Frontline negotiation leadership for complex infrastructure deals

Negotiation & Conflict Resolution

Tom Teerlynck

With over 25 years of experience across infrastructure projects exceeding $50 billion in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, I operate at the intersection of complex negotiations, public-private partnerships, and high-stakes disputes in critical infrastructure.

I am typically engaged by project sponsors, investors, boards, and public authorities when negotiations must move forward, partnerships require realignment, or disputes risk escalation. I specialize in politically sensitive and high-pressure environments where judgment is as critical as technical expertise.

My background includes senior executive roles at ACWA Power, TAQA, ENGIE, and DataVolt, where I led market entry, multi-party negotiations, and strategic engagements with governments and development finance institutions.

Harvard Law School, Program on Negotiation
IMI-Qualified & IMC-Certified Mediator
Executive MBA (CEDEP/INSEAD)
Master of Laws (KU Leuven, University of Coimbra)

English, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Danish (fluent) · Russian (working knowledge) · German, Spanish (conversational)

Having witnessed in person your masterful management of very complex situations to drive outcomes, I am glad you have decided to make that know-how more widely available.
— Founding Partner, Financial Advisory Firm

I have worked on infrastructure projects across more than 30 countries

Project references in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe

Case studies

Explore detailed narratives showcasing how I have unlocked value, resolved deadlocks, and reached definitive closes on landmark infrastructure and PPP projects.

Project references

Click below to expand a region and access a broader list of my project references.

  • Egypt

    • 1 GW Renewable Energy Portfolio: Guided the implementation and funding strategy for a 500 MW wind project and a 500 MW solar project for a major Middle Eastern sponsor.

    • LNG Infrastructure Joint Venture: Orchestrated the JV formation between a European energy giant and a local partner for a large-scale liquefaction plant.

    • Digital Infrastructure & Sustainable ICT: Led due diligence and partnership negotiations for the acquisition of data centers and a sustainable infrastructure collaboration with a leading Egyptian ICT firm.

    Morocco

    • $170M Industrial Wind Portfolio (120 MW): Negotiated Morocco’s first privately owned, PPA-backed wind project, bridging the gap between industrial consumers, government authorities, and international lenders.

    • Noor Solar Complex: Provided critical stakeholder management for Africa’s largest solar site, ensuring strategic alignment between sovereign objectives and private sector mandates.

    Tunisia

    • Sovereign Market Entry: Secured a strategic foothold for a Middle Eastern energy leader by aligning corporate renewable energy targets with national infrastructure goals.

    • 300 MW Wind Program: Managed the negotiation and prequalification phase for a national wind initiative, balancing complex technical requirements with financial bankability.

  • Botswana

    • 1,200 MW Pithead Coal-to-Power: Directed the structuring and negotiation for a large-scale greenfield pithead power project, managing complex multi-party interests.

    Ethiopia

    • Sovereign Market Entry: Developed the entry strategy and established the primary institutional relationship with the Government of Ethiopia for a global energy leader.

    • 300 MW Wind Power Mandate: Led direct negotiations with government authorities to align the project with national energy priorities.

    • Scaling Solar PV: Successfully steered the bidding and negotiation for two 125 MWac solar PV projects.

    Mauritania

    • Strategic Market Entry: Formulated a comprehensive entry strategy and identified a pipeline of renewable power projects for a major Middle Eastern energy sponsor.

    Mozambique

    • 1,000 MW Gas-to-Power: Led the bid and negotiation for a significant gas-fired project under a corporate PPA structure.

    • Greenfield Gas Development: Directed the competitive bidding process for a new-build gas-fired power facility.

    Namibia

    • Utility-Scale Wind Bid: Secured the most competitive tariff for a 50 MW wind power project, optimizing the commercial and technical bid structure for the sponsor.

    South Africa

    • Market Entry Leadership: Secured the first renewable energy projects in South Africa for a Middle Eastern sponsor through high-stakes stakeholder negotiations and government engagement.

    • Solar & Storage (BESS): Led the structuring and negotiations for a 120 MWp solar project and a 150 MW solar + Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).

    • Peaking Power Assets: Directed competitive bids for over 1,000 MW of peaking power plants, aligning complex technical and financial deliverables with national grid requirements.

    West Africa

    • Regional Expansion Strategy: Developed a multi-country market entry strategy for a large Middle Eastern energy company, focusing on high-growth infrastructure opportunities across the region.

  • Azerbaijan

    • Pioneering Market Entry: Negotiated and executed the entry strategy for a global leader, securing Azerbaijan’s first utility-scale wind project and establishing the framework for the country’s renewable sector.

    • 240 MW Wind Power Mandate: Directed negotiations with the Government of Azerbaijan to secure the project’s commercial and financial close.

    Kazakhstan

    • Strategic Market Entry: Formulated the entry strategy for a major Middle Eastern energy leader to navigate the specific regulatory and commercial landscape of the Kazakh power sector.

    • Sensitive Market Exit & Divestment: Led complex negotiations for a European energy giant’s exit, managing the divestment of assets to a state-owned entity while ensuring total alignment with regulatory authorities and diverse stakeholders.

    Uzbekistan

    • $10B+ Sovereign Investment Platform: Orchestrated the market entry and multi-year growth strategy for a global sponsor, resulting in a portfolio exceeding $10 billion in conventional and renewable assets, supported by a consortium of international lenders.

    • 1,500 MW Flexible Gas-to-Power: Led direct negotiations with the Government of Uzbekistan for a large-scale, high-efficiency power project, a cornerstone of the nation’s energy transition and grid stability.

    • 2,500 MW Wind Power Portfolio: Successfully secured a massive wind pipeline through a combination of competitive tenders and direct sovereign negotiations for large-scale installations.

    • AI-Ready Sustainable Data Center: Aligned diverse stakeholders to establish Uzbekistan’s first AI-ready data center, pioneering the regulatory template for the country’s digital infrastructure.

  • India

    • Greenfield Power & Strategic JVs: Led early-stage development for a portfolio of greenfield power assets and orchestrated the formation of strategic joint ventures with leading Indian industrial partners.

    Laos

    • 130 MW Hydropower Operations: Provided critical strategic support for an operational hydropower asset, managing sensitive high-level relationships with governmental and regulatory authorities to ensure long-term stability.

    South Korea

    • Gas Distribution Divestment: Managed the complex stake-sale negotiations for a major Korean gas distribution entity, balancing shareholder interests with regulatory requirements.

    Thailand

    • Initial Public Offering (IPO): Directed the IPO process for a European energy giant’s Thai subsidiary (2,000 MW portfolio) on the Stock Exchange of Thailand—a landmark transaction requiring total alignment of financial, legal, and regulatory workstreams.

    • Operational Business Structuring: Led strategic negotiations for a mature power platform, optimizing fuel supply agreements, Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and O&M contracts while managing sovereign-level counterparty relationships.

    • Regional Strategic Joint Venture: Negotiated a high-level partnership between a European energy leader and a major Thai conglomerate to co-develop a flagship portfolio of power projects across Thailand and Laos.

  • Strategic Market Entry & Expansion

    • Market Growth Orchestration: Designed and executed market entry and multi-year growth strategies for both a European energy leader and a Middle Eastern major, securing flagship investment opportunities through high-level stakeholder engagement.

    Inter-Governmental (G2G) Negotiations

    • 7,000 MW Sovereign Energy Mandate: Represented a Middle Eastern country in direct negotiations with the Government of Türkiye, for the acquisition of a 1,400 MW asset and a development pipeline of an additional 7,000 MW.

    Gas-to-Power Development

    • 780 MW Gas-Fired Facility: Led the development and sovereign-level negotiations for a large-scale power plant, successfully navigating the requirements of international development finance institutions to secure funding.

    Asset Restructuring & Debt Resolution

    • 930 MW Debt Restructuring: Directed the complex debt restructuring for a major gas-fired power plant, leading negotiations with a consortium of international lenders and development finance institutions to stabilize the asset's financial profile.

  • Bahrain

    • 1,000 MW Greenfield IPP: Directed the bidding and negotiations for a flagship gas-fired Independent Power Project, encompassing the full lifecycle of development, international project finance, and operational framework.

    Oman

    • The Middle East’s First IPP (264 MW): Provided strategic operational support and managed complex shareholder relations for the region’s pioneering Manah Independent Power Project—a landmark that set the template for private power across the GCC.

    • Combined Cycle & Desalination Complex: Led the bid and negotiations for a 585 MW greenfield CCGT plant and associated seawater desalination facility, integrating power and water mandates into a single bankable structure.

    Saudi Arabia

    • Independent Power & Water (IWPP) Consortium: Orchestrated the consortium structuring and multi-party negotiations for a large-scale desalination and power bid, aligning global partners with Saudi market requirements.

    • Vision 2030 Sustainable Digital Infrastructure: Led strategic market-entry negotiations for AI-ready, sustainable data centers, aligning cutting-edge technology investments with the Kingdom’s national transformation goals.

    United Arab Emirates

    • 1,430 MW Power & 385,000 m³/day Desalination Hub: Managed the complex negotiations for a world-scale greenfield facility, overseeing EPC contract frameworks and securing a sophisticated international project finance package.

    • Strategic Project Expansion: Successfully negotiated the capacity extension of a major utility asset, navigating intricate regulatory landscapes and evolving partnership dynamics.

  • Bulgaria

    • 2,000 MW Nuclear Power Mandate: Represented a global energy leader in high-level negotiations with the Government of Bulgaria for a flagship nuclear power installation.

    Germany

    • 1,200 MW Power Development: Led the negotiations for a large-scale coal-to-power facility, including the complex structuring of international supply chains and EPC contracts.

    • Municipal Asset Acquisitions: Directed several strategic bids for equity stakes in German municipal utility companies (Stadtwerke), navigating local regulatory and stakeholder landscapes.

    Greece

    • Strategic Renewables M&A: Orchestrated a landmark transaction for a Middle Eastern energy major to acquire a stake in a 700 MW wind portfolio and co-develop over 2,000 MW of wind, solar, and hydro assets.

    • Thermal Asset Acquisition: Negotiated the acquisition of a controlling stake in a 150 MW operational asset and a 450 MW combined-cycle development project.

    Hungary

    • Sovereign Arbitration: Led the strategic response and arbitration proceedings against the Hungarian state concerning a major power asset.

    • Operational Legal Counsel: Provided high-level legal advisory to an operational power generation business to ensure regulatory compliance and risk mitigation.

    The Netherlands

    • 900 MW Turnkey EPC Negotiation: Negotiated a high-value, turnkey EPC contract with a global equipment manufacturer for a major gas-fired power facility.

    • 1,200 MW Greenfield Development: Directed the contract negotiations for a large-scale imported coal-to-power project.

    • Cross-Border Wind M&A: Led the due diligence and bid for a Dutch wind developer with a project pipeline spanning the UK, Netherlands, and Poland.

    Poland

    • Wind Portfolio Expansion: Directed the legal development and acquisition strategy for a series of utility-scale wind power projects.

    Romania

    • Nuclear Power Structuring: Led the negotiations and commercial structuring for a nuclear power initiative in collaboration with the Romanian government.

    • Strategic Asset Support: Provided specialized legal and operational advice to a leading power generation business.

    Russia

    • G2G Gas Commercialization: Negotiated complex gas commercialization transactions with a Russian major regarding a primary gas transportation network in Kazakhstan.

Advisor network

iACTa Advisors is centered on my personal involvement.
When required, I draw on a trusted network of senior specialists across legal, financial, technical, and environmental domains.

I work on a limited number of complex deals, negotiations and disputes that can no longer be resolved through normal channels and require decisive intervention.