending the OTC presents us with a fantastic opportunity to meet up with them, connect with new operators, and to hear and see the new technologies emerging in the sector.”

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