KLARA NURGAZIYEVA
Profile
Klara Nurgaziyeva is a founding partner of IMN. She has been advising clients in M&A, JVs, debt and equity financing and various other commercial transactions in various sectors (energy, mining, telecommunication, banking & finance, insurance and others) in Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries for more than 25 years. She regularly assists clients on corporate governance, compliance and regulatory matters.
Klara is experienced in representing clients in domestic litigation in Kazakhstan and works regularly with the lawyers in relevant jurisdictions on assisting clients in foreign litigation and international arbitration.
Before founding IMN, Klara was a partner with an AmLaw100 firm and started her legal career as an in-house counsel with an international energy company.
Selected Experience*
Mergers & Acquisitions
- • US$4.2 billion acquisition by the national oil company of the vertically integrated oil producer in Kazakhstan.
- • Acquisition and subsequent sale of the telecom assets in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan by a western multinational telecommunications company and mobile network operator.
- • Acquisition by the Russian major bank of a mid-size bank in Kazakhstan and entry to Kazakhstan banking market.
- • Acquisition by a western life insurance company of the insurance company in Kazakhstan.
- • A private Indian investor's sale of a gold exploration and production asset in Kazakhstan at the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange.
- • Other numerous M&A transactions in various sectors.
Joint Ventures
- • Setting up by the Indian national energy company with its partner – KazMunayGas of a JV for the exploration and development of an offshore project with KazMunayGas.
- • Negotiations by the western energy company with KazMunayGas with regard to setting up a JV for the exploration and development of an offshore E&P block.
- • A western multinational telecommunications company and mobile network operator's establishment of a JV with a private Kazakhstan investor of a JV for operating a large fiber network in Kazakhstan and subsequent client's exit from the JV.
- • Settlement of various out-of-court disputes between JV partners and subsequent dissolution of the gold producing JV.
- • Technical and legal audit by one of the JV partners of the management and operation of a mega energy JV energy project among major international companies and Kazakhstan.
- • Other unincorporated and incorporated JV projects in various business sectors.
Debt and Equity Finance
- • Represented a major Kazakhstan mobile network operator in a US$300 million debt financing by a syndicate of foreign and domestic banks.
- • Acted for the EBRD on an up to US$140 million senior secured multicurrency loan to a large private Kazakhstan electric utility and its subsidiaries.
- • Assisted an international bank with EUR 7 million export financing.
- • Represented an international bank in a US$3 billion buy-back shares acquisition and backstop facility with Kazakhstan guarantors.
- • US$650 million IPO at the KASE and LSE by a Kazakhstan mobile operator.
- • US$153 million IPO by a HK-based company with the subsoil use assets in Kazakhstan at the HKEX and AIX.
- • A large Kazakhstan company's contemplated HKEX and AIX dual IPO (suspended after A1 filing for commercial reasons).
- • Other numerous private debt and equity finance transactions.
Litigation and Arbitration
- • A mining investor's various disputes with various neighboring claimants in domestic litigation.
- • A Russian pharmaceutical company's arbitration dispute in Kazakhstan with the contractor regarding supply of pharmaceutical products to Kazakhstan.
- • A vertically integrated energy producer's dispute with its JV partner in international arbitration.
- • A western multinational telecommunications company and mobile network operator's dispute with its JV partner in international arbitration.
- • A service company's dispute with its client under the PC contract in international arbitration and several domestic litigation disputes.
- • Other commercial disputes in and outside of Kazakhstan.
*Including experience prior to establishing IMN Law Firm
Areas of Expertise
- • Mergers & Acquisitions
- • JVs
- • Energy & Natural Resources
- • Banking & Finance
- • Dispute Resolution
Education
- • LL.M., 2005 – The University of Dundee (CEPMLP), UK
- • JD, 2000 – "Adilet" Higher Law School, Kazakhstan
- • BA, 1996 – The Kazakhstan State University of World Languages (English language studies), Kazakhstan
Admissions
- • Kazakhstan
Career History
- • 2025 – present: IMN Law Firm
- • 2023 – 2025: Private Practice
- • 2005 – 2023: Morgan Lewis / Dewey & LeBoeuf / LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae
- • 1996 – 2004: Nations Energy / Karazhanbasmunai
Languages
- • English
- • Russian