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Anton Sitnikov focuses on corporate/ M&A projects, private equity, restructuring projects, complex cross-border transactions, capital markets, competition, including disputes with authorities, JV set-up, and HR legal advisory, including pension plan arrangements.

He has supervised acquisitions of companies operating in various sectors, with particular emphasis on the oil and gas sector, mining, the food industry, the services sector, banking & finance, telecoms, industrial manufacturing, etc.

Anton has handled a number of corporate, restructuring projects, including, inter alia, pre-IPO and pre-private equity ones. This involved due diligence on groups of companies, identification of risks, development of solutions for optimising corporate structure and implementation of restructuring programmes. In particular, restructuring plans were developed for Russia’s biggest diamond producer, a major Russian food producer, one of the biggest European retail companies, an oil and gas group of companies, etc.

Anton supports set-ups of various joint venture projects, predominantly in the mineral resources and oil & gas sectors.

He has rendered numerous advisory services in relation to the issue and circulation of securities and has represented sector leaders in their disputes with anti-trust authorities.

For several years running, Anton Sitnikov has been mentioned by The European Legal 500 2005-2011, Chambers & Partners 2007-2012, Who's Who Legal: CIS 2009-2012 as a recommended individual in the Corporate / M&A area and restructuring. Anton has been recognized as one of the best Corporate/M&A lawyers in Russia by Vedomosti’s Best Lawyers 2012.

Some of the projects that Anton has led include:

• Advising and supporting OAO Sheremetyevo International Airport during its reorganisation by merging with OAO Terminal — the Terminal D operator. The consolidation of assets through merger was initiated by the government and has a high potential of ensuring the efficient development of the airport and significant advantages over independent development of certain terminals by individual operators. As a result of merger Aeroflot – Russian Airlines, VneshEconomBank and VTB became shareholders in the consolidated Sheremetyevo, with the Russian Federation remaining the majority shareholder with a 83.4% stake in the authorised capital.
• Advising AlfaStrakhovanie insurance group on the private equity deal related to Medicine AlfaStrakhovanie joint venture.
• Advising North Caucasus Development Corporation (VEB's subsidiary) on the Innovative Construction Technopark Kazbek development project (in partnership with OOO PKF Kazbek, the biggest construction company in the region), including construction of a modern construction materials production complex in the Chechen Republic.
• Advising North Caucasus Development Corporation (VEB's subsidiary) on participating in the first stage of construction of the Arkhyz All-Season Mountain Resort.
• Advising North Caucasus Development Corporation (VEB's subsidiary) on establishing, in conjunction with OAO Arnest Group, the National Aerosol Cluster on the territory of the national industrial park of Nevinnomyssk, Stavropol Territory, assisting in chemical industry clustering and comprehensive development.
• Advising Sberbank of Russia on its investment project related to acquisition of 25%+1 share in Detskiy mir - Center, the largest children's goods retail store network in Russia.
• Advising Sberbank of Russia in relation to Sportloto Joint Venture with Russkoye Loto Group. Sportloto LLC is an official operator of state loteries, organized by the Minstry for Finance of the Russian Federation.
• Advised Tomsk Refining AB on disposal of 100% of shares in Tomskneftepererabotka LLC and TD Tomskneftepererabotka LLC.
• Advising Magna International on planned acquisition of the Russian and CIS part of Opel and related businesses from General Motors Corporation.
• Acted for Onexim Group in relation to acquisition of APR Bank (presently MFK Bank).
• Advising and representing Banque Federale des Banques Populaires and Caisse Nationale des Caissed Epargne et de Pr voyance in the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Russian Federation in respect of Russian anti-trust control aspects of their assets consolidation and set up of the central managing body of the second largest French credit holding.
• Advised Eaton Corporation on its Euro 1.55 bn worth acquisition of the Moeller Group from an investor group led by Doughty Hanson, assisting the client s lead counsel Hengeler Mueller on all Russia-related aspects of the deal.
• Advising LG International on its investment projects in the Russian coal mining industry.
• Advised IKEA on its joint venture with Belaya Dacha to set up Mega Belaya Dacha, one of Russia s largest malls.
• Advised RP Capital with regard to purchase of the Serebrayniy Gorod office complex.
• Advised Siemens on reorganisation of its Russian subsidiary via spin-off.
• Advised Virbac SA (France) on prospective acquisition of a Group engaged in development, production and distribution of veterinarian projects in Russia.
• Advised Danone / Bolshevik on sale of its St.Petersburg-based ‘Chok & Rolls subsidiary.
• Represented Vimpelcom before the Federal Anti-monopoly Service of Russia in connection with alleged concerted actions with other mobile operators.
• Advised Norilsk Nickel on spin-off of its gold mining assets (Polyus Zoloto) with the market value of ca. USD 10 bn. as on the spin-off date
• Advised ROSNO, an insurance company, on its acquisition of a major stake in “Strakhovoi Kapital” insurance company, to be subsequently renamed VTB-ROSNO
• Advised Bayer AG, assisting its lead counsel Hengeler Mueller in all necessary Russia-related matters on the sale of the global Diagnostics Business of Bayer AG to Siemens AG for Euro 4.2 bn.
• Advised Fleming Family and Partners and its lead counsel Slaughter and May on launch of FF&P Russian Real Estate Development Limited, an investment company targeting property development in Russia.
• Advised Prof-media, one of Russia s biggest media holdings, in consolidating its printing and editorial companies into a major Russian publishing house-Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP), now to combine the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, Express-Gazeta and Soviet Sport and thus become Russia s biggest newspaper.
• Advised on the management buy-out of the Alex Stewart Group backed by Close Brothers Private Equity.
• Represented and advised Schlumberger Russia in relation to successful arrangement of its pension plan for its employees through ING Non-state pension fund.
• Advised and represented Harry s in the acquisition of ZAO Kondi.
• Advised Boots Plc. and rendered respective Russia-related assistance to its lead counsel Slaughter and May in the 1.926 bn worth disposal of the Boots Healthcare International business to Reckitt Benckiser.
• Assisting Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier, advised Bouygues, a construction and services conglomerate, in its acquisition of a 21% cent French state stake in Alstom for EUR 2 bn.
• Advised Yum! Restaurants on its US$100 million deal with a chain of fast food restaurants in Russia and CIS.
• Advised Gazprom-Media on its acquisition of Media-Most media assets, perhaps Russia s largest transaction in the media sector ever.
• Advising Vostok Energy Limited in relation to its investment projects in the Russia s oil & gas sector.
• Advised URALSIB on a number of its corporate projects.
• Advised Russia s biggest diamond producer on restructuring issues with the total value of the assets involved exceeding USD 500 mln.
• Advised New Zealand Milk on its business restructuring endeavours in Russia.
• Advised Wimm-Bill-Dann on restructuring of its juice business. Developed the plan for consolidation of the group, consisting of more than 40 business units.
• Advised Oriflame regarding its Russian and Kazakh companies in connection with its subsequent successful IPO on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.

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