Salans has largest number of practitioners on the ground in Kazakhstan and has been a steadfast presence in the market for 15 years. Commentators note the firm's focus on financing transactions, but its oil and gas practice is also highly-regarded, with Almaty partners Aigoul Kenjebayeva and Abai Shaikenov winning plaudits from the market for their work....
[more]
Salans has largest number of practitioners on the ground in Kazakhstan and has been a steadfast presence in the market for 15 years. Commentators note the firm's focus on financing transactions, but its oil and gas practice is also highly-regarded, with Almaty partners Aigoul Kenjebayeva and Abai Shaikenov winning plaudits from the market for their work. "Those two are very fine lawyers in their specialties; Aigoul for oil and gas and Abai for projects," says one competitor. "Salans is probably one of the leading oil and gas firms here and I'd recommend them for that."
"Salans has a big and long-time experience serving pharmaceutical companies in Kazakhstan," says a corporate client. "They have high-level qualified employees, an excellent reputation, well-thought-out management, and membership in several international organisations. All of these assist in our great relationship with them as our legal counsel."
Salans' financial and corporate capabilities are notably bolstered by its successful industry-specific groups such as tax, antitrust, litigation, real estate, and employment. An additional resource for Kazakhstan clients is the firm's second office in Atyrau which is managed by Shaikenov. This office is primarily Kazakh language-oriented for its domestic clients.
This year the team featured in numerous high-profile deals including advising BP on its sale of an interest in a foreign company to Lukoil. This interest provides the buyer with an indirect stake in the Tengiz oil field and the CPC (Caspian Pipeline Consortium) pipeline. Kenjebayeva also led a team for Max Petroleum on the financing for its petroleum operations in the country.
In the M&A market, the team is advising Lactalis Group on its acquisition of two Kazakhstan dairy companies.
[hide]