David Bate Email & Phone Number

Dubai, Ae

Oxford, England, United Kingdom

Velocys PLC is a leader in smaller scale FT reactor and catalyst technology with 15 years and >$300 million invested in product development. It provides a uniquely economic way to make clean 'drop-in' liquid fuels from natural gas or biomass and has developed unique process ‘here and now’ technology, a combination of proprietary micro-channel reactors and highly active catalysts, which make waste and biomass-to-liquids attractive as a solution to decarbonisation of aviation and meeting net zero targets. The company has demonstrated its technology at a commercial scale, the culmination of years of development and testing, and its first commercial biofuel plants (using woody biomass) are under development in Mississippi, USA and also in Immingham UK (using MSW, in partnership with BA), focused on turning household and commercial waste into clean-burning SAF with deeply negative carbon intensity scores for air and road transport. pivotal role in overseeing all legal, regulatory, and compliance functions within Velocys PLC. My role as a member of Excom covers the provision of strategic legal advice to the Board and Executive, ensuring contractual, commercial and corporate governance excellence within the projects and BD functions and leading our compliance initiatives to uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct.

London

General Counsel responsible for managing and providing legal support to a global producing asset portfolio of 260,000 bopd and screening, negotiating and project managing new business projects of interest. SPM was a new business segment, with the objective of becoming the industry’s leading production management service provider, by combining technology, production expertise and capital to appraise and develop the oil and gas fields of SLB's clients.

London, United Kingdom

General Counsel at E.ON E&P, acquired by Premier Oil in April 2016 which resulted in London office redundancy. Global responsibility for all upstream legal affairs across 5 jurisdictions.Company secretarial responsibilities and local Board member.

Woking

Responsible for all legal and regulatory affairs at AIM listed full cycle E&P group with assets in 4 Northern European countries. Responsible for providing and co-ordinating accurate and timely legal advice to the Valiant Group on a range of legal and commercial issues relating to the Group’s corporate and operational activities. Taken over by Ithaca Energy in April 2013 and made redundant in July 2013.

Chevron International E&P/ Chevron Asia South Limited

2006-2011 Legal Manager Vietnam & China Based in Bangkok and latterly Hanoi, lead lawyer/negotiator of suite of commercial agreements: (1) in Vietnam for largest US inward investment - a Mekong delta gas to power development ($5bn CVX operated); and (2) China sour gas development project agreements with CNPC (for which received CVX Chairman's award); lead lawyer on Thai offshore construction contracts and multiple regional business development matters.Moved to Hanoi July 2010 as legal manager responsible for concluding suite of agreements for gas to power project involving intensive negotiations with Government, PetroVietnam and EVN.2004-2006 International E&P, London: Senior Counsel, Negotiations & LegalDirect responsibility for supporting upstream and midstream Eurasia business development, in North Africa (Algeria, Libya), Middle East (Kuwait, Iraq), Russia and Black Sea export, as well as providing legal support to Karachaganak project, involving complex negotiations and drafting of full range of commercial agreements.

Negotiations & LegalDirect responsibility for supporting upstream and midstream business development in North Africa (Algeria, Libya), Middle East (Kuwait, Iraq), Russia and Black Sea export, as well as providing legal support to Karachaganak project, involving complex negotiations and drafting of full range of commercial agreements.

London/Dublin

2000-2003 Legal Manager DublinResponsible for management of all legal and regulatory affairs for EO plc in Ireland reporting directly to MD, responsible $2bn operated Corrib Gas Field development:Management team member, supervising 3 staff and 3 sets of lawyers on largest Irish inward investment project. Close interface with government including lobbying in relation to new gas market law. Led discussions with national and EC competition authorities, involving 18 month notification to Brussels in relation to joint gas sales application.Negotiated Petroleum Lease, PoD and regulatory approvals and commercial agreements upstream, midstream (with planning authority/local residents, tribunals) and downstream (gas sales, terminal/pipeline interfaces and capacity/tariff arrangements, regulatory aspects of parallel pipeline project).Corporate, secretarial and asset work as largest Irish licences holder, including prevention of disruption to activities by Greenpeace/unions and investigation of corporate, competition, environmental and labour issues associated with the development of Ireland's first gas field for 25 years. Negotiated acquisition and re-organisation of Arco Ireland.1997-2000 Enterprise Oil plc, LondonOne of six lawyers with specific responsibility for the UK/Danish/Norwegian/Brazilian businesses: Detailed involvement in HQ corporate activity, portfolio management, Lasmo merger discussions; group company disposals; farm-out with Japanese company, involving innovative ideas for UKCS; disposal of North Sea assets and consortium multiple licence acquisition. Major field terminal alliance documentation, including investigation of issues surrounding linkage of processing/transportation facilities to evaluate impact of competition law, involving application to EC.Negotiated first cash acquisition in Norway, some of the first UK/Norwegian cross-border swaps and support to Danish GM for JV agreements with state.

London

One of 3 lawyers covering North and Irish Sea and E&P activities:Co-ordination of litigation arising from production activities,, including major litigation to House of Lords with Enron, (UKCS gas sales contract worth 5% of UKCS production; disputes over British Gas take or pay contracts and gas levy proceedings and successful commercial court resolution of a field equity redetermination dispute.Negotiated non core A&D and reorganisations (including $300m US Co and variety of commercial agreements (North Sea licence bidding; participation agreements for phased developments and vessel sharing indemnity arrangements.)Negotiation of gas sales/transportation and pipeline processing/production arrangements. Core team member Elgin Franklin project development, involving complex suite of gas and liquids production, and transportation arrangements.Development of relationship and extensive liaison with outside legal and other professional advisers/regulators, including DTI and Milan based management.

Pre-qualification, spent 6 months in corporate, taxation, maritime and banking/commercial depts, including 6 month secondment to Amsterdam office covering a range of syndicated revolving loan facility work, elements of Dutch law and legal opinions and UK/cross border JVs.Post qualification Corporate finance experience included:Plc and private company A&D and rights issue work (sale of racecourses, MBO Eurochem company, refinancing and asset purchase of French company by US Corp and acquisition of controlling stakes in a brokerage business and property companies involving financial assistance).Reverse take-over of property company; due diligence and offer documentation for an aborted oil company take-over.Advised on cross-border JVs (Airbus, Chrysalis), involving corporate governance/shareholders' agreements. Plc regulatory work for electricity distribution industry, advising board and shareholders.

Cpe, Solicitors Final Exam, 2Nd Class Hons (Top 10%)

Activities and Societies: rowing, running Law Society Solicitors Finals exams

Llb, Law, 2.1

Activities and Societies: Captain, LUBC Rowing Club Law LL.B

4 A Levels, 12 O Levels

Activities and Societies: rowing, football, running law prize 12 O levels, 4 A levels