Image

Henry (Hyun Jik) Sohn

Partner

Email

henry.sohn@aoshearman.com

Phone

+822 6138 2533

Offices

V-CARD
Henry is Managing Partner of Seoul and has extensive experience advising Korean clients on their outbound projects/investments and international clients on their inbound projects/investments.
 

Henry also has extensive experience advising export credit agencies and multilateral, including KEXIM, K-Sure, UKEF, ADB, AfDB, IFC, EBRD and EIB. Henry speaks Korean and English. 
 
Henry has a wide range of finance experience, including project finance, ECA-backed finance, acquisition finance, structured finance and restructuring. He has advised clients, both financiers and sponsors, on projects in the power, renewables, transportation, social infrastructure and oil/refinery sectors around the globe.

Expertise

Industries

Experience

Representative matters

  • USD1.8bn: K-EXIM, K-Sure and commercial lenders on the financing of the Government of Turkmenistan’s ethane cracker and polyethylene plant in Kiyanly, Turkmenistan.
  • GBP700m: MGT Teesside as the project company in relation to the development of a new dedicated biomass power station with CHP, located at Tessport, Teeside.
  • USD4bn: The ECA and commercial lenders on the BAPCO refinery exxpansion in Bahrain.
  • GBP2.3bn: The consortium of Macquarie Capital, MIRA and USS on the acquisition of the UK’s Green Investment Bank from the UK Government.
  • K-sure and the covered lenders on a USD660m financing to Lukoil’s subsidiary in Uzbekistan in respect of the construction of its gas processing complex.
  • The funders in respect of the USD600m construction, development, operation and financing of a PPP healthcare project in Gaziantep, Turkey.
  • KEXIM, JBIC, NEXI, EIB and AfDB and a number of commercial lenders on the restructuring of the financing provided in respect of the USD3.7bn second-stage oil refinery complex in Mostorod, Egypt.
  • A Korean sponsor on the construction, development, operation and financing of a hydropower project in Georgia.
  • EBRD, Proparco and other IFIs in relation to a number of projects which are part of the Egyptian FiT programme. This deal was awarded ‘MENA Infrastructure Programme of the Year 2017’ by IJ Global.
  • A group of financial institutions on the project financing of a fleet of buses to be supplied by Alexander Dennis Ltd to be used on the new Line 7 of the Metrobus route in Mexico City. This deal was awarded ‘Export Project Finance Deal of the Year - Mexico’ by the Global Trade Review in 2017.
  • The lenders on the USD1.6bn refinancing of the development of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan 1768km long 1.2mbbl/day capacity pipeline reaching from Baku, Azerbaijan through Tbilisi, Georgia to Ceyhan, Turkey.
  • The senior coordinating committee, comprising a group of financial institutions on the restructuring of Cory Environmental, one of the largest recycling and waste management companies in the UK.
  • IFC and AfDB on the financing to Dangote in respect of two of its projects in Nigeria.
  • The funders on the refinancing of portfolios of UK PPP assets (including Blackpool Council Street Lighting, Bristol Leisure Center, Derbyshire Springwell and Bolsover Schools, Greenwich BSF,Cambridgeshire BSF PFI, and Wigan Joint Services Centre PFI) owned by an infrastructure fund.

Speaking Engagements

  • Guest Speaker, In-House Congress Seoul 2018, 30/08/2018
  • Lecturer, KBI Global Project Financing Workshop, 08/08/2018
  • Lecturer, In-House Counsel Forum Spring Academy 2018, 14/04/2018

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Member, The Law Society of England and Wales
  • Member, The Law Society of Hong Kong
  • Member as Foreign Legal Consultant, Korean Bar Association
  • Board of Directors Member, Foreign Law Firm Association of Korea

Recognition

“Henry Sohn [is] among Korea’s best recognized [adviser] for project sponsors and lenders in the Asia-Pacific region.”
LEGAL 500, ASIA PACIFIC (SOUTH KOREA - FOREIGN FIRMS), 2023
“Henry Sohn – Practical, commercial and hard-working. Henry also brings along with him a wealth of experience in banking law and adapts extremely well into the local domestic practice. Henry understands clients’ needs and is never afraid of making a tough call on difficult issues.”
LEGAL 500, ASIA PACIFIC (SOUTH KOREA - FOREIGN FIRMS), 2023

Awards

  • Leading Individual, Projects & Energy (Korea - Foreign Firms), Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2022, 2023
  • Recognized Practitioner, Projects & Infrastructure (Korea - International firms), Chambers Asia Pacific 2022, 2023
  • ‘European Biomass Deal of the Year’ – IJ Global 2016
  • ‘European Power Deal of the Year 2016’ – PFI, 2016
  • ‘ECA Deal of the Year’, by the Trade & Forfaiting Review 2014
  • One of Global Trade Review’s ‘Best Deals of 2014’ 

Qualifications

Admissions

Foreign Legal Consultant (England & Wales), Korea, 2018

Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 2012

Admitted as solicitor, Hong Kong, 2008

Academic

BA, University of Cambridge, 2002

MEng, University of Cambridge, 2003

Graduate Diploma in Law, BPP Law School, 2004

Postgraduate Certificate in Law, Hong Kong, 2005

Languages

English, Korean
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.