I am Wouter Ghijsels

Banking and Finance specialist

Projects specialist

Experience - Stibbe advised Wind aan de Stroom and Triodos on a project finance package for the development of the extension of its wind farm on the Antwerp left bank with five extra wind turbines.

Experience - Assisting a consortium composed of Belgacom, T-Systems International GmbH, Strabag AG, and Efkon AG in preparing its eventually-successful bid, in the negotiations and subsequent closing of the contract for the realization of the Electronic Toll Collection System (ETCS) PPP project in the three Belgian regions.

Experience - Assisting global private equity player The Carlyle Group in its acquisition of The Sniffers, a Belgian provider of fugitive emission monitoring and related services to the oil & gas industries. A separate finance team negotiated for Carlyle a senior secured acquisition finance loan with ING bank.

Experience - Assisting several large banks (i.e. KBC Bank, ING, Dexia and BNPP Fortis) in implementing a multimillion EUR acquisition finance package for one of the bidders for its acquisition of a broadcasting company from a German mass media company.

Experience - Advising FRX Polymers Inc. on the acquisition of a building right and drafting and negotiating an EPC-contract for the construction of its new plant on the Bayer site in Belgium.

Experience - Assisting Belgian infrastructure funds DG Infra, Inframan, DHAM and PMF (PMV) as subordinated lenders in the EUR 850 million project finance of the Northwind offshore wind power project, financed by a large group of commercial lenders, the European Investment Bank, and several export finance agencies.

Experience - Assisting the European Investment Bank (EIB) with their EUR 100 million project finance loan to finance a new hospital in Brussels.

Experience - Advising the Port of Antwerp International (PAI), the international investment arm of the Antwerp Port Authority, regarding its strategic partnership with Essar Ports Ltd. (EPL), which is India’s second largest private sector ports operator, and regarding PAI's investment into EPL.

Experience - Assisting our client in its EUR 1.1 billion refinancing to obtain additional credit for the realization of investment plans and for refinancing existing debts.The credit facility is provided by an international banking syndicate of 11 European banks.

Experience - Advising globally active US private equity group Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) on the financing as well as corporate aspects of its multibillion acquisition of Pfizer's Capsugel division, which has a strong presence in Belgium.