Olena Kuchynska is the Managing Partner of the Kyiv office and the co-head of the firm-wide Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) service line. 

Her primary focus is on energy, natural resources, and environmental matters. Olena has also gained extensive experience in complex corporate law assignments and corporate governance matters.

Olena Kuchynska is praised by market sources for her 'deep understanding of questions' and the ability to 'take the time to think through a problem and provide a balanced view.'

Olena Kuchynska is very impressive with her knowledge and high standard of team management. She is open and honest, commercial and practices with integrity.

Chambers Europe, 2022 / Legal 500, 2021

RECENT ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDE ADVISING

M&A and Corporate

• THE SUPERVISORY BOARD OF NAFTOGAZ OF UKRAINE, Ukraine’s largest state-owned oil and gas company, and THE SUPERVISORY BOARD OF UKRNERGO, electricity transmission system operator, on various issues related to the activities of Supervisory Boards and their committees
• THE STATE PROPERTY FUND OF UKRAINE on the privatisation of 99.5667% of the authorised capital of PJSC Odesa Port Plant, one of the largest fertilizers’ producers of Ukraine
• THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (UK) on the corporate governance reform of Ukroboronprom, Ukrainian state-owned defence company, including defining a target corporate governance model and development of a corporate governance reform action plan
• THE ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD) on the analysis of the effective legal and regulatory framework applicable to the sector of state-owned enterprises and its ongoing reforms in Ukraine
• EBRD on the enhancement of the corporate governance practices, as well as of the regulatory and legislative framework of the Ukrainian state postal company Ukrposhta

Energy & Natural Resources

• THE SUPERVISORY BOARD OF NAFTOGAZ OF UKRAINE, Ukraine’s largest state-owned oil and gas company, and THE SUPERVISORY BOARD OF UKRNERGO, electricity transmission system operator, on various issues related to the activities of Supervisory Boards and their committees
• A UKRAINIAN WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY on the implementation of a project for the disposal and treatment of coal mining waste, including advice on complex regulatory matters in the mining, environmental, real estate and construction fields, and on the commercial structuring of the project
• UKRAINIAN DEVELOPERS on the sale of a 500 MW wind power plant construction project in the Mykolaiv region, including conducting vendor’s due diligence and advising on complex regulatory matters
• A PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL COMPANY, engaged in the wholesale trading of electricity, on the Ukrainian law matters regarding power trading on the border points with Ukraine, currency control regulations and financing matters, as well as on a contemplated purchase of a cross-border transmission line with a view to import and export power between Ukraine and the EU
• AN INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING CORPORATION AND EPC CONTRACTOR globally specialising in power projects on the acquisition of a 94.5MW solar power plant in Ukraine, with the approximate total investment amount of EUR 73 million

EDUCATION

• 2018: Ukrainian Corporate Governance Academy (UCGA), Board Direction Programme, Certificate in Corporate Governance
• 2003: Central European University, Budapest, Hungary, Legal Studies Department, LL.M.
• 2002: National University Ostroh Academy, Ostroh, Ukraine, Faculty of Law, Degree in Law

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

Ukrainian Bar Association

LANGUAGES

Ukrainian, Russian, English

PUBLICATIONS

• Highest Standards: Cover story on corporate governance in Ukraine, Ukrainian Journal of Business Law, May-June 2020