Ian Conlon

OVERVIEW

Ian is a partner of Maples and Calder's Funds & Investment Management team in the Maples Group's Dublin office. 

He has extensive experience in the establishment, operation and regulation of both UCITS and AIFMD funds, with particular focus on alternatives, including hedge funds, investment limited partnership vehicles (ILPs), private equity and private debt, credit funds, loan origination and real asset structures. Ian has significant expertise in the ICAV space, having advised on the first ICAV authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland and numerous innovative ICAV structures, redomiciliations and conversions to date.

Ian is a member of the Maples ESG Advisory Group and is recognised as a leading lawyer in the ESG and sustainable finance space. He regularly advises global asset managers looking to establish sustainability focused investment funds in compliance with the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation ("SFDR") and the Taxonomy Regulation.

Ian also advises asset managers looking to establish Irish authorised AIFMs, UCITS and MiFID management companies.

BACKGROUND

Ian joined the Maples Group in 2010 from a large Irish corporate law firm having also previously worked in the prime brokerage division of UBS AG.

Ian is widely recognised as a leading lawyer in Irish financial services and is recommended by Chambers Global, ILFR and Legal 500. Clients describe Ian as "exceptional, he has incredible knowledge of the ESG and sustainable investment space ", that he is "very knowledgeable on the technical facts and commercially very experienced ", "skilled with good knowledge of the regulatory framework " and "commercial, practical and thorough understanding of our firm's business."

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Ian is an active industry participant. He is the former chair of both the Irish Funds' ELTIF and AIFMD II Review working group. He is also a current member of the Irish Funds' Events working group. 

Ian consistently contributes to international fund publications and journals. In 2022, Ian collaborated with AIMA in co-authoring (with Niamh O'Shea) their Guide on SFDR Level 2. He is also a regular speaker at various industry conferences and webinars on ESG and sustainable finance, as well as the broader Irish and European regulatory space.