Tara Leiter

About Tara Leiter

I am a dual-qualified (US and England/Wales) international lawyer with over 20 years of experience advising on corporate governance, international transactions and operations, large project finance, maritime, logistics, upstream oil & gas, gas-to-power, physical and derivatives trading, compliance, data privacy and labor matters. I partner with senior business leaders to drive economic growth, establish market leadership, and unlock multi-million-dollar outcomes in dynamic, high-growth environments. Recognized as a driven, strategic, and visionary leader, I build and lead high-performing, cross-functional teams that inspire stakeholder confidence globally. I am known for my ability to bridge legal and commercial priorities, helping businesses achieve key objectives while managing legal risk. My approach is grounded in trust, collaboration, and a deep understanding of international business operations. High-Value Vessel/Infrastructure TransactionsStructured, negotiated and closed vessel/platform sale and leaseback transactions valued at $100M+, and infrastructure sale/purchase deals from $5M -$1B+, delivering optimal outcomes for the business.$400M Cross-Border Financing with ECA WrapDirected legal strategy and served as a core member of BW Energy’s commercial team in a complex $400M financing involving a consortium of Middle Eastern and Chinese banks, supported by an export credit agency guarantee. Asset-Backed Trading (Derivatives) Program Served as lead counsel for the design, development, and implementation of ExxonMobil’s asset-backed trading and derivatives framework. Renewable Energy Infrastructure Spearheaded drafting and negotiation of major contracts for the development and installation of Esso’s renewable energy infrastructure across Europe. Emergency & Incident Response Led legal and regulatory aspects of emergency response, including spills, piracy, and cargo recovery, safeguarding company personnel and assets while directing media and government engagement and managing investigations. Corporate Governance & ESG EnhancementRedesigned corporate governance structure contributing to a measurable improvement in ESG ratings and stakeholder confidence. Litigation & Arbitration Success Across SectorsSuccessfully resolved complex investigations and domestic and international disputes across maritime, oil & gas, power, environmental, employment, M&A, and JV/partnership matters. Published AuthorCo-authored International Law of the Shipmaster (Informa Press, 2009), a respected legal treatise in maritime law.

Experience

1. Chief Legal Officer & Company Secretary

   BW Energy

   Sep 2025 — Present

Education

• UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

  Leadership Certificate

• Samford University

  Juris Doctorate Program

• University of Malta

  LLM

• University of Malta

  Bachelor’s, Law and International Relations

• International Maritime Law Institute

  LLM

• Thunderbird School of Global Management

  Leadership Certificate