Baker McKenzie has a deep bench of talent across multiple practice areas, and its London emerging markets group works hand-in-hand with teams across the firm’s vast international network, which includes offices in Asia, Europe, CIS, the Middle East, and Latin America. The firm has a long-established presence in four of the five BRICS countries, and nine of the ten largest developing economies. Trade, export and commodity financings are a mainstay of its work, with Luka Lightfoot one of the market’s leading advisers to financial institutions, multilaterals, commodity traders, exporters, producers, and corporate borrowers. The capital markets practice, in which Megan Schellinger is a standout partner, frequently acts for emerging markets issuers, while the energy, mining and finance group, which includes key partner Philip Thomson, often takes the lead on large-scale projects. Banking specialist Sarah Smith is advising a DFI as lender on a loan/repurchase programme established to improve the liquidity of sovereign bonds issued by African nations. Nick Tostivin departed the firm in April 2024.
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Key clients
- AB Svensk Exportkredit
- Africa Finance Corporation
- African Export-Import Bank
- Almarai Company
- Almarai Sukuk Ltd. and
- Arabian Centres Company
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch
- Banque du Caire S.A.E.
- BinDawood Holding Company
- Citibank
- Commerzbank
- Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank
- Deutsche Bank
- Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus
- Galp Energia
- Georgia Global Utilities JSC
- HSBC
- ING Bank
- ING Bank N.V.
- Intesa Sanpaolo S.P.A
- ITOCHU Corporation
- Joint Stock Company Bank of Georgia
- JSC Georgia Capital
- Ma'aden
- Mashreqbank
- MUFG Bank
- National Westminster Bank PLc
- Natixis
- Oceans Finance Company
- Office Nationale D'Electricité et de l'Eau Potable
- Proparco
- Société de Promotion et de Participation pour la Coopération Economique S.A.
- Société Générale
- Standard Chartered Bank
- SUEZ Groupe SAS
- T.C. Ziraat Bankası A.Ş.
- The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company
- Türk Telekom
- Türkiye Sınai Kalkınma Bankası A.Ş.
- UK Export Finance
- Vitol BV
- Yapı ve Kredi Bankası A.Ş.
- ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc
Work highlights
- Advising Afreximbank as the (currently sole) lender under a loan/repurchase programme established for The Liquidity and Sustainability Facility Designated Activity Company.
- Acted for Oceans Finance Company, in its role as project manager to structure, implement and oversee the Government of Ecuador's record USD1.6 billion debt-for-nature swap.
- Advising Mashreqbank as Agent and Security Agent in connection with the re-structuring of JBF RAK LLC and its wholly owned subsidiaries JBF Belgium and JBF Bahrain.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Luka Lightfoot