Dentons

Abai is a Managing Partner at Dentons Kazakhstan. Abai has been actively advising clients in Kazakhstan and across the CIS for more than 20 years. He focuses on M&A and general corporate transactions including cross-border acquisitions and disposals, privatizations, as well as corporate finance transactions. His experience includes advising on the most complex and unique finance and M&A transactions in Kazakhstan such as the financial restructuring of bank RBK as well as sale of the entire capital of JSC SB “RBS (Kazakhstan)” to Mr Igor Kim. Abai leads Dentons’ Banking and Finance practice in Kazakhstan. He has been the preferred legal counsel to the leading financial institutions and private investment firms in Kazakhstan for many years, including Citibank, Bank of China, ICBC, EBRD, IFC, Verny Capital and ADM Capital. Abai is a regular speaker at conferences and is a contributing author to many local and international legal and business publications.

Aigoul Kenjebayeva is the Partner for Kazakhstan at Dentons. She has led the practice in Kazakhstan ever since, and also served as Central Asia Managing Partner from 1994 until 2022. Her particular areas of specialization, acquired from over 30 years as a practicing lawyer in Kazakhstan and 11 years as a researcher in the economics of law, include corporate/M&A, energy/natural resources, PPP/infrastructure projects, IP, competition law, and dispute resolution. She is widely considered a top choice for dispute resolution in Kazakhstan. Since 2017, Aigoul serves as the first Kazakhstan lawyer appointed as a member of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce. Aigoul currently serves for the fourth year as a member of the International Council under the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan. She is also a member of the arbitration panel of the International Arbitration Center at the Astana International Financial Center, a member of the Users’ Committee of the AIFC Court, a member of the Kazakhstan Bar Association Board, a member of the Kazakhstan Petroleum Lawyers Association Board and the Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Norway in Almaty. In 2019, Aigoul was awarded with the Certificate of Honor of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for merit in public and social activities. In 2020, Aigoul received a prestigious award from the Republic of Kazakhstan Supreme Court “For the Contribution to the Development of International Cooperation”.

Senior Associate, Almaty

Counsel at Dentons's Almaty office. Artur has over 16 years of practical experience in advising clients on a wide variety of legal issues in Kazakhstan. He has extensive experience in representing various categories of cases in several practice areas, including commercial, corporate, construction, real estate, land use, environmental and anti-monopoly disputes. Since 2004, Artur has prepared and published more than 15 scientific articles in legal journals on various criminal procedural issues, as well as several chapters in a book on criminal proceedings.

Birzhan’s expertise includes infrastructure, including renewable energy, construction and real estate, PPP, corporate and commercial matters. He has acted as a lead lawyer on several major infrastructure and development projects and frequently represents clients in high-level negotiations with Kazakhstan's government. Birzhan has advised multilateral institutions, investors, passenger and freight train companies, contractors and developers on infrastructure developments, commercial contracts, concession bids and operations, and regulatory and legislative issues. He also advises manufacturers and other suppliers on the Kazakhstan procurement process and regulations. He also provided advice on a number of draft laws and acted as a leading co-drafter of Kazakhstan’s legislation on Islamic banking and finance. He has advised Aldar Properties PJSC on all legal matters of Abu Dhabi Plaza, a landmark multifunctional development project in Astana. His latest expertise includes advising the organizer of an international exhibition in Astana, a major upcoming event for Kazakhstan, on the real estate, construction, regulatory and other matters associated with hosting the event. Birzhan advised the EBRD in relation to the model power purchase agreement to be used by Kazakhstan regulators, as well as draft amendments to laws and subordinate regulations on renewable energy matters.  He has also acted as a lead lawyer on several pioneer renewable energy projects and frequently represents clients in high-level negotiations with Kazakhstan’s government.

Partner

tax adviser

Gani Ashimkhan is a Partner in Dentons’ Almaty office. He focuses on foreign investment issues, cross-border M&A, and general corporate transactions. His excellent background includes legislative drafting in the areas of both public and private law, advising private equity, banking and other corporate and private clients on various M&A deals and joint-venture agreements, advising corporate clients on commercial leases.

Nazym Bekturova is a senior associate at Dentons’ Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice team in Kazakhstan. Dispute resolution Posco Daewoo Corporation: Successfully representing before court with respect to a claim in the amount of US$4 million that was awarded in full. Posco Daewoo Corporation: Successfully representing in four ICC arbitration proceedings with respect to debt recovery from various Kazakhstan debtors; total amount of US$6.6 million recovered. Posco Daewoo Corporation: Representing in local courts with respect to the recognition and enforcement of Arbitral Awards issued in the above ICC arbitrations. EBRD: Representing in the terminated bankruptcy and ongoing rehabilitation proceedings of Kazakhstan Kagazy JSC. Confidential client (major Islamic bank): Representing in a US$19 million dispute against a Kazakhstan debtor which was finalized by a settlement agreement with terms beneficial to the client. Energy and natural resources Cameco Corporation: Advising on and successfully closing the restructuring of the uranium subsoil user JV Inkai LLP, a joint venture with Kazatomprom National Atomic Company JSC. Confidential client (company group specializing in nuclear power and renewable energy with uranium reserves in Kazakhstan): Advising on and assisting in successfully obtaining various regulatory approvals in Kazakhstan with respect to the internal restructuring of the group. Confidential client (major German multinational building materials company): Advising and successfully closing the acquisition of two participatory interests in a Kazakhstan producer of widespread minerals leading to the client becoming its 100% owner, successfully obtaining all the regulatory approvals required in the subsoil use sector to complete both transactions. Confidential client (a Hong Kong investment company with a stake in a Kazakhstan wolframite subsoil user): Advising on possible settlement between the shareholders. Confidential client (major oil and gas producer): Advising on issues of extension of the exploration and production terms of the subsoil use contract. Confidential client (major oil and gas producer): Advising on various issues of subsoil use (export of geological information, liquidation of consequences of subsoil use). Confidential client (Malaysian bank): Advising on issues of extending the exploration and production terms under the pledged subsoil use rights.  

Senior Associate, Almaty

Partner

partner