MDY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Consultant, Barrister / Charles Marquand
Charles studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University. He qualified as a barrister in 1988. He worked as a legal adviser in HM Treasury dealing with a wide range of financial services regulatory matters (UK and EU). In 1996 he started private practice as a barrister, specialising in financial services law and regulation, and providing company/commercial advice. He has also participated in many projects providing assistance to emerging economies with legal and regulatory reform and improvements in the business environment, including:
Advising in the context of a EuropeAid project on the legal aspects of structures to provide investment to Turkish SMEs (e.g. investment funds, open-ended investment companies etc.). Involved inter alia dealing with private firms, banks, Turkish administration and European Investment Bank.
Advising in the context of a EuropeAid project and a World Bank project on the legal and institutional reforms in financial and banking sectors in preparation for and following Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organisation. Involved inter alia dealing with public and private Vietnamese financial institutions and the Vietnamese administration/regulators.
Advising in the context of an Asian Development Bank project in Uzbekistan on the policy and legal framework for business and foreign direct investment, drawing up outline legislation and legal reforms to ameliorate the climate for business and foreign direct investment. Involved inter alia dealing with private investors in Uzbekistan and foreign owned enterprises and the Uzbek administration.
Advising in the context of a EuropeAid project on reforms in the securities/financial services areas, particularly investment funds and providing draft legislation for adoption by the administration. Involved inter alia dealing with private enterprises, private funds in Kyrgyzstan and Kyrgyz administration/regulators.
Advising in the context of a EuropeAid project on outline reforms in the securities/financial services sectors to improve transparency and corporate governance. Involved inter alia dealing with private investors (Kazakh and foreign) and Kazakh National Securities Commission.
Job Titles:
- Solicitor
- Chartered Secretary
David joined MDY Legal in 2016. In the early part of his career he focused on commercial and tax advice. He has since worked extensively in the charity sector, having spent 7 years as in-house Head of Legal at the large UK charity Leonard Cheshire Disability and 12 years as a partner in the Charity and Social Business Team at Russell-Cooke solicitors. At MDY Legal, David focuses on legal and governance advice in the development and not for profit sectors.
Qualifications
Admitted as a Solicitor (England and Wales) 1988
Since 2002 Diane has been acting for the Private Infrastructure Development Group (currently as General Counsel and Company Secretary), a multi-government and donor programme with over USD 1bn of aid funding whose purpose is to combat poverty in the poorest and most fragile countries through pioneering infrastructure. Diane has provided the Private Infrastructure Development Group with real-time legal and corporate secretariat support and advice including the structuring and drafting of grant and other funding instruments; establishing the trust through which the governments and donors flow their funds; establishing the corporate entities within the group, co-ordinating tax and regulatory advice, providing procurement advice; negotiating financing and other transaction documents for both the government and donor group, the trust and the group's corporate entities (including The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund Ltd, GuarantCo Ltd and InfraCo Africa Ltd) and advising stakeholders on the establishment of and implementation of new governance arrangements - in particular developing a code of conduct and ethical operating policies and procedures for the group.
Since qualifying as a solicitor Diane has advised on company and commercial issues, including trusts, funds (including loan guarantee and equity investment funds), SME financing, grant and loan administration, corporate governance and company law. Diane has a particular interest in safeguarding, environmental, social and governance issues.
Qualifications
Admitted as a solicitor (England & Wales) in 2004
Tim has more than fifteen years of experience in the design and operation of development institutions and facilities, including governance design for projects involving multiple countries and private sector parties. He has consulted multilateral development banks regarding regional and global programs, African Union institutions, a sustainable energy initiative in the SDAC region and disaster preparedness facilities in the Caribbean/Central American and the Pacific regions.
Timothy has extensive experience in the institutional public-private cooperation sector, including design and operational support for the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDs, TB and Malaria, GAVI, the African Risk Capacity, the Farm to Market Alliance, UNITAID, UNICEF, the ILO, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank.
Qualifications
Tim holds a PhD from the University of Geneva - Graduate Institute in International Relations/Law focused on legal frameworks for public-private cooperation mechanism, an LLM Master of Laws in Intellectual Property Law, a Juris Doctor Degree in Law and a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts
Liam joined MDY Legal in 1993 from the international law firm CMS Cameron McKenna. Liam oversees MDY Legal's corporate/commercial legal practice. In this role he combines a specialist knowledge of corporate and commercial law with substantial practical experience of structuring and concluding commercial transactions in international environments principally in the development aid sector.
Qualifications
Admitted as a Solicitor (England & Wales) in 1988
Robin established MDY Legal in 1987 and specialises in various aspects of international contract and commercial law much of this in the context of international development. As well as acting for the private sector he has acted for numerous government agencies in relation to procurement, projects, privatisation and investment, including the establishment of various vehicles to facilitate investment in emerging and pre-emerging markets. Since 1987 Robin has advised the UK Government's department responsible for the UK international aid programme, DFID, both as regards methods and mechanisms of providing financial support and as commercial legal advisor in relation to a very wide range of international projects. He has advised the Government of Swaziland on the terms of its concession agreement in relation to the construction and operation of a transmission line from South Africa transiting Swaziland to supply the Mozal Aluminium Smelter in Mozambique. He has also advised the Japanese Government on the procurement and construction of a radioactive waste reprocessing facility constructed and commissioned in Siberia to support the decommissioning of nuclear submarines in the region.
Qualifications
Admitted as a Solicitor (England & Wales) in 1980
Sarah is a consultant solicitor in our corporate practice where she works with international and domestic clients including governments, financial institutions and not for profit organisations. Sarah advises on a diverse array of corporate and commercial transactions, helping our clients to implement their strategies and deliver value. Her work includes domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, equity fundraisings, demergers, private acquisitions and disposals, takeovers and restructurings. Sarah also advises on company law questions, integration queries, compliance, regulatory and corporate governance matters.
Qualifications
Trained and qualified with Lovells LLP 1998 to 2000
Tim joined MDY Legal in 1990 from the international law firm CMS Cameron McKenna, and oversees MDY's development finance and programme management practices. In this role he has acted as lead legal advisor to the funders in the design and establishment of many well known innovative development financing initiatives, including the International Finance Facility for Immunisation and the Advance Market Commitment, working closely with governments, multilateral organisations, private sector companies and foundations. Tim is also responsible for the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) Programme Management Unit and the Harnessing Non State Actors for the Poor (HANSHEP) Secretariat, both managed by MDY Legal.
Tim speaks French, German and Spanish.
Qualifications
Admitted as a Solicitor (England & Wales) in 1990