The first independent business forum “Investments for Developing Infrastructure in Kyiv City and Kyiv Region” took place in Kyiv on September 27, 2011 and was attended by entrepreneurs, Ukrainian government officials, professional advisors and representatives of financial institutions.

The topical questions discussed at the Forum included the potential of Kyiv city and Kyiv region for investments, implementation of progressive concepts of development in terms of improving investment climate in Kyiv region and in Ukraine generally, public-private partnership, the interaction between various participants of the investment processes and investment eligibility criteria of projects.

In addition, the event featured presentations of ten investment projects for agriculture, energy saving innovations, infrastructure development and construction.

Volodymyr Igonin, Leading Associate with Vasil Kisil & Partners, represented the firm at the event. While discussing investments in Ukrainian infrastructural projects Volodymyr pointed out that the success of a project is determined by the readiness of the project participants to search and find ways of compromise regarding their varying interests. By using an example of some projects supported by VKP’s lawyers, Mr. Igonin illustrated both the challenges and the opportunities for finding such compromise solutions.

Speaking about the legal aspect of the investment process, Mr. Igonin particularly dwelt on risks as an important criterion of project assessment by investors, namely: “When deciding on whether to join a project, an investor evaluates both return on investment and possible risks from participation in the project. There is a popular belief that an investor needs legal advice much more than the investee does. The involvement of a competent legal advisor at the stage of project preparation for sale (for finding a partner) helps identify project weaknesses and minimize risks and, consequently, correctly structure the project for investment purposes. The seller is the first to benefit from such measures as they would help expand the pool of investors interested in the project and make more money from it”. Volodymyr believes that this is why the support from a professional legal advisor is equally important for both the seller and the buyer.

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For more details please contact Vasyl Hubarets,

Head of PR Department

Tel.: +380 44 581 7777

E-mail: pr@vkp.kiev.ua

About the Firm

Established in 1992, Vasil Kisil & Partners is a Ukrainian law firm that delivers integrated legal advice in banking & finance, mergers & acquisitions, capital markets, commercial law, international arbitration, dispute resolution, tax law, energy and natural resources law, intellectual property law, international trade law, labor and employment law, real estate and construction law, as well as public private partnership concessions and infrastructure law.

We serve international and domestic companies, as well as private individuals, dealing with banking and financial industry sectors, agriculture, chemical, construction, energy, hi-tech, general commodities, insurance, IT, media, metallurgy, pharmaceutical, real estate, shipbuilding, telecommunications, trading, transport, and other industries and economy sectors.

Our clients include such world-known companies as Alpcot Agro, Africa-Israel Group, Astellas Pharma, BASF, Bayer Consumer, BNP Paribas, British American Tobacco, Central European Media Enterprises, Coca Cola, Credit Agricole Group, Danone, Dell Inc., Du Pont, Energy Standard Group, Eurosport, Google, IKB Deutsche Industriebank , LG Electronics, Leroy Merlin Ukraine, Lukoil, Metso Automation Oy, Moody’s, Mott MacDonald Limited, NCH Capital, Novacke chemicke zavody, Opel, Philips, Pioneer, Red Bull, Russian Standard Bank, St. Sophia Homes, SEB AB, SEB Group, Swedbank AB, Seven Hills, Shell, Standard Charted Bank, Tchibo, UniCredit Group, Vanco International / Vanco Energy, Volkswagen, VympelCom.