EY announces three appointments to EY-Parthenon branch

EY Oceania has revealed three appointments to its recently launched advisory branch, EY- Parthenon, to expand its private sector energy deals practice and strengthen the organisation's presence in the energy transition transactions market.

Chris McLean, Belinda Cogswell and David Fair joined EY-Parthenon between February and March 2025 and were added to the energy lead advisory team.

These appointments followed the launch of EY-Parthenon in Australia and New Zealand, which unified the EY organisation’s Strategy and Transactions service line under a single, distinctive sub-brand and now comprised 25,000 professionals across 150 countries.

EY said McLean, Cogswell and Fair brought extensive experience in energy transition M&A and capital raising advisory, and were valuable additions during the firm’s active expansion of the energy lead advisory team within the EY-Parthenon Infrastructure Advisory business.

Shannon Cotter, EY-Parthenon Asia-Pacific and Oceania leader, said the three appointments represented a significant investment by the organisation to enhance its capabilities in private sector energy transactions.

“This is an exciting time for EY-Parthenon as we sharpen our focus on private sector sustainability and energy transition deals,” she said.

“This investment reflects our commitment to supporting clients in navigating the complexities of energy transition M&A and project finance. We are thrilled to welcome Chris, Belinda and David to EY-Parthenon. Their experience and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to expand the team.”

McLean Cogswell and Fair all joined the infrastructure advisory team as partners of EY Australia based in Sydney.

McLean was noted to have had extensive experience in renewable energy, transmission and distribution infrastructure, while Cogswell had 25 years of experience in investment banking advisory and capital markets.

According to the firm, Cogswell also had a proven track record in the energy sector as she had previously led significant transactions for the NSW government and Goldman Sachs.

Furthermore, Fair was noted to have brought a wealth of experience and knowledge in M&A and project finance transactions which included greenfield and brownfield renewable energy, utilities and infrastructure projects and advised clients including corporates, infrastructure funds and renewable energy developers.

Cotter said EY-Parthenon was expanding its team’s capabilities to meet the growing demand in energy transition deals in Australia and the energy lead advisory team was driving the energy transition by supporting clients through acquisition, financing and divestment processes.

“As the demand for sustainable energy solutions continues to grow, we are dedicated to being at the forefront of this transformation, providing innovative advisory services that drive long-term value for our clients and society,” she said.

“As part of EY-Parthenon, our energy lead advisory team will be seamlessly integrated with our energy sector strategy team and our market-leading diligence practice. This provides a unique end-to-end offering for clients facing the energy transition and will ensure our clients’ strategic intent translates to real-world outcomes and stakeholder value.”