Sergey Blinov is a Partner in the Finance practice E L W I. Sergey has over 16 years of experience at the international law firm Allen & Overy (Dubai, London and Moscow) and specialises in a wide range of banking and finance transactions. In particular, his expertise includes trade and project finance, syndicated lending, export credit finance, acquisition finance, subordinated loans, debt capital markets, as well as insolvency and restructurings.

Education

• Moscow State University, Civil law

Membership in professional associations

• Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

Experience

• Representing Gazprom, Wintershall and OMV (as project sponsors) and Severneftegazprom project company (as borrower) in relation to a RUB 40bn credit facility from VTB Bank to finance capital expenditures of the Yuzhno-Russkoye field project in Western Siberia (Russia);
• Advising Gazprombank on a RUB 30bn credit facility for PJSC State Transport Leasing Company (GTLK), to finance the development of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 leasing program, and on the further upsize of the credit facility by RUB 13bn;
• Advising Sberbank CIB, Otkritie and BK Region as joint lead managers on the RUB5 billion issuance of LPNs for the purpose of financing a subordinated Tier 2 qualifying loan to Credit Bank of Moscow;
• Advising VTB Bank in relation to the bridge financing of a EUR 10.5 billion acquisition of a strategic stake in an international oil company by the Qatar Investment Authority;
• Advising AO Raiffeisenbank, UniCredit Bank AG (the lenders) and Raiffeisen Bank International AG (the facility agent) in the course of bankruptcy proceedings of Ostankino Dairy, JSC being the guarantor under the syndicated loan agreement;
• Advising a syndicate of lenders in connection with a number of syndicated loans to Sovcombank (including a loan with an ESG tranche);
• Advising a syndicate of Chinese banks on a loan facility to Gazprom;
• Advising Arab Bank on AED 1.3bn conventional and Islamic term and working capital facility to Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries;
• Advising a European financial institution on the export credit facility to PJSC MegaFon supported by Finish ECA Finnvera plc and Austrian OeKB for the supply and installation of fixed and wireless telecommunication equipment, software and related services;
• Advising GTLK Middle East in connection with the acquisition and related financing of several ships;
• Advising GeoProMining Group in connection with a number of its facilities from Russian and international banks;
• Advising a syndicate of international banks in connection with a number of syndicated loans to Credit Bank of Moscow (including ESG KPI-linked loan);
• Advising VTB Bank on restructuring of Russian law governed facilities to Russ Outdoor Group.