Cyril Cotterall

I am an associate in the global Projects, Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure team. I advise sponsors and lenders on primarily the development, procurement, construction and financing of renewable energy projects – anything from offshore wind farms to hydropower to off-grid solar.

After starting my career in Australia, I was keen to gain international experience and to work in jurisdictions where I could make use of the fact that I speak French. This made A&O a natural fit for me given the breadth of the firm’s work in Africa, and I was delighted to join the global projects team in Paris in 2018.

When the opportunity to go on a six-month secondment in Casablanca arose, I immediately got in touch with the projects team, and within three months, I was on the ground in Morocco.

The mobility team arranged everything from travel to insurance and accommodation – which was conveniently, located a five-minute walk away from both the office and the beach. All I had to do was show up at the office on Monday morning (just in time for the daily delivery of mint tea and pastries at your desk!) and by midday, I was involved in a couple new deals. By Tuesday evening, I was on the road to Rabat with a client to attend negotiations with a Moroccan government agency.

The working culture in Paris, Casablanca, and generally across the A&O network is very similar. Colleagues are invariably friendly, open and incredibly professional.