Mark's practice covers project and export credit finance, asset finance, structured trade and commodity finance, debt restructurings, acquisition finance and corporate advisory work.
He represents financial institutions, export credit agencies, corporates, boards, and national and supranational sovereign organizations in relation to finance transactions throughout Western, Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Mark has extensive sector experience in infrastructure financing across Africa including off-grid power, healthcare and transportation. He also advises on ESG financings including hospitals, clean energy and transportation.
Advising on sustainability, governance and compliance matters, Mark has extensive experience counseling corporate boards in connection with bribery, corruption, modern slavery, criminal finance and sanctions issues. He also advises financial institutions on the UK’s Capital Requirements Regulation and the EU’s equivalent capital requirements regimes.
Recognized as a Leading Individual in The Legal 500 UK for Trade finance, he is noted as 'excelling' in structured export credit transactions and is praised for his 'commercial and user-friendly approach.' He was also recognized in the 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers, United Kingdom for his work in banking and finance law.
In May 2022, he was re-elected Deputy Chair of the British Exporters Association (BExA). He sits on BExA’s Executive Committee as well as UK Finance’s Export Finance and Trade Committee.
Mark is based in the UK, but has lived and practiced law in the Czech Republic, England, Germany and Russia.
Representative Client Work
- Contracta UK in relation to a number of transactions in Ghana including the upgrade of the Kumasi teaching hospital, development of Kumasi airport and the redevelopment of Kumasi Central Market, Ghana
- JP Morgan and UKEF
- on a $92 million loan to the Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ghana and the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Ghana for the upgrading of a 17 km stretch of the existing Tema-Aflao Road in the greater Accra region
- on the innovative £89 million finance facility for Embraer for the financing of critical parts, components and technology from UK suppliers
- NMS Infrastructure in relation to a UKEF-backed €326 million project with the Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene for the design, construction and equipping of six new hospitals
- UK Export Finance (UKEF), as lender, and Nedbank CIB of South Africa, as agent, in relation to a loan to finance the design, construction and equipping of district and mini hospitals in Zambia
- UK Finance on UKEF’s General Export Facility
- Future Fund, advising on corporate fundraising under the UK government Future Fund
Bar & Court Admissions
- Solicitor, Senior Courts of England and Wales
Education
- College of Law, Law Society Finals
- College of Law, Common Professional Examination
- London School of Economics and Political Science, LLM (Banking Law and Financial Regulation)
- London School of Economics and Political Science, BSc (Econ-Social Policy)
Community Engagement
- Chair, People Development Committee, National Youth Agency
Awards & Honors
- Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom, Banking and Finance Law (2023)
- Chambers UK, Commodities: Trade Finance (UK-wide) (2023)
- The Legal 500 UK, Trade Finance - London - "Leading Individual" (2016-2023)
- Global Trade Review - Winner, "Best Deals"
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Press ReleaseOctober 20, 2022
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Press ReleaseSeptember 28, 2022
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Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Exports: Digitalisation and the Need to Improve Physical InfrastructureThe BUlletinSeptember 6, 2022
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WorldECRJuly/August 2022
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Client AlertJune 10, 2022
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Press ReleaseJune 9, 2022
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Contracts for the Climate podcast (S1E3)May 20, 2022
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Press ReleaseMay 16, 2022
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Press ReleaseMay 5, 2022
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Financier WorldwideMarch 2022
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Global Trade Review (GTR), QuotedMarch 16, 2022
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flowMarch 10, 2022
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Press ReleaseDecember 14, 2021
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Press ReleaseNovember 4, 2021
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Press ReleaseSeptember 29, 2021
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TXFnews, QuotedApril 14, 2021
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Berne UnionMarch 22, 2021
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Client AlertJanuary 15, 2021
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Press ReleaseOctober 1, 2020
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Global Trade Review (GTR)July 29, 2020
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September 27, 2019
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Sullivan Press ReleaseJune 28, 2019
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Sullivan Press ReleaseMay 17, 2019
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Sullivan Press ReleaseMay 3, 2019
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October 30, 2018
Seminars & Presentations
- Decreasing Perceived Risk, Driving Appetite for African Trade
GTR Africa 2023, Cape Town (March 17, 2023) - "Remember the 'S' in ESG – Making Sustainable Trade Finance Appropriate to Africa” and "In the Past and to the Future – Growing African Resilience to Seize Future Opportunities"
GTR Africa - 2022 London (November 2, 2022) - Maintaining Export Competitiveness in the New Global Economy
GTR UK 2022 (June 16, 2022) - 2022 Compliance and Regulatory Update
Trade & Export Finance Webinar (March 24, 2022) - In the Face of Adversity: Financing Cote d’Ivoire Hospitals in the Height of the Pandemic
Hotel RIU Plaza España, Madrid, Spain (October 19, 2021) - Some Things To Look Out For In Trade Finance In 2021 and Beyond
Trade & Export Finance Webinar (September 23, 2021) - The Latest Support Offerings for UK Exporters
GTR UK 2021 Virtual Conference (June 29, 2021) - Payments, Problems and Practical Solutions for Trade and Export Finance Transactions
Trade & Export Finance Webinar (June 24, 2021) - ESG in Trade and Export Finance
Trade & Export Finance Webinar (May 27, 2021) - BExA Quarterly Risk Roundtable, Session 1: ESG & Sustainability
The British Exporters Association (BExA) virtual program (March 30, 2021) - Some Issues to Look Forward to in 2021
Zoom virtual program (December 10, 2020) - Global Trade Review UK 2019
Global Trade Review (GTR) (May 8, 2019) - Trade, Export and Project Finance Compliance Refresher – Part Two
Trade Finance Breakfast Seminar (March 21, 2019) - Trade, Export and Project Finance Compliance Refresher
Trade Finance Breakfast Seminar (January 24, 2019) - Southern Africa Trade & Infrastructure Finance Conference
Global Trade Review (November 21, 2018) - Regulatory and Compliance Headwinds (and Crosswinds) for 2018
New Broad Street House, 35 New Broad Street, London EC2M 1NH (March 29, 2018) - The Equator Principles — A Refresher and an Update
Pinners Hall, 105-108 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1EN (October 26, 2017) - Trade-Based Money Laundering & Trade Finance Compliance Forum
Grange Tower Bridge Hotel, London E1 8GP, UK (September 21, 2017) - Navigating Brexit
(September 14, 2017) - Energy Geopolitics, Union and Snowballing Insecurity
Global Energy Summit 2017, Coventry University, London (July 26, 2017) - Preparing for Brexit
Pinners Hall, 105-108 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1EN (April 27, 2017) - Joining the Dots: Transport & Construction Infrastructure
Nairobi, Kenya (March 29, 2017) - Sub-Saharan Africa and the MENA Region: Navigating Through Stormy Weather
GTR Nordic Region Trade & Export Finance Conference 2016, Stockholm, Sweden (November 29, 2016) - GTR Africa Trade & Infrastructure Finance Conference 2016
London (October 5, 2016) - “Crisis, What Crisis?” – What has the industry worried and what should the industry be worried about?
Pinners Hall, 105-108 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1EN (July 21, 2016)