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Portrait ofNedžida Salihović-Whalen

Nedžida Salihović-Whalen

Partner

Attorney at law in cooperation with CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz d.o.o.
Ul. Fra Anđela Zvizdovića 1
71000 Sarajevo
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Languages Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian, English
Banking & Finance

Nedžida Salihović-Whalen is Partner at CMS. She is one of the leading lawyers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She has over 20 years of experience in advising clients on dispute resolution, banking, commercial, corporate and employment matters, as well as vast experience in M&A.

Nedžida Salihović-Whalen has led the CMS Sarajevo team in major banking and finance transactions, several loan transactions and portfolio-restructuring related transactions. She has advised several major players in the financial markets including, among others, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P, a major investment fund, whom she advised on all aspects of the financing structure of a transaction in the acquisition by funds of the SBB/Telemach Group from Mid Europa Partners. She advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the European Fund for Southeast Europe on several projects regarding loans to local companies, and also advised the Hypo Alpe Adria Bank International AG.

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"Nedžida Salihović-Whalen is well regarded by market commentators for her transactional practice. She is regularly called upon to assist clients with cross-border M&A and restructuring matters, as well as complex project finance mandates."

Chambers, 2023

Memberships & Roles

  • 2011 - Member of the BiH Bar Exam Commission - examiner for commercial law
  • 2002 - Bar Association of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Awards & Rankings

  • Nedžida Salihović-Whalen has been nominated for the award Acritas Stars 2021
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Publications

  • Salihović-Whalen, “Privredno pravo - prema programu pravosudnog ispita” (Corporate & business law according to the jurisprudence/bar exam examination program), 2014
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Lectures list

  • 2014 - Sarajevo AML CFT and Sanctions Workshop - Bosnia and Herzegovina National Framework - focusing on (i) cooperation between reporting institutions and agencies; and (ii) desired/required changes to the national framework.
  • 2013 - Hypo Risk Academy - providing education for Hypo group employees for the following areas of law:
  • Land registry law
  • Consumer law and roles, as well as the responsibilities of local national banks
  • Bankruptcy and insolvency/enforcement
  • Contract law
  • 2011 - Seminars for the preparation of the bar examination for commercial law in Bosnia and Herzegovina (for the past five years)
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Education

  • 2011 - Admitted to the Ph.D. program - Law School, University in Vienna
  • 2009 - Ministry of Justice - Notary Public Diploma
  • 2002 – Bar Exam Certification, Ministry of Justice of Bosnia & Herzegovina
  • 2001 - Law School, University of Connecticut, USA, Master of Laws (LL.M)
  • 1983 - Faculty of Law, University of Sarajevo, Bachelor of Laws (LL.B)
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Corporate/M&A

Nedžida Salihović-Whalen is Partner at CMS. She is one of the leading lawyers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She has over 20 years of experience in advising clients on dispute resolution, banking, commercial, corporate and employment matters, as well as vast experience in M&A. Nedžida Salihović-Whalen has led the CMS Sarajevo team on many high-profile transactions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, including, among others, the KKR acquisition of the SBB Group/Telemach, the MEP acquisition of the Danube Foods Group, as well as the Delhaize Group acquisition of the Delta Maxi retail group.

She also regularly advises foreign clients on the nature of the commercial environment in the context of Bosnian law, whose regulatory framework she has extensive knowledge of as she was a member of several international legal working groups and took part in drafting laws with respect to legal and economic reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Nedžida Salihović-Whalen has an LLM from a US university and is currently admitted to the PhD program at the University of Vienna. She holds a notary public exam certificate, is a delegate of the Assembly of the Bar Association of FBiH and has been an examiner of the BiH Bar Exam Commission for commercial law for the past five years.

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"Nedžida Salihović-Whalen is well regarded by market commentators for her transactional practice. She is regularly called upon to assist clients with cross-border M&A and restructuring matters, as well as complex project finance mandates."

Chambers, 2023

Relevant experience

  • Legal Counsel of OSCE Provisional Election Commission, Sarajevo (1998 – 2001)
  • Secretary General of the Election Commission to BiH, Sarajevo (2001 – 2002)
  • DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach, Sarajevo office, Head of the Sarajevo Office (2002-2009)
  • CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz, Sarajevo office, Local Partner (2009-2015)
  • Since 2015: CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz, Sarajevo office, Partner
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Memberships & Roles

  • 2002 - Bar Association of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
  • 2011 - Member of the BiH Bar Exam Commission - examiner for commercial law
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Awards & Rankings

  • Nedžida Salihović-Whalen has been nominated for the award Acritas Stars 2021
more less

Publications

  • Salihović-Whalen, “Privredno pravo - prema programu pravosudnog ispita” (Corporate & business law according to the jurisprudence/bar exam examination program), 2014
more less

Lectures list

  • 2014 - Sarajevo AML CFT and Sanctions Workshop - Bosnia and Herzegovina National Framework - focusing on (i) cooperation between reporting institutions and agencies; and (ii) desired/required changes to the national framework.
  • 2013 - Hypo Risk Academy - providing education for Hypo group employees for the following areas of law:
  • Land registry law
  • Consumer law and roles, as well as the responsibilities of local national banks
  • Bankruptcy and insolvency/enforcement
  • Contract law
  • 2011 - Seminars for the preparation of the bar examination for commercial law in Bosnia and Herzegovina (for the past five years)
more less

Education

  • 2011 – Admitted to the Ph.D. program - Law School, University in Vienna
  • 2009 – Ministry of Justice - Notary Public Diploma
  • 2002 – Bar Exam Certification, Ministry of Justice of Bosnia & Herzegovina
  • 2001 – Law School, University of Connecticut, USA, Master of Laws (LL.M)
  • 1983 – Faculty of Law, University of Sarajevo, Bachelor of Laws (LL.B)
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