he global law firm Jones Day today announced that Nick Collins has joined the Firm as a partner. Mr. Collins will join the Firm’s Projects & Infrastructure Practice and be based in the Firm’s London Office. He was previously a partner in the Project Development & Finance Group at Latham & Watkins LLP.

Mr. Collins is a project finance lawyer with more than 18 years of experience advising borrowers, sponsors, export credit agencies, banks, multilateral lending agencies, and Islamic finance institutions on complex, large-scale energy, natural resources, and telecommunications projects around the world. He has extensive experience advising on project development and finance matters in the Middle East and, in addition, has significant experience advising on Middle East corporate finance and acquisition, debt capital markets, and M&A transactions. Mr. Collins also has extensive experience working on project development and finance, corporate and acquisition finance, and M&A transactions in Africa, the Russian Federation, and eastern Europe. Over the course of his career, he has worked in London, Hong Kong, and the Middle East. More >>

The Arab Republic of Egypt announced yesterday that it successfully issued sovereign bonds in an aggregate principal amount of US$1.5 billion. This is a landmark transaction for Egypt, marking the country’s return to the international debt capital markets after a nearly five-year absence. It is the largest single tranche issuance by the Republic to date. Egypt was advised by a team from Dechert LLP consisting of Camille Abousleiman, Patrick Lyons and Jennifer Buckett. More >>

The Firm represented NXP B.V. and NXP Funding LLC in connection with a Rule 144A and Regulation S offering of $600 million of 4.125% senior notes due 2020 and $400 million of 4.625% senior notes due 2022. NXP intends to use the proceeds from the offering, together with cash on hand and/or other financing resources, to (i) finance the cash portion of the consideration payable pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement with Freescale Semiconductor Limited (“Freescale”) under which NXP will merge with Freescale (“Merger”), (ii) refinance certain of Freescale’s indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the Merger, and (iii) effect the repayment of any amounts drawn under Freescale’s revolving credit facility and/or NXP’s revolving credit facility. Alternatively, if the Merger does not close, NXP intends to use the proceeds from the offering to redeem certain of NXP’s existing indebtedness and for general corporate purposes. More >>

Shearman & Sterling advised Anglo American plc in an offering of $850 million 3.625% Senior Notes due 2020 and $650 million 4.875% Senior Notes due 2025. The notes were issued by Anglo American Capital plc and guaranteed by Anglo American plc. The issuance was carried out by way of a private placement to institutional investors only (including in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A). Settlement of the notes took place on May 14, 2015. More >>

International law firm Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) continues to expand its energy practice with the recruitment of Jayson Marks who has joined the firm’s oil and gas group as a corporate Partner, effective 6 May 2015 More >>

International law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has advised US-listed ARRIS Group, Inc. a global innovator in IP, video and broadband technology, on its £1.4 billion takeover of Pace plc, a UK-based leading technology solutions provider in the PayTV and broadband service industries.

The deal will result in a new holding company for the combined group, which will be incorporated in the UK and listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. The combined group is expected to have 2014 pro forma revenues of approximately US$8 billion and will employ more than 8,500 people globally in over 15 countries. More >>