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Oleksandr Kurdydyk

Partner
About

Oleksandr is a finance, projects and energy practitioner, qualified in Ukraine. He has significant experience in the energy, transport, fintech and telecommunications sectors and also draws on know-how in corporate law and banking law.  

With over 25 years of experience in advising corporate clients in Ukraine and CEE he places a particular focus on providing assistance to Ukrainian clients globally and international clients involved in Ukraine. 

His core areas of work include advising on financing, policy & regulatory, government & IFI relations, debt and equity restructuring and project development. 

Oleksandr has been involved in a number of renewable energy generation projects, including wind and solar in Ukraine. He has taken an active role in advising governments and organisations on legislative initiatives, especially regarding energy efficiency and climate change policy. 

 He is a CP3P Certified PPP professional.
Professional QualificationsAdvocate (адвокат) admitted to the Ukrainian Bar Association (Асоціація правників України)

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection of Ukraine, and by extension, the Ukrainian government Inter-Agency Commission (IAC) on conclusion of gas Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) in relation to revision and conclusion of 9 PSAs with the winners of tenders for exploration and production of natural gas on 9 deposits in various regions of Ukraine. The project included representation of the interests of the state of Ukraine in 9 PSAs before foreign and national investor.
  • Advising BMU (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety of Germany) and Deutsche Gesellschaft  für Internationale Zusammenabeit (GIZ)  on structuring and establishment of energy efficiency fund by international donors and the state of Ukraine. The mandate included drafting the law of Ukraine on the Energy Efficiency Fund, secondary legislation, statutory/internal and operational documents.
  • Advising and representation of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), an agency of the United States of America, on financing of a four-phase, 750 MW wind farm in central Ukraine (Zaporizhzhia Wind Project). The mandate included negotiating a term sheet for the financing, the DFC finance agreement, onshore security and project documents. This is by far the largest renewable power project in Ukraine country and one of the largest in CEE region. 
  • Advising a major Ukrainian investment fund, on setting up the first Ukrainian Gas Stock Exchange. Advice included drafting all necessary template documents to be further used by traders and brokers, including trading rules, rules for mutual payments, clearing procedures between the market participants.
  • Representation and advice to the international oil and gas company in relation to a USD734m secured syndicated facility to finance the acquisition of one of the largest Ukrainian mobile operators, with a contemplated USD464m bond takeout.
  • Representing the largest national mobile operator on incorporation of a non-banking financial institution, advices included regulatory and licensing issues, e-money payments regime, status of the distribution agents and payment systems operators, AML/KYC and other monitoring regulations.
  • Representing one of the largest Ukrainian industrial groups in restructuring of its USD2bn debt before more than 15 international and local banks/financial institutions. Coordination of the multijurisdictional advice and transaction closure.
  • Representing an international financial institution in provision of a USD45m loan to a Ukrainian arm of the worldwide developer in relation of electricity power projects.
  • Representing largest global ports operator in negotiations on concession/lease arrangements related to the container terminal in the port of Chernomorsk. Advising on set up of the local presence.
  • Representing a Ukrainian oil and gas company in USD50m issue and private placement of unsecured pre-IPO mandatorily convertible notes.
  • Advising a leading international nuclear energy technology company on  participation in a tender for selecting a private partner to implement the PPP project “Ukraine-EU Energy Bridge” organised by the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine.
  • Advising an Italian natural gas infrastructure company on the legal framework related to the transportation, storage and regasification of natural gas in Ukraine.
  • Advising an Austrian Banking Group on the set-up and regulatory requirements for a data centre supporting their fintech activities in EMEA, including NBU requirements in relation to banking secrecy protection. 
Education
  • Harvard Business School, Boston, Executive Education Program - Leadership Course, 2010
  • Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Master of Laws, 1996
Languages
  • Ukrainian
  • Russian
  • English
  • Spanish

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

  • Ranked as a Leading Individual in Banking, Finance and Capital Markets, Ukraine,  Legal 500 EMEA, 2023
  • From 2013 to 2022 recommended as a Leading Lawyer in Banking & Finance, Project Development, Capital Markets, M&A and Project Finance in Ukraine by IFLR 1000
  • Recommended as a Leading Lawyer in Banking and Finance Law, Capital Markets Law, Infrastructure, Project Finance, Project Finance and Development Practice in Ukraine, Best Lawyers (2015-2021)
  • Ranked among the TOP 5 lawyers in Ukraine in sectors of Restructuring, Insurance, Transport and Infrastructure by Ukrainian Law Firms. A Handbook for Foreign Clients (2011-2020)
  • Recommended for Project Finance by The International Who’s Who (2011-2019)

Publications and media

  • “The Post-Victory Reconstruction”, author of the article in CEE Legal magazine, Issue 9.6, July 2022
  • “Changing the Fortunes”, author of the article in Ukrainian Journal of Business Law, September 2021

Prior Experience

  • Head of Finance, Energy and Projects in Ukraine; Firmwide Head of Infrastructure and Projects; Firmwide Co-head of Energy Practice at an international law firm, July 2021 – June 2023
  • Head of FPR practice of DLA Piper in Ukraine, January 2007 – June 2021
  • Senior Associate at DLA Piper in Ukraine, June 2005 – January 2007
  • Working in the tax and legal department of an international accounting and consultancy firm, April 2002 – June 2005

Additional Qualifications

PPP Professional – CP3P certification, 2021 

Memberships and Affiliations

Attorney at law admitted to Ukrainian Bar 

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