Executive partner says the six possess “keen commercial and strategic insights, industry expertise, and leadership skills”
Global firm Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has promoted six new partners in Australia as part of its annual global partner promotions.
The new partners are Neena Aynsley (corporate – energy, resources, and infrastructure) and Emma Iles (disputes – intellectual property) in Melbourne; and Daniel Ficyk (projects – energy, infrastructure, and construction), Mark Smyth (disputes), Timothy Stutt (corporate – ESG and head office advisory), and Christine Wong (disputes – commercial litigation, and corporate crime and investigations) in Sydney.
“Our annual partner promotions are an important part of our commitment to investing in talent and giving our people great opportunities to progress,” said Andrew Pike, executive partner at HSF. “I’d like to congratulate these six Australian lawyers on their elevation to the firm’s global partnership. These exceptional practitioners possess the keen commercial and strategic insights, industry expertise, and leadership skills that our clients have come to expect from Herbert Smith Freehills. I wish them success as they embark on this new stage of their careers.”
Aynsley has significant expertise in the energy, resources, and infrastructure sectors – including thermal power, renewable energy, coal/minerals, upstream/midstream oil and gas, and LNG. Her experience includes advising on large-scale projects, equity investments, joint ventures, acquisitions, divestments and commercial contracts within Australia, Asia, the UK, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Iles is an intellectual property specialist with experience in both advisory and contentious matters – including multi-jurisdictional patent disputes and international arbitrations. She specialises in pharmaceutical and biotechnology patent disputes.
Ficyk has significant experience advising market-leading developers, investors, and financiers in relation to the procurement, delivery, and operation of major energy, construction and infrastructure projects in Australia and South East Asia. His practice spans clean and renewable energy technologies, as well as oil and gas, thermal generation, and general construction and infrastructure.
Smyth is an experienced litigator who regularly advises clients on strategic contentious matters. He focuses on regulatory disputes, investigations, inquiries, and public law and has worked across the firm’s global network, including a secondment to the firm’s London office.
Stutt is the Australian lead for Herbert Smith Freehills’ ESG, sustainability, and responsible business practice and is a senior member of the firm’s head office advisory team. He specialises in corporate governance and has over a decade’s experience helping large corporations with board advice, market disclosure, risk management, market disclosure, risk management, shareholder engagement/activism, and other ESG matters
Lastly, Wong advises clients on significant regulatory, white collar crime and commercial disputes matters, including in the competition space. She is also part of the firm’s cross-practice privacy and cybersecurity offering.
