Baker McKenzie has expanded its Australian Banking and Finance practice with the appointment of Miles Wadley as the new Head of Project Finance in Melbourne. Wadley, formerly a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, brings extensive experience across infrastructure, energy, and complex financing transactions. His hiring follows a series of strategic additions across the firm’s financial and energy practices throughout 2025.
Wadley’s appointment builds on recent growth within the Banking and Finance group, including the arrivals of Hamish McCormack in Melbourne in July and Bryan Paisley in Sydney in February. The firm also added a new Energy partner, Sarah Birrell, in October, strengthening its national capabilities in the transition and infrastructure sectors. Further expansion this year included the addition of Tax partner Victoria Lanyon in Sydney and the internal promotion of transactional lawyer John Coleman to partner in July.
Wadley brings significant experience advising sponsors, financiers, and arrangers on major renewable, transport, social infrastructure, and privatization matters. His recent work includes the A$3.8 billion project financing for Stage One of the Marinus Link interconnector between Victoria and Tasmania, an AUD 750 million green portfolio financing for ACEN Australia’s clean energy assets, and portfolio financings for clients such as HMC Capital and Community Housing Limited. He has also advised on major PPP refinancings and acquisitions, including the AUD 11.1 billion North-East Link PPP in Victoria and tower infrastructure acquisitions for Waveconn.
His background also includes international experience in New York as well as in-house and secondment roles with AustralianSuper and Transurban, which further enhance his commercial perspective on financing structures and large-scale project development.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are excited to have Miles join our Banking & Finance team to lead the Project Finance practice working with our Projects team as we continue to expand and strengthen our Energy and Banking & Finance teams nationally, each being key focus areas for the Firm globally. Miles provides a particular focus and expertise in infrastructure and power projects. From renewable power plants, transmission assets, social and transport PPPs, infrastructure privatisations and secondary market acquisitions, Miles regularly acts for sponsors, arrangers and financiers.”
“Miles has a broad commercial background with time spent inhouse and via secondments to AustralianSuper and Transurban. He also comes with significant international experience, having worked in HSFK’s New York office.”
Anne-Marie Allgrove, National Managing Partner
