Richard Wheatley

Delivering strategic and financial advisory services to clients in energy and utilities, focusing on M&A and project finance.

ENEC operates 6 GW of nuclear capacity, with a further 5 GW under development.

• Selected to lead a team of 4 management consultants in shaping ENEC’s multi-billion-dollar international growth and investment strategy.
• Spearheaded PESTLE analysis and ranked 40+ target countries on investment potential.
• Directed industry and value chain analysis, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Reactors.
• Developed actionable strategic options, capital requirements and multi-billion-dollar funding pathways.
• Created a detailed 15-year Strategic Road Map and Implementation Plan, securing alignment and CEO approval.
• ENEC operates 6 GW of nuclear capacity, with a further 5 GW under development.

Multi-billion-dollar investment company with a global investment mandate.

Reporting to the CEO and leading an investment team focused on growth private equity and Core+/Value-Add infrastructure strategies across the entire energy value chain.

• Designed and implemented Sector Investment Strategy and Business Plan that facilitated $5 billion+ investments across the energy value chain.
• Directed target screening and execution in renewable energy, LNG, waste-to-energy, district cooling, hydrogen, carbon capture, and Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure across Europe, North America, and Asia.
• Led $1bn in financings; secured $300m UKEF for 4 GW Kalyon renewables (solar and wind) roll-out.
• Drove portfolio value through active board leadership: implemented 100-day plans, growth strategy design, digitalisation, operational optimisation, refinancing, off-take extension, and re-powering.
• Shaped ESG and Investor Relations Strategy in collaboration with the CEO.
• Exited following the company’s strategic shift to healthcare and media: alternative senior role declined.
• Multi-billion-dollar investment company with a global investment mandate.

• Directed regional sector team across EMEA and SE Asia, reporting to Global Head.
• Originated and executed M&A and debt advisory mandates for clients including Shell, Chevron, Exxon, Total, Sonangol, and NNPC.
• Partnered with Boston Consulting Group to define Standard Chartered’s Energy Transition Strategy.
• Designed and led the execution of the Regional Sector Business Plan that increased client base and boosted revenues.
• Originated and executed 16 M&A and debt advisory mandates totalling $35 billion across project finance, leveraged finance, capital markets, Reserve Based Lending (RBL), Pre-Export Finance (PXF) and Receivable Payment (RPA) structures.

• Led regional energy and natural resources (oil & gas) M&A and project finance advisory team (7 professionals) across MEA and SE Asia.
• Designed and implemented regional sector strategy and business plan.
• Originated and executed $15 billion+ in transactions across the full energy value chain.
• Closed landmark deals, including: $4.8bn Noor Energy 1 Solar CSP & PV (ABN AMRO’s largest renewables deal).
• $5bn Mina Al Ahmadi LNG Terminal and $5bn Coral South FLNG (first LNG Import and FLNG deals for ABN AMRO) and the $4.7 billion state-of-the-art Duqm Oil Refinery.

GCC-owned Sovereign Wealth Fund.

• Led energy and utility investment team of 6 professionals and acted as an Investment Committee member.
• Designed and executed global Sector Investment Strategy and Business Plan, adding renewables and energy services.
• Developed a proprietary deal pipeline that facilitated $10.5 billion+ of transactions in 8 countries.
• Pivotal in the transformation of GIC from a new entrant to a leading regional energy investor, with over $2.7 billion in equity deployed.
• Built the third-largest regional power and utilities portfolio with net equity capacity of 3.7 GW+, market-leading equity IRRs, and average development fees of £20 million to £30 million per annum with investment-grade off-takers.
• Raised over $8 billion of non-recourse debt to fund greenfield infrastructure construction.
• Led negotiations of key agreements: offtake (PPAs), Joint Development (JDA), EPC, Operations & Maintenance, Long-Term Service, financing & hedging, and Sale and Purchase.
• Drove portfolio value by active portfolio management, board membership and refinancing/capital recycling, offtake extension, re-powering, growth, product optimisation and digitalisation, boosting equity IRRs by 2-7%.
• Multiple Successful Exits: Partial exits, Al Ezzel Power Co. (MOIC of 2x) and Cristal (MOIC 3.0x). Full exits, Al Manah Power and PGH (MOIC 2.6x+).
• Co-developed a large energy investment fund with a leading US investor; originated and executed transactions in TMT (mobile and optical fibre networks), Transport and Industrials.
• GCC-owned Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Leading U.S. energy-focused investment banking boutique, specialising in mergers and acquisitions advisory and top-tier U.S. oil and gas equity research.

Chairman M. Simmons was the energy advisor to US President Bush and a member of the U.S. National Petroleum Council.

• Senior Executive Officer of the DIFC business, orchestrating M&A advisory and funding in EMEA and Asia.
• Launched and built the Dubai and Asia operation, created the Regional Strategy & Business Plan, and secured the DFSA regulatory license.
• Built a robust client network and lucrative deal pipeline (buy and sell side advisory) based on deep sector expertise.
• Partnered with Chairman Matt Simmons to drive brand visibility through media, conferences and thought leadership.
• Pivotal in developing ‘Markets Day’, where our industry-leading equity analysts provided sector insights.
• Spearheaded the origination/execution of 12 oil & gas M&A transactions, including the $1.2 billion sale of Gibson Energy (oil and products distribution and logistics) to leading energy PE firm Riverstone.
• Leading U.S. energy-focused investment banking boutique, specialising in mergers and acquisitions advisory and top-tier U.S. oil and gas equity research.