Dentons‘ banking, finance and capital markets practice has notable experience representing local and international financial institutions, as well as large corporations, in high-value financial matters. The firm has been active in Kazakhstan for more than two and a half decades, with offices in both Almaty and Astana. Newly promoted partner Vassiliy Zenov leads the team, whose varied workload spans areas such as syndicated lending, asset finance, acquisition finance and aviation finance, among various others. Its recent work has also included a number of debt capital market transactions. Other key individuals include managing partner Abai Shaikenov  and senior associate Ali Imanalin.

Kinstellar LLP has an outstanding track record representing financial and industrial clients, including private equity funds and enterprises, on transactions in the banking space. The group is led by managing partner Joel Benjamin, who has worked in the US and Uzbekistan as well as the firm’s three Kazakhstan offices. He specialises in areas such as trade finance, project finance and acquisition finance, although further expertise includes equity and debt capital markets transactions. Benjamin co-heads the practice with Almaty-based Adlet Yerkinbayev, who led the team on the IPO by national oil and gas giant KazMunayGas JSC on the London Stock Exchange in a high-profile highlight. Counsel Pavel Kornilov is also recommended.

Operating across two fully-fledged offices in Kazakhstan in Almaty and Astana, the team at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP handles high-value and often cross-border finance matters for a range of clients, including corporates, banks, asset managers and sovereign wealth funds. The group is led by managing partner and general director Aset Shyngyssov, whose expertise lies in projects related to M&A, oil and gas, infrastructure, joint ventures and capital markets transactions. Other key individuals include tax head Bakhytzhan Kadyrov and Asem Bakenova.

Yelena Manayenko and Nurlan Sholanov head the banking and finance practice at AEQUITAS. International clients turn to the firm for its experience in local business and security transactions, bank loans, and the acquisition of assets, shares and commodities. In addition, the group advises on Islamic finance and alternative financing instruments, and has seen recent growth in the number of clients whose activities relate to the use of cryptocurrency in Kazakhstan. Another name to note is senior associate Yekaterina Khamidullina.

White & Case Kazakhstan LLP handles strategically important projects for the region in the banking and finance space. Recent work involved advising IFC and EBRD as Kazakhstan counsel on the acquisition of Almaty International Airport, as well as the project financing facility for its expansion. The practice is led by Astana-based Semion Issyk, whose further expertise includes debt and equity capital markets transactions.