Two new partners for energy projects team Stek

The market for both traditional and renewable energy transactions and projects is developing rapidly. Stek has strengthened their position in that market, introducing Claudia Beele and Coen Thomas as partners. With their appointments, Stek’s energy projects team has now grown to seven partners. The team’s expertise includes a wide range of sector-specific legal expertise, including industry regulations and public law (Jan Erik Janssen and Veii Jacobs), financing and project financing (Sharon Kaufmann and Herman Wamelink), and M&A, joint ventures, and commercial contracts (Claudia Beele, Coen Thomas, Reijnoud Homveld, and Jeroen Timmermans).

Claudia has more than fifteen years of experience in the energy market and has spent the last ten years of her career at Stek. During that time, she has advised on a long list of transactions, projects, and commercial contracts, including onshore and offshore wind projects, solar projects, and geothermal and heat projects. Claudia also represents Dutch and international clients in project financing and heads Stek’s German desk. In the Legal 500 of 2020, she was praised as “sharp and pragmatic” and a “great communicator”.

Coen’s practice area covers development and structuring of capital-intensive projects. He has advised on a range of projects since 1998, including onshore and offshore wind projects, solar parks, data centers, gas storages, pipeline infrastructure, industrial and chemical installations, and power plants. Coen has also helped develop service models that will play an increasingly important role in the circular economy. According to the Legal 500, “Coen Thomas is ‘extremely helpful, always available, fast, and produces work of the highest quality’.”

Claudia and Coen have both gained much of their knowledge and experience in-house. Claudia worked as company secretary and legal counsel for a wind turbine manufacturer. Coen spent more than five years at Shell, heading a legal team that enabled major projects from Europe to Oceania.

Jan Erik Janssen: “The appointment of Claudia and Coen underlines our multidisciplinary energy team’s success. With Claudia and Coen as partners, we look forward to working with our clients to contribute to the energy transition.”

Herman Wamelink: “Claudia and Coen are real team players who aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and work side-by-side with their clients. In projects, it often comes down to the right alignment between project and financing documents, and their ability to achieve that is second to none.”