Doug Bryden

Doug Bryden

Head of Risk & Operational Regulatory

Doug is Head of Environment & Operational Regulatory, specialising in UK, EU and international environment, regulatory, governance and trade law. He is also Co-Head of the firm's ESG and Impact Group.

Doug's transactional, advisory and contentious practice focuses on a range of ESG and regulatory compliance, risk and liability management issues. Be it advising on regulatory licensing, ‘long-tail’ environmental and safety liabilities through to guiding boards and investors on corporate ESG transparency, governance, trade compliance and crisis response, Doug is recognised as a leader in his field.

Sector expertise

Doug has particular expertise in the energy, petrochemical, manufacturing and consumer products sectors as well as advising asset managers and other financial market participants on developing EU and UK sustainable finance regimes.

International

Doug regularly travels abroad in support of the firm’s international activities and to strengthen our global network of leading specialist lawyers.  Doug is a member of International Environmental Law Network and regularly speaks at industry conferences in Europe and North America.

Industry recognition

Doug is ranked ‘Band 1’ in Chambers and Partners 2023, a ‘Leading Individual’ in Legal 500 2023 and a ‘Global Elite Thought Leader’ in Who’s Who Legal 2020.  Doug was also recognised as 'Band 1' and 'Lawyer of the Year' by Best Lawyer 2023 for Environment.

Work highlights

  • Micro Focus plc, the FTSE100 technology company, on its global anti-bribery, export control and sanctions compliance programme
  • Equistone LLP and numerous of other private equity managers on ABC policies and procedures
  • Major international education group on a range of ABC, AML as well as Iranian sanctions and export control issues impacting its US and UK businesses, including associated investigation and regulatory defence
  • Nomura, Carlyle, Oaktree Capital and other managers and corporates of the UK’s Modern Slavery Act and related business human rights issues
  • Aviva Investors on environment, social and governance (ESG) and related ethical investment concerns
  • Basalt Infrastructure Partners (formerly Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Partners) on regulatory and environmental aspects of their acquisition of Wightlink Ferries from Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund and the subsequent divestment
  • Genie plc on regulatory, licencing and EHS issues on its entry into the UK onshore unconventional (shale) gas market and subsequent project development support
  • Ancala Midstream Acquisitions Limited on the acquisition of Apache Beryl I Limited's interest in the Scottish Area Gas Evacuation (SAGE) system and its majority interest in Beryl pipeline
  • Ancala Infrastructure on energy regulatory, renewable incentives and EHS aspects when acquiring and expanding its significant UK solar PV portfolio
  • Vitol Group and Helios Investment Partners on their $460 million acquisition of Oando plc’s Nigeria-focused downstream oil and gas businesses, advising on operational regulatory and environmental liabilities
  • Bridgepoint on regulatory and trade risk aspects of its £835 million sale of Oasis Dental Care to BUPA
  • Numerous private equity houses on defending UK climate change (CRC) regulatory defence action
  • Major UK logistics company on defending a serious health and safety at work prosecution in the Crown Court
  • Trafigura Limited and Trafigura Beheer B.V. on their defence of the high profile environmental and personal injury claim involving c.30,000 claimants from the Ivory Coast – this long running dispute was one of the largest pieces of environmental litigation ever brought before a UK court
  • Amgen Inc. on compliance with product and chemical laws in relation to an innovative new medical device being developed and launched on the EU market
  • Major US medical device manufacturer on multi-jurisdictional product liability mandate including defence of UK proceedings
  • Nike Inc. on UK and EU chemical law, product stewardship and compliance and brand management
  • Steinhoff in its £1.4 billion takeover offer for Home Retail Group and £860 million takeover offer for Darty plc

WHAT OTHERS SAY

A 'star in his field'.
The Legal 500 2020
‘Someone a client can instinctively trust’, ‘a very good and very focused commercial lawyer, with good antennae when it comes to giving a client what they need’ and interviewees consider him to be a ‘leading light’ on ESG matters
Chambers and Partners UK 2020
Far-reaching skill set, impressive practice and recognised as ‘excellent on private equity deals’.
Who's Who Legal 2020
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