John Owczarski joined the Firm's Energy Infrastructure and Project Finance Group in 1995. He concentrates in international, multi-lender project finance and other complex corporate and financial transactions.

Mr. Owczarski has experience in project finance transactions in all parts of the world, including Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. In these transactions, he has represented governmental agencies such as the Export-Import Bank of the United States and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, multilateral institutions such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and various international banks and financing institutions.

Recent project finance experience includes:

• Representation of the Export-Import Bank of the United States in connection with the financing of the purchase of the HISPASAT Amazonas 3 Satellite by Hispasat, S.A., a Spanish company, and its subsidiary, Hispasat Canarias, S.L.U. The financing consists of a term loan facility for up to €165 million, provided by JP Morgan Chase and guaranteed by Ex-Im Bank. This transaction was selected as one of the "Best Deals of 2011" by Global Trade Review magazine;
• Representation of Overseas Private Investment Corporation in connection with the financing for the development, construction and operation of a solar power project in Gujarat, India for Azure Power (Gujarat) Private Limited, an affiliate of Sun Edison LLC;
• Representation of the lead arrangers in the approximately US$575 million financing of the Alpha Star offshore oil drilling rig, which will be owned by an affiliate of Brazilian conglomerate Queiroz Galvão (QG) and operated by QG subsidiary Queiroz Galvão Óleo e Gás;
• Representation of HSBC and BNP Paribas as lead arrangers in the approximately US$1 billion financing of the Odebrecht ODN I and ODN II offshore oil drillships;
• Representation of the lead arrangers in the financing of the Odebrecht Norbe VIII and IX offshore oil drilling vessels, to be chartered to Petrobras. This deal was named as "2009 Latin American Upstream Oil & Gas Deal of the Year" by Project Finance magazine, "2009 Americas Deal of the Year" by Project Finance International magazine, "2009 South America Shipping Debt Deal of the Year" by Jane's Transport Finance magazine and "2010 Best Project Finance Deal" by LatinFinance magazine;
• Representation of the Export-Import Bank of the United States as guarantor in connection with the proposed project financing of a solar cell manufacturing facility in Germany owned by Signet Solar GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Signet Solar LLC;
• Representation of Overseas Private Investment Corporation, European Investment Bank and PROPARCO in connection with the Disi Water Project in Jordan. This deal was selected as a "2009 Europe, Middle East and Africa Deal of the Year" by Project Finance magazine;
• Representation of the Export-Import Bank of the United States in connection with the financing and restructuring of a satellite to be owned and operated by a wholly owned subsidiary of Avanti Communications Group plc;
• Representation of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, BNP Paribas and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria in connection with the financing of the HISPASAT 1E satellite for Hispasat, S.A.. The financing included a term loan facility for up to €110 million, guaranteed by the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and a term loan facility for up to US$69 million, guaranteed by COFACE;
• Representation of the Export-Import Bank of the United States with respect to the financing of two satellites owned and operated by MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd of Malaysia;
• Representation of the Export-Import Bank of the United States with respect to the financing of the iPSTAR Satellite operated by Thaicom Public Company Limited of Thailand;
• Representation of the lead arranger for a syndicate of banks in the US$534 million financing of the Odebrecht Norbe VI offshore oil drilling platform, constructed in Abu Dhabi for operations in Brazilian waters;
• Representation of IFC and DEG in connection with several hydroelectric projects in India, including the 34 MW Bhandardara II plant in the State of Maharashtra and three greenfield mini-hydroelectric generation facilities to be located in the State of Himachal Pradesh;
• Representation of IDB in the financing of the Campos Novos 880 MW hydroelectric project located on the Canoas River, in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil (named "Latin American Power Deal of the Year 2005" by Project Finance magazine);
• Representation of IFC, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Finnfund, PROPARCO and Swedfund in a long-term debt facility made available to Celtel International B.V. for expansion and acquisition activities in cellular telecommunications in sub-Saharan Africa;
• Representation of IDB on the Termobahia Power Project in Brazil (named "2001 Latin America Private Power Deal of the Year" by Project Finance magazine);
• Representation of IFC and other lenders in several independent power project financings in Mexico;
• Representation of IFC, Barclays, Crédit Lyonnais and Société Générale in the financing of the Suez Gulf and Port Said East power projects in Egypt;
• Representation of the Export-Import Bank of the United States in connection with the Chad/Cameroon Oil Transportation System Project;
• Representation of IFC, CDC and Société Générale, among others, in the financing of the Azito power project in Côte d’Ivoire; and
• Representation of IFC in its financing of the Kladno power project in the Czech Republic.

Prior to joining White & Case LLP, Mr. Owczarski was an associate at a leading international law firm based in New York. He was involved in a variety of financing transactions with an emphasis on domestic and international leasing and equipment financing. Equipment and facilities financed through such transactions included aircraft, rolling stock, manufacturing facilities and commercial real estate.

Bars and Courts
District of Columbia Bar, 1996
New York State Bar, 1991
Massachusetts State Bar, 1988

Education
JD, Columbia Law School, 1988
BS, University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School, 1985

Languages
English

Citizenship
United States