ANDREI BAEV JOINS BLP AS A SENIOR PARTNER

Press release
 17 January 2012

GOLTSBLAT BLP IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT ANDREI BAEV IS JOINING BLP AS A SENIOR PARTNER TO STRENGTHEN FURTHER THE FIRM’S ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES PRACTICE AND ITS RUSSIAN OFFER TO CLIENTS

This appointment is in response to the increased demand by Russian clients and those investing in Russia for high-quality finance advice, in particular in oil & gas, energy and infrastructure sectors.
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.
Andrei’s will work closely with the combined English and Russian law capabilities of the London and Moscow offices in executing major regional transactions and he will spend significant amount of his time in Goltsblat BLP, the Moscow practice of BLP, and in the London office to support the Russian/ CIS clients and others on their needs. 
Andrey Goltsblat, managing partner of Goltsblat BLP, comments: “I am sure that Andrei’s hire will further expand our international capabilities and expertise in supporting of cross-border transactions in Russia and the CIS. His extensive experience in the region will help broaden our offer to clients in the Russian market.”
Matthew Kellett, the managing partner of BLP’s finance department, said: “The Russia and CIS 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.” 

For more information:

Ksenia Soboleva
Marketing & Communication Manager, Moscow
T: +7 (495) 287 44 44
E: Ksenia.Soboleva@gblplaw.com

Deirdre Flynn
Marketing & Communications Executive, London
T: +44 (0)20 3400 3239
E: deirdre.flynn@blplaw.com

Notes to Editors:

Goltsblat BLP is the Russian practice of Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP). Goltsblat BLP was established at the beginning of 2009 as a result of a merger between one of the biggest teams of Russian lawyers and a major UK law firm, Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP). Goltsblat BLP is a unique offering on the Russian legal market, because of its widely recognised local law capabilities and strong English law-related capabilities, which are in increasing demand by the firm’s clients. The core of the firm is formed by a well-established Russian team with exceptional local law capabilities, extensive knowledge of the local markets and over 15-years’ practical experience. Today, with a team of over 90 Russian and English-qualified lawyers based in Moscow, Goltsblat BLP is one of the biggest international law firms in Russia/CIS. Goltsblat BLP clients include over 500 companies, about 70% of them being major multinationals operating on the Russian market, including 23 Fortune 500 companies. Goltsblat BLP is the winner of the Legal Business Award 2010 (Legal 500) for International Office of the Year, Chambers Europe Award for Excellence 2010 in the Client Service category for best client service among law firms in Russia, Best Law Firm in Russia - 2010 ILO Client Choice Award.  www.gblplaw.com