Capital Markets

Despite the drop in volumes of placements coming out of Ukraine, Sayenko Kharenko was visible on several sizable capital markets offerings for a total amount close to USD 7 billion. In 2014 the firm advised investment banks on complex cross-border transactions involving the State of Ukraine, including a USD 1 billion Eurobond issue by the State of Ukraine under USAID guarantees. The firm acted as a Ukrainian legal counsel on the record capital increase of Raiffeisen Bank International amounting to EUR 2.78 billion. Some examples of restructuring work include successful consent solicitation of outstanding USD 252.5 million LPNs of the First Ukrainian International Bank; USD 88.3 million Eurobond restructuring of VAB Bank. The team is led by the top-ranked partners Michael Kharenko and Nazar Chernyavsky. Counsel Anton Korobeynikov, senior associates Yuriy Draganchuk, Igor Lozenko, and Olexander Olshansky are the firm’s key practitioners.

Baker & McKenzie is known for being involved in the mostinternational capital markets transactions. The team, in cooperation with other offices, acted as legal counsel to Metinvest B.V. in connection with an update of its USD 1.5 billion Guaranteed MTN Programme, issuance of USD 289.7 10.5% guaranteed amortizing notes due 2017 under the Programme and exchange offer in respect of its outstanding USD 500 million 10.25% guaranteed notes due 2015. Baker & McKenzie worked as legal counsel to Agroton Public Limited in connection with solicitation of consents of holders of its USD 50 million 12.5% guaranteed notes due 2019 listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange. A number of projects are on hold due to market conditions. The team is led by three partners, namely Serhiy Chorny, Viacheslav Yakymchuk, Oksana Simonova.

Avellum Partners is an experienced domestic law firm focused on debt capital markets for late. It advised Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch and ING Bank N.V., London Branch as dealer managers in connection with the exchange offer of Metinvest B.V. for its USD 500 million 10.25% guaranteed notes due 2015, coupled with the new issue of guaranteed notes due 2017 under its USD 1.5 billion Guaranteed MTN Programme and a 25% cash consideration. The team advised VTB Capital as a lead manager and lender on the new issue of Bank Finance and Credit of USD 100 million 9.25% loan participation notes due 2019, coupled with an exchange offer and related consent solicitation for the outstanding USD 95 million 10.5% loan participation notes due 2014. The firm represented First Ukrainian International Bank in the course of solicitation of consents from the holders of its outstanding USD 252.5 million LPNs due 2014 issued by Standard Bank Plc. Two partners Mykola Stetsenko (equity) and Glib Bondar (debt) are in charge of the practice.

For the last couple of years Lavrynovych & Partners was especially active in supporting sovereign Eurobonds issues. Thus, the finance team advised the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine on the USD 3 billion Eurobond issue by the state of Ukraine; USD 1 billion guaranteed notes due 2019, guaranteed by the United States of America, acting by and through theUSAID. The practice is led by executive partner Iryna Marushko and partner Olena Zubchenko.

The well-known capital markets practice team of Asters receives strong market feedback. The firm acts on equity and debt capital markets work and is attracted as a legal counsel for anticipated transactions. Among others, Asters is instructed by UniCredit Bank Austria AG, Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Limited, Dragon Capital. The team is led by partner Armen Khachaturyan, who is also known as a respected banking and finance lawyer.Another important figure within the practice, Oleksiy Demyanenko, was promoted to counsel.

Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners Ukraine regularly advises lenders, borrowers, arrangers, facility agents, guarantors and obligors. The team acted as Ukrainian legal counsel to Monier Group, the world’s leading provider of building materials for pitched roofs as well as of innovative roof, chimney and ventilation systems, in connection with comprehensive debt restructuring, restatement and amendment of transaction documentation relating to the group’s global debt amounting to over USD 1.7 billion Eurobonds. Partner Roman Stepanenko leads the banking and finance, capital markets team.

The team of DLA Piper Ukraine, as headed by partner Oleksandr Kurdydyk, has experience of debt and equity transactions. The latest highlight is representing Bank Finance and Credit on its new issue of loan participation notes due 2019, admitted to trading on the Irish Stock Exchange, coupled with the exchange offer and the related consent solicitation for outstanding USD 95 million LPNs due 2014.

Clifford Chance is a well-known market player for banking and finance and capital markets work. It commands a remarkable banking portfolio that includes UBS, VTB Capital, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, International, Macquarie Bank Limited. The office benefits from the international capacities of the firm to handle cross-border transactions. Jared Grubb and Olexiy Soshenko are the main figures.