Michael Burns is a partner in our corporate practice and our global co-head of energy
Michael leads our energy and infrastructure M&A business in EMEA and has over 20 years' of experience in mergers and acquisitions, capital raises and joint ventures with a focus on the energy and infrastructure sectors.
He began his career advising energy majors on M&A transactions in the conventional energy space and, in the last 10 years, his practice has developed so that he now also advises both strategics and private capital funds and developers on M&A and capital raising in the energy transition (including biogas, hydrogen (blue and green/green ammonia), CCUS, SMRs, renewables, battery storage), circular economy, digital (towers, fibre and data centres) and transportation sub-sectors of energy and infrastructure.
Michael is recommended as a Leading Individual in Legal 500, is regularly quoted in the media, has published chapters in leading energy and infrastructure textbooks and is a member of Chapter Zero, The Directors' Climate Forum.
Examples of transactions on which Michael has advised include:
Energy, energy transition and energy infrastructure
- GIC on its strategic investment, alongside global investment firm Carlyle, in Eneus Energy to support the development of a 14GW+ pipeline of green hydrogen/green ammonia projects
- Sosteneo Infrastructure Partners on the acquisition of 99MW battery energy storage system ("BESS") at Richborough Energy Park and a 249MW BESS at Sheaf Energy Park (both in the UK)
- Antin Infrastructure Partners on the creation of the world’s first large-scale tire recycling group, supported by Michelin - a significant circular economy platform
- Brookfield on its $1.87bn acquisition of the East-West Pipeline from Reliance
- Brookfield on the acquisition of Wireless Infrastructure Group
- Brookfield on the acquisition of a portfolio of UK towers from Cellnex
- Macquarie Capital on the formation of the Navigator Terminals tank storage platform
- Northleaf Capital on its acquisition of the Douglas Terminal in Belgium
- VTTI on its acquisition of 50% of Dragon LNG in the UK
- New Energy Technology on an equity investment in electrolyser manufacturer Supercritical
- a major infrastructure fund on a bid for Aurora, the Finnish power distribution network operator
- a sovereign wealth fund on a proposed fibre investment in the UK
- IBMS, a biogas developer on its investment by Lazard Asset Management to create the platform Bio4gas
- Mitsui on its investment in Storegga Geotechnologies, the lead developer of a major Carbon Capture and Storage ("CCS") project to reduce the UK's carbon footprint in support of the country's net zero emissions targets

Powering Change 2025: A New Era for the Energy Transition (Edition 5)
Our five-year exploration of historical trends and predictions.
Learn more about our latest Powering Change reportLatest Insights
Carousel: clicking the "Previous" or "Next" button changes the content between the buttons.
-
Business Insight Our Energy Predictions for 2025
06 Jan 2025
Discover more -
Legal development Ban on Onshore Wind in England is Lifted
09 Jul 2024
Discover more -
Thought leadership Future Forces 2023: The megatrends shaping the energy industry
14 Dec 2023
Discover more -
Legal development Planning policy stranglehold for onshore wind projects in England loosens
06 Sep 2023
Discover more -
Legal development Exploring the Opportunity for Green Hydrogen Production in Africa
20 Jun 2023
Discover more -
Legal development COP27
05 Oct 2022
Discover more -
Legal development Funds Insider Issue 6
20 Jul 2022
Discover more -
Legal development The Queens speech and its proposed energy bill
18 May 2022
Discover more -
Legal development The Ukraine conflict An energy reset
12 Apr 2022
Discover more -
Legal development Oil and Gas Regulation United Kingdom 2022
21 Feb 2022
Discover more -
Legal development Oil and Gas Regulation 2022 Clean Hydrogen
21 Feb 2022
Discover more -
Legal development A change of direction for utility regulation in the UK
18 Feb 2022
Discover more
Latest news, deals and awards
Carousel: clicking the "Previous" or "Next" button changes the content between the buttons.
-
News Global businesses push forward on energy transition with refined investment criteria amid strategy-aligned selectivity
19 Mar 2025
Discover more -
News Ashurst advises VTTI on acquisition of 50% stake in Dragon LNG
14 May 2024
Discover more -
News Investor scrutiny ramps up for businesses to deliver on energy transition strategies
27 Feb 2024
Discover more -
News Ashurst advises OMV on sale of 50% stake in SapuraOMV to TotalEnergies
02 Feb 2024
Discover more -
News Ashurst advises Sosteneo on acquisition of battery storage system
07 Nov 2023
Discover more -
News Ashurst advises Mitsui on acquisition of 100% shares of STATS
07 Jul 2023
Discover more -
News Ashurst advises OMV on investment in next-generation geothermal energy technology
Global law firm Ashurst has advised OMV on its investment in Canadian privately-owned Eavor Technologies Inc..
20 Jun 2023
Discover more -
News Ashursts International Projects Group adds to energy transition team with new partner
13 Oct 2022
Discover more -
News Ashurst advises GIC on investment in Eneus Energy
05 Aug 2022
Discover more -
News Ashurst advises Tullow Oil on acquisition of interests in Ghana
24 Mar 2022
Discover more -
News Ashurst advises JX Nippon on sale of UK North Sea business
26 Nov 2021
Discover more -
News Global businesses boost clean energy investment amid race to net zero
25 Nov 2021
Discover more