Biography

Chris Bishop is an accomplished finance, projects and resources lawyer with international top-tier experience at partner level.

He specialises in complex project structuring, investment and financing work, including advising project sponsors, credit funds, bank lenders and alternative finance providers on high profile mining, energy and renewables projects.

Chris' practice covers both developed and emerging markets.  His emerging markets experience is extensive, having been based in Asia for over a decade and also regularly advising on projects across Africa and South America. 

In addition to his broad jurisdictional coverage, Chris advises on the full spectrum of resources financing structures, ranging from traditional non-recourse project finance through to royalties, streams, prepayment facilities and convertible notes with particular expertise managing and documenting the intercreditor terms on multi-faceted finance structures.

Chris also advises borrowers, lenders and other specialist financiers on corporate finance, leveraged finance and litigation finance.  His experience extends to special situations and restructuring transactions and he is regularly engaged by leading international firms to act as Australian counsel.

Clients value Chris' pragmatic deal making mindset which is coupled with technical strength, high levels of responsiveness and seamless deal execution capability.

Chris is also admitted in both England and Wales.

Credentials

Academic qualifications:

• Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) – Adelaide University
• Bachelor of Economics – Adelaide University

Memberships:

• Law Society of Western Australia – member, commercia law committee

Chris' experience

Toubani Resources

Advised Toubani Resources on its approx. US$160m fully secured senior, mezzanine and gold stream facilities to finance the development of the Kobada Gold Mine in Mali.

Leo Lithium

Advised Leo Lithium on its 20-year trailing product service fee (royalty) with Ganfeng in relation to the Goulamina Lithium Mine in Mali.

Zeta Resources

Advised Zeta Resources on its secured convertible note facility in connection with its acquisition of Panoramic Resources from administrators.  This included negotiation of intercreditor arrangements with Trafigura in relation to its secured prepayment facilities.

National Australia Bank (NAB)

Advised NAB on:

• financing facilities for Payload Industries in connection with its A$300m acquisition by USCO;
• its A$37.5m secured corporate financing for Matrix Composites & Engineering Ltd; and
  
• its approx A$21m secured corporate financing for Babylon Pump & Power Limited.
  

Omni Bridgeway

Advised Omni Bridgeway Ltd on structured litigation finance transactions relating to disputes across the Asia-Pacific region.

Awards, recognition and ranking

• Chambers and Partners — Band 3, Banking and Finance, International firms, Singapore (2020-2022)