The Olympic Delivery Agency (ODA) has appointed projects and infrastructure expert Celia Carlisle as head of legal.
In one of her first moves, Carlisle has chosen panel member Clifford Chance to advise on negotiations for the construction of the main stadium for the London 2012 Olympics.
Carlisle takes over from DLA Piper project finance partner Peter Rout, who acted as interim head. She had been working as a project and infrastructure law consultant for the past two years, principally advising EDF Energy on public-private partnership and PFI projects.
Carlisle has previously worked for Jarvis on the £1.8bn London Underground PPP, as UK general counsel for investment company Edison Capital, and for the Eurorail consortium on its bid for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.
She said: “I’m currently supported by a number of secondees, but the aim is to have four permanent solicitors in the team, plus support staff and access to the ODA panel.”
Carlisle has also worked in Australia for Blake Dawson Waldron and trained at Ashurst Morris Crisp.
Clifford Chance, led by construction partner Tim Steadman, will advise the ODA on its negotiations with the Team McAlpine consortium, which is handling its work in-house led by Sir Robert McAlpine head of legal Peter Brinley-Codd.
ODA’s panel includes Berwin Leighton Paisner, Clifford Chance, DLA Piper, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Pinsent Masons.
