Derek McCulloch

Derek has over 20 years of experience advising and counselling global and domestic businesses on their major corporate, land and energy projects on a UK and international level.

Derek has project managed the delivery of legal services on several infrastructure and renewable energy projects both onshore and offshore, each valued in the hundreds of millions. Recently, he has led and advised on several significant M&A deals and strategic energy portfolio investments including the sale of Rio Tinto’s UK Smelter and power operations. He has a track record in advising on natural resource regulation, low carbonisation projects, university commercialisation, and complex joint venture and consortium deals.

He is a non-executive board member and trustee for a number of organisations and up to March 2020, held the position of Honorary Consul of the Republic of Korea in Scotland.

Derek co-ordinates international cross border projects and trade and is Chair of the global legal network, Lexwork International in Europe and Asia.

Clients comment that he provides a real understanding of all sides of every issue, as well as possessing great business acumen and an innate appreciation of project risk.

Sector experience includes:

• UK external legal advice lead on M&A sale of Rio Tinto UK Smelter & Power operations in Scotland and England (£330m)
• Co-ordinating external legal advice on c.450MW Viking Energy Wind Farm project on Shetland
• Co-ordinating Scottish legal advice on acquisition of 49% share of 24 wind farms with global capacity of 550MW in deal worth c.£700m.
• Scottish adviser on off shoring and on shoring ownership of strategic land assets
• Project lead for land corridor legal issues to link 1.5GW offshore wind farm
• Legal advice lead on sale of key Scottish assets for global food ingredients business
• Formula One and European Athletics Sponsorship contracts
• Regulatory advice on private legislation for large hydro schemes and Electricity Regime
• Adviser on major energy plant and steel components cross border supply (£50m)
• UK advisor and co-ordinator of Indian legal advice on a social project as part of India’s 100million toilets project to offer privacy and promote feminine hygiene

Derek is a Writer to the Signet and is the Chair of Lexwork International (Europe & Asia region).