Withers Worldwide

Overview

Denis is Head of International Finance and Projects Practice at Withers. He has a broad range of experience in finance and corporate transactions including structured finance, project financings, securitizations and derivatives, acquisitions and disposals, acquisition financings and insolvencies and restructurings.

His projects and finance experience includes representing lenders, developers and investors in transactions in the energy, telecommunications, ports, oil and gas, transportation, steel, hotel and other sectors in Europe (with particular emphasis on Eastern Europe), the Commonwealth of Independent States, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Denis is listed in Euromoney's Guide to the World's Leading Project Financing Lawyers, Project Finance Legal Advisers Review and Legal Business' Legal Expert Report (for project finance and energy and resources).

Highlights

• Acting for the International Finance Corporation and other multilaterals on numerous financings in the CIS, the Balkans and other emerging markets.
• Acting for The Royal Bank of Scotland on a project financing in the Polish oil and gas sector.
• Counsel to AES, El Paso, Aquila and Rockland Capital on various financings, disposals and acquisitions of interests in power projects in the UK and other countries.
• Counsel to Industrial Promotion Service (Kenya) Limited, a subsidiary of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development on a US$70 million loan from EAIF and FMO to fund its investment in the Seacom project, a US$650 million development of a 15,000 km broadband sub-sea cable along the east coast of Africa.
• Counsel to Astelit, a Ukrainian telecommunications company, controlled by Turkish GSM operator Turkcell, on a US$540 million financing-the then largest private financing in Ukraine-to expand its mobile network.
• Counsel to EBRD in connection with a loan to a Serbian telecoms company to be made alongside syndicates comprising existing senior and mezzanine lenders.
• Counsel to IFC on its US$170 million loan to France Telecom Dominicana to fund the establishment and operation of various wireless telecommunications services, including a GSM-1900 cellular network in the Dominican Republic.
• Counsel to IFC on its US$30 million financing to Lasmo Oil plc to fund the operation of the Bhit oil field in Pakistan.
• Acted for ANZ Bank as syndicate agent on project finance of loan of $155 million to Habibullah Coastal Power (Private) Company in Quetta, Pakistan to construct a 140 megawatt power station.

Publications and speaking engagements

Denis is a visiting professor at Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, LL.M. program.