Oliver Barker-Vormawor

Experience

Oliver Barker-Vormawor is a senior partner and governance advisor with extensive transactional law and policy expertise across various African countries, as well as experience in the United States and within the United Nations.

Oliver has worked on complex corporate and commercial transactions (including, secured lending, corporate and project finance, blended finance, and debt and equity financings), particularly in the infrastructure and renewable energy space, (ii) advanced knowledge of insolvency laws and regulations and restructuring options, (iii) advice to clients on structuring, innovation and policy matters and (iv) demonstrated leadership role in non-project assignments and initiatives and legal subject matters. He also provides advice and support to investment clients in debt, equity, project and corporate financings involving multiple financiers in a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure (transport, power and renewable energy and natural resources projects), manufacturing, agribusiness and services, financial institutions, funds, and blended finance;

He is Senior Partner firm Merton & Everett LLP, where leads the Firms work in Mergers & Acquisitions, Project Finance, Development Financing, Corporate Transactions and Regulatory Advising, Legislative, Policy and Government Relations Consulting.

Representative Transactions

• Frequently engaged as an expert witness in international arbitration proceedings, including recently serving as expert witness in a USD 300 million expropriation case brought against the Government of Ghana.
• Advised a Dubai/South Africa-based infrastructure investment firm on a USD 40 million cocoa factory financing in West Africa, including structuring security arrangements and advising on cross-border regulatory issues.
• Structured and negotiated a USD 35 million petroleum purchase financing transaction on behalf of a downstream oil trading company, including call-option features and secured lending arrangements.
• Acted for a regional infrastructure development group in its acquisition of a Ghanaian investment bank, including regulatory approvals and transaction structuring.
• Led the restructuring of a USD 25 million project finance facility in the renewable energy sector in West Africa, involving international DFIs and commercial banks.
• Advised on corporate governance and shareholder arrangements for a pan-African private equity fund investing in infrastructure assets.
• USD 225 million equity financing for the expansion of a major telecommunications company in Malawi, involving multiple regional and international investors and layered governance and exit structures.
• USD 5 billion long-term investment mechanism for a sovereign-backed infrastructure and telecommunications investment programme in Eswatini, structured over a 50-year horizon with layered risk participation and sovereign guarantees.
• Represented a leading development finance institution in structuring blended finance facilities for SME lending across multiple ECOWAS markets.
• Structured multi-layered escrow and fiduciary arrangements to de-risk infrastructure project financings in volatile jurisdictions.
• Acting as lead counsel in a high-profile class action and Ponzi scheme litigation representing over 120 clients against a major real estate developer in Ghana, involving claims of investor fraud and asset tracing.
• Led the drafting of over 200 pieces of legislation and policy instruments across Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone – including Acts of Parliament, Legislative Instruments, and sector-specific frameworks – covering mining (Minerals and Mining Act reforms, artisanal mining regulation), petroleum local content, health insurance, forestry, environmental protection, financial services, corporate governance, and digital economy regulation (data protection, fintech)

Education

Oliver Barker-Vormawor holds degrees from several prestigious institutions, including the University of Ghana, Mohammed V University, University of Hassan II Casablanca, and Harvard Law School.

Achievements and Recognition

1. High-Impact Transactional Work

• Practiced with – Covington & Burling LLP (Africa Practice Group), which is one of the world’s top global law firms, representing Fortune 500 companies, major governments, and international institutions. 
• Trusted advisor to Governments and Fortune 500 companies on anti-corruption, U.S. trade controls, cross-border compliance, and Africa-focused political and regulatory risks.
• Led anti-corruption due diligence on multinational mergers and acquisitions, influencing the direction of global corporate transactions before, during and after acquisition.
• Recognised as an expert on U.S. anti-corruption and trade controls laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), guiding multinational integration and risk mitigation efforts.
• Developed and enhanced global anti-corruption compliance programmes, policies and processes for large corporations with global footprints.
• Coordinated multi-disciplinary teams including outside counsel, forensic accountants, and compliance specialists to deliver integrated M&A strategies.
• Advised top-tier investors including private equity funds, hedge funds and public companies on corporate governance, capital markets, securities, fund formation and complex financings.
• Negotiated and drafted corporate/M&A contracts, term sheets, letters of intent and capital markets documentation for high-value transactions.
• Managed large corporate transactions and compliance processes across jurisdictions, with emphasis on emerging markets and high-risk regions. 

2. International Litigation and Global Arbitration Achievements (Prominent Cases & Contributions)

• Counsel and Public International Law Advisor in the landmark arbitration Ukraine v. Russian Federation concerning the annexation of Crimea (Permanent Court of Arbitration).
• Counsel in WTO litigation for Canada and Bombardier in disputes initiated by Brazil over subsidies to the Canadian aircraft industry.
• Represented Bombardier and Canada in a major trade dispute before the U.S. International Trade Commission.
• Counsel in two global labour rights arbitrations under the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety, representing global unions (IndustriALL and UNI Global Union) against multinational fashion brands (UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, Permanent Court of Arbitration).
• Advisor to parties in the Syrian Conflict during the Doha negotiations on public international law issues.
• Support to Canada in WTO proceedings concerning trade and subsidies disputes brought by Brazil.
• Law Clerk to the Vice President of the International Court of Justice. – Worked on:
  • Certain Activities carried out by Nicaragua in the Border Area (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua)
  • Maritime Delimitation in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua)
  • Application of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Ukraine v. Russian Federation)
  • Maritime Delimitation in the Indian Ocean (Somalia v. Kenya)
  • Dispute over the Status and Use of the Waters of the Silala (Chile v. Bolivia)
  • Immunities and Criminal Proceedings (Equatorial Guinea v. France)
  • Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Uganda) [Compensation Phase]
  • Jadhav Case (India v. Pakistan)

3. Cross-Cutting Corporate, Compliance and Governance Excellence

• Engagement on sovereign-level disputes (Ukraine v. Russia; WTO state-to-state litigation) reflecting recognition of your expertise by state actors.
• Trusted by global unions and multinational corporations in multi-million-dollar arbitration processes.
• Invited advisor in geopolitical peace negotiations (Syrian conflict, Doha).
• Entrusted by major Fortune 500 companies to design, evaluate and enhance anti-corruption systems across global operations.
• Recognised as an expert on Africa governance and regulatory risks, providing strategic insights that shaped investment and policy decisions.