Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) today announced that it has hired Projects specialist Andrei Baev to further strengthen the firm’s project finance offer to clients, particularly those investing into and out of the Russian and CIS region.
Previously a partner in Allen and Overy (A&O) in London, Andrei has also worked for the A&O offices in Moscow and New York. He has significant expertise in multi-jurisdictional deals, with a focus on the development and financing of major oil & gas upstream, midstream and downstream projects, independent power projects, nuclear power projects, mining, telecommunication and infrastructure projects throughout the world, in particular cross-border projects in Russia, CIS, Eastern and Central Europe, Turkey and Asia. Prior to A&O, Andrei worked at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York and Mayer, Brown & Platt in Los Angeles.
Most recently Andrei represented Gazprom in connection with the South Stream Gas Pipeline Project; Trans-Balkan Pipeline B.V. in connection with the construction and project financing of the Burgas-Alexandroupolus cross-border oil pipeline project; Atomstroyexport in connection with newly built nuclear power plants in Akkuyu, Turkey and Belene, Bulgaria; Taneko and Tatneft on the construction and financing of a large refinery and petrochemical complex in Nizhnekamsk, Tatarstan; Macquarie Renaissance Infrastructure Fund in connection with the tender for the concession of Samara airport in Russia and InterRAO UES and RusHydro on several acquisitions of energy companies.
The appointment is the latest in a number of strategic hires for BLP’s finance department, including leading structured finance expert Simon Small and banking and finance expert Paul Simcock. It will also reinforce the firm’s growing commitment to the mining and natural resources sector – reflected in the recent hires of Alexander Keepin in London and Alistair Duffield and his team in Singapore – and is a further step in the development of the firm’s business in Russia and the CIS.
Andrei will spend a significant amount of his time in the firm’s Moscow office enhancing BLP’s ability to take advantage of the developing infrastructure, energy and oil and gas market in the region and extending its exposure to major Russian corporate clients. Andrei will also work very close with the firm’s corporate, real estate, capital markets and litigation practices on Russian deals.
Matthew Kellett, the managing partner of BLP’s finance department, said: “Andrei’s hire is another major move to expand the breath and scale of expertise we are able to provide in the infrastructure and energy arena. His extensive Russian and CIS experience will help broaden our offer to clients in the Russian market. These markets are growing strongly, particularly in the sectors in which Andrei specialises and his hire will ensure we have the capacity and skills in place to meet future needs across the region.”
