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Ihor Olekhov

Partner
Head of Banking & Finance Practice, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang

Portrait ofIhor Olekhov

Ihor Olekhov

Partner
Head of Banking & Finance Practice, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang

Contact
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang
6th Floor,
38 Volodymyrska Street,
01054 Kyiv
Ukraine
Languages Ukrainian, English, Russian, Polish, German, French

Ihor Olekhov is a Partner and the Head of Banking & Finance Practice in Kyiv office of CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang.  Ihor specialises in a broad range of finance, banking and investment projects and transactions, as well as corporate governance, corporate reorganisations and financial regulation of banks, investment companies and asset managers, insurance and other financial companies, as well as capital markets deals. Recognised as a leading banking & finance specialist in Ukraine, Ihor has a particular focus on complex international finance transactions, including acquisition finance, asset finance and project finance in the energy, infrastructure and natural resources sectors, M&A in the banking, insurance and financial services sectors, debt restructuring and insolvency, tax aspects of financial transactions and corporate reorganisations, asset management, and aircraft finance. 

Ihor Olekhov is a regular member of working groups appointed to develop new legislation in Ukraine, including such as the Code of Corporate Governance and has actively contributed to the development of milestone legislative acts of Ukraine, such as the Law of Ukraine on Foreign Currency, the new JSC Law and many banking laws and regulations. Ihor Olekhov is one of the co-authors of the Law of Ukraine On Financial Restructuring and the draft Law of Ukraine on Asset Resolution Companies.  Ihor has also contributed to development of ESG and sustainable lending rules for international lenders and investors in CEE.

As part of his asset finance expertise, Ihor has advised many leading leasing companies and international banks on various aspects of aircraft leasing operations in Ukraine, structuring leasing transactions for aircraft and engines, and for leasing of industrial equipment and infrastructure, both in Ukraine and internationally.  Recently Ihor has helped aircraft lessors to arrange arrests and repossessions of aircraft and equipment.

Ihor is the Co-Chairman of the Banking and Financial Services Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce. He is a recommended lawyer by the Chambers Europe, Legal 500 and Best Lawyers for his extensive expertise in various finance transactions, banking regulatory mandates and banking M&A transactions. Clients highlight his "outstanding technical skills and excellent relationships with clients."

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"Ihor Olekhov has good expertise in the banking industry in Ukraine."

The Legal 500, 2020

"Ihor Olekhov has good expertise in the banking industry in Ukraine."

The Legal 500, 2020

Relevant experience

  • European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on its USD $75m investment in the USD $825 million sustainability-linked bond (SLB) issued by Ukraine’s national power company, Ukrenergo
  • Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM), an export credit bank from South Korea, on extending its secured USD $36 million financing to Grain Terminal Holdings in Ukraine
  • A syndicate of banks led by ING Bank N.V. in relation to the postponement of loan payments under the USD 450m pre-export facility for Ukraine’s Kernel Group
  • PrimoCollect Group on successfully securing approval from the National Bank of Ukraine for the acquisition of a substantial shareholding in Tiger Finance, a leading non-banking financial company in Ukraine
  • Acted as the legal partner to NEXT-UA, a joint project launched by the Ukrainian government, USAID, EBRD and the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine. CMS worked with a consortium of high-profile technical and financial advisors, including Cirway Consulting, Afi, Araliya, Barva Invest and D3 Consulting
  • European Investment Bank (EIB) in relation to a €50 million loan to Ukraine’s first vertically integrated innovation park UNIT.City
  • European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on a loan of approximately USD 13.9 million to Irshanska SES LLC
  • Vienna Insurance Group on the landmark merger of two Ukrainian insurance companies: Ukrainian Insurance Group and Globus
  • AerCap on the leasing, de-registration and repossession of aircraft
  • A major producer of wind turbines in respect of debt restructuring for the supplied wind turbines generators to Ukraine
  • Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego and KUKE S.A. on:
    • export credit financing granted by BGK and insured by KUKE regarding the development of the Nikolsky shopping mall in Kharkiv
    • EUR 41.1m construction financing of a shopping mall and office centre in Kyiv granted by BGK and insured by KUKE
  • A syndicate of banks (including Black Sea Trade and Development Bank) led by ING and UniCredit as mandated lead arrangers on the extension and increase to up to USD 400m of a pre-export credit facility to Ukraine’s Kernel Group
  • Bank of Cyprus on various post-completion Ukrainian law matters following the sale of the Ukrainian subsidiary of Bank of Cyprus and associated debt to Alfa Group in 2014
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Memberships & Roles

  • Member of the Ukrainian Bar Association, Ukrainian
  • Co-Chair of the AmCham Ukraine Banking & Financial Servicess Committee
  • International Law Association and the National Council for Civil Liberties “Liberty”, a major human rights organization of the United Kingdom
  • Member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society Ukraine
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Publications

2023

2022

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Education

  • 2011 – UK: GDL, College of Law, London
  • 2002 – LL.M. degree with distinction, University of Edinburgh:
  • 2002 – Hansard Scholar at the London School of Economics and Political Science
  • 2001 – Legal Researcher, Institute of State and Law of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences
  • 1999 – Diploma in International Law, Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University
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Expertise

05/06/2019
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang in Ukraine is pleased to announce the...
Ihor has significant experience advising clients on a broad range of finance, banking and investment projects and transactions, as well as corporate governance, corporate reorganisations and financial...
News

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13/03/2024
Crypto Tax Legislation & Law in Ukraine
1. Is there a specific legislation issued for the taxation of crypto-assets or do general national tax law principles apply because the tax legislator has not regulated this so far? No tax rules specifically...
Expert Guide
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04/03/2024
Popular investment vehicles in Ukraine
Updated on December 2023 Investment vehicle Venture investment corporate fund in Ukraine Venture investment mutual fund in Ukraine 1. Form Venture investment corporate fund in Ukraine  Legal personality...
Expert Guide
Comparable
06/12/2023
CMS advised ING-led syndicate on restructuring repayment terms for Kernel...
International law firm CMS has advised a syndicate of banks led by ING Bank N.V. on an adjustment to the loan repayment terms under the USD 450m pre-export facility for Ukraine’s Kernel Group. The adjusted...
News
11/10/2023
Taxation of charity donations to EU public benefit organisations
The ongoing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought to the forefront the critical role that various charity organisations play in Europe in providing essential support and relief to those in need...
Law-Now Tax
11/09/2023
The Parliament of Ukraine introduces regulations on provision of Digital...
On 30 August 2023 the President of Ukraine has signed the Law of Ukraine “On Digital Content and Digital Services” as adopted by the Parliament of Ukraine has adopted on 10 August 2023 (“Law”)...
Law-Now TMC - Technology, Media & Communications
29/08/2023
Pre-Pack Proceeding in Ukraine
Currently, Ukrainian legislation does not provide for a separate “pre-pack proceeding” as outlined in the draft EU directive for harmonising insolvency law (“Directive Proposal”). However, selling...
Law-Now Restructuring, Business Transformation & Insolvency
19/06/2023
Ukrainian National Bank allows cross-border repayment of credits backed...
In a major milestone in the liberalisation of the currency control regime in Ukraine, on 16 June 2023 the National Bank of Ukraine eased its restrictions, granting resident borrowers the ability to repay...
Law-Now Tax
19/05/2023
Insurance law and regulation in Ukraine
1. Introduction An insurer has three main options for starting its full scope insurance operations in Ukraine. Those options would be: (i) to establish a ‘greenfield’ company; (ii) to acquire an existing...
Expert Guide Insurance
15/03/2023
Rebuilding Ukraine
Ukraine’s National Recovery Plan envisions USD 750bn accumulated investment, and foreign governments and international financial institutions have pledged USD 1trn in support. Importantly, international support is targeting more than just rebuilding the destruction caused by the war; it is targeting Ukraine’s future economic recovery and growth. The private sector will play a vital role, and the government is rapidly implementing in­vestor-friendly reforms to enable the necessary scale of private investment, including EU mar­ket-in­teg­ra­tion agreements as it fast-tracks to EU candidacy. Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery represents an unprecedented opportunity, both for Ukraine and for Europe. With lawyers qualified in Ukrainian and UK law operating in Kyiv since 2007, CMS can advise on:Business re­lo­ca­tion­Cloud-based op­er­a­tionsDoc­u­ment­ing and enforcing war dam­ageIn­sur­an­ceR­isk assessment and contingency planningMartial law and legal re­formsFin­an­cing, investing, and rebuilding and recovery opportunities. Get involved nowOur aim is to help companies participate meaningfully in the opportunities being created for Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery. We offer specific services that can help your company. We have developed a short overview of Rebuilding Ukraine opportunities and latest updates, which is available for downloading. However, if  you would like to receive more information about “Rebuilding Ukraine” opportunities fill in the form below and we would reach out to you. 
Publication
28/12/2022
Ukraine amends electronic trust services regulation
On 1 December 2022, the Parliament of Ukraine adopted the Law of Ukraine “On Amending Certain Legislative Acts on Ensuring the Conclusion of an Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union on Mutual...
Law-Now Banking & Finance
08/09/2022
New Reality During Wartime: Import of Medical Products to Ukraine and Necessary...
The business community in Ukraine continues to adapt to the reality of wartime, which brings new risks and, at the same time, new opportunities. The pharmaceutical sector and the sector of medical products...
Event Webinar
23/08/2022
Restructuring and insolvency law in Ukraine
1. What is the primary legislation governing insolvency and restructuring proceedings in your jurisdiction? The primary legislative acts governing insolvency and restructuring proceedings in Ukraine...
Expert Guide Banking & Finance
Comparable
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