News and developments
Gecić Law and Clifford Chance Steer Telekom Srbija’s Historic $900 Million Bond Issuance – A First for the Western Balkans
Gecić Law, in collaboration with Clifford Chance, is honored to announce its role as local lead legal advisor to Telekom Srbija in the landmark issuance of its $900 million Eurobond. This historic transaction not only marks the Western Balkans’ first-ever corporate bond issuance in international markets but also represents one of the largest inaugural high-yield bond offerings in the TMT sector in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa since 2014. Additionally, it stands out as the largest single-tranche inaugural issuance from any corporate entity in Central and Eastern Europe since 2011.
Listed on the Dublin Euronext Exchange, Telekom Srbija’s bond offering was met with overwhelming global investor interest, signaling deep trust in the company’s innovative corporate strategy. This groundbreaking deal empowers Telekom Srbija to reinforce its investment capabilities and expand its infrastructure, demonstrating the solid confidence prominent international investors place in the Group’s visionary growth under its dynamic leadership.
As Telekom Srbija’s local legal advisor, Gecić Law’s Banking & Finance, Corporate, and Regulatory teams provided robust support across all aspects of this sophisticated issuance. Our legal experts ensured seamless cross-border compliance, navigated multi-jurisdictional regulatory requirements, and coordinated extensively with global financial institutions, including BNP Paribas, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, Erste Group, Raiffeisen Bank, UniCredit, and MUFG, to support Telekom Srbija’s entry into the international capital markets. Our team was also instrumental in helping Telekom Srbija achieve its first-ever credit ratings from Standard & Poor’s and Fitch, paving the way for increased corporate governance and transparency aligned with global standards.
Bogdan Gecić, Founding Partner at Gecić Law, remarked: “We are privileged to support Telekom Srbija in reaching this unprecedented milestone. The Group’s journey has been transformative, illustrating its evolution into a formidable corporate player on the international stage. This landmark issuance is not only a testament to Telekom Srbija’s progressive strategy but also a significant step forward for the entire region. We are proud to have contributed to a project of such groundbreaking scope and vision, helping set new standards for companies across the Balkans seeking to explore global capital markets.”
Miloš Petaković, Counsel at Gecić Law and lead on this transaction, added: “This project represents a historic achievement not just for Telekom Srbija but for the region’s corporate landscape as a whole. Spearheading such a pioneering effort required extraordinary collaboration, involving hundreds of stakeholders across the Group’s departments, advisors, and international partners. We are immensely grateful to Telekom Srbija’s dedicated finance, treasury, regulatory, corporate, and technology teams, whose commitment and expertise were essential to achieving this complex objective.”
The Gecić Law team, including partners Bogdan Gecić, Ognjen Colić, and Miodrag Jevtić; counsels Miloš Petaković and Nemanja Sladaković; senior associates Vuk Leković and Žarko Popović, and associates Vasilije Bošković, Nikola Ivković and Marko Jović, worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this issuance. Their legal precision and unwavering dedication were pivotal in navigating the multifaceted challenges of the transaction, reinforcing Gecić Law’s commitment to supporting the region’s most ambitious projects.
As Telekom Srbija continues its transformative growth, Gecić Law remains proud to be part of a project that not only reflects the Group’s commitment to corporate governance and innovation but also sets a powerful example for companies across Southeast Europe. This landmark deal underscores our shared dedication to fostering economic growth, global partnerships, and long-term value creation for our clients and their stakeholders.