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Photo, Ione Searle

Ione Searle

Associate
Baker & McKenzie LLP

Biography

Ione is an associate in the Energy and Infrastructure Practice Group in London. She advises clients on a broad range of complex cross-border transactions, including project development and financing, M&A and commercial arrangements across the energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors. She joined the Firm in 2023.

Practice Focus

Ione has particular experience advising on major infrastructure, mining and oil & gas projects, with significant exposure to energy transition matters, including renewables and carbon credits. She also advises on construction-related work, including EPC contracts and JCT-based building contracts. Ione has experience advising on export and project finance, with a focus on African projects.

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advised Shell on the divestment by Shell Recharge Solutions of its home and workplace EV charging business in six European markets.
  • Advised Hutchison Ports on the restructuring of its equity arrangements with the Egyptian Navy and other investors in relation to a USD 730 million container terminal in Abu Qir, Egypt.
  • Advised Encyclis Limited on the disposal of Encyclis Ireland Operations Limited, the company responsible for the operations and maintenance of the Dublin Waste to Energy Facility, to Kanadevia Inova AG.
  • Advised an international mining company on the sale of a copper mine in Kazakhstan, including ongoing royalty arrangements.
  • Advised the project developer on a development financing for a nickel mine in Tanzania.
  • Advised lenders on the project financing for the construction, development and operation of a hydroskimming oil refinery in Nigeria.
  • Advised Standard Chartered Bank, lenders and export credit agencies on a financing to the Government of Tanzania (acting through the Ministry of Finance) on the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), the largest railway infrastructure project in Africa.
  • Advised lenders and an export credit agency on a financing to the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Guinea for the development of a solar-powered drinking water system at 302 sites across Guinea.

Admissions

  • England & Wales (2025)

Education

  • BPP University (LLM Commercial Legal Practice) (2023)
  • University of Law (Graduate Diploma in Law) (2021)
  • Durham University (Liberal Arts) (2020)