November 2022 – Kinstellar supports professional growth by offering a broad range of career development opportunities for our team including Sector/Service line head or co-head roles. We provide growth opportunities to all of our talented lawyers with relevant experience and who have an outstanding track record. We believe in an inclusive recruitment process where we create an equitable application, interview and selection process.
We are delighted to announce the appointments of the following sector and service line heads:
Müfit Arapoğlu, a Partner in the Istanbul office, is the firm-wide Financial Institutions (non-transactional) Sector Co-Head and the firm-wide Head of Banking, Finance & Capital Markets (service line). Müfit has extensive experience in equity and debt capital market transactions, including primary and secondary public offerings, debt instruments, and Eurobond, sukuk and covered bond issuances. He has represented Turkish and foreign companies in relation to voluntary and mandatory tender offers, provided general securities law advice to public companies and Capital Markets Board licensed institutions. He has also assisted on the sale and purchase of companies in various sectors such as cybersecurity, FMCG, banking and cement production. Müfit is ranked by Chambers Europe and Legal 500 2022 editions. Clients note that he is ''always dedicated and hard-working'' adding that he is ''well experienced and easy to reach when needed''.
Diana Dimova, the Managing Partner of the Sofia office and the Head of the local M&A and Corporate service line, is the firm-wide Financial Institutions (transactional) Sector Co-Head. With over 20 years’ experience, Diana advises corporations and financial institutions on a wide range of corporate and M&A matters, including the acquisition of private and listed companies, tender processes, restructuring and corporate governance. She has advised numerous international companies on their market entry and, subsequently, on the entire spectrum of corporate matters, including implementation of changes to their capital or corporate structures. Diana has recently been recognised among the most prominent women lawyers across the world by the prestigious IFLR1000 “Women Leaders” 2022 publication. Diana is ranked by Chambers Europe and Legal 500 2022 editions. Clients describe Diana as ''the driving force behind the practice'' adding that ''she is very knowledgeable, responsive and a really great professional''.
Georgi Kanev, a Managing Associate and the Head of IT & IP and Data Privacy in the Sofia office, is the firm-wide Co-Head of IP&T. Georgi has more than 10 years of experience in the TMT sector and in various fields of law such as IP, IT, data protection, corporate and commercial law. He has represented both major local and well-known international groups in the tech and gaming/gambling sectors on corporate related matters, such as restructurings, spin-offs and complex M&A transactions, as well as on unfair competition and advertising law.
Viliam Mysicka, a Partner in the Bratislava office and the Head of the firm-wide TMT sector, is the firm-wide Head of Restructuring & Insolvency. Viliam has over 18 years of experience in corporate, commercial, M&A and TMT. Comprehensive restructuring & insolvency matters have become one of his key areas of focus having acted for creditors in complex proceedings. He played a central role in assisting Faisal Private Bank and its Slovak project company MEFAL Invest with the restructuring of the ownership portfolio of a land plot near Trnava, the purchase of a large agri portfolio for Dan Slovakia Agrar from a distressed situation, as well as the largest creditors in the bankruptcy proceedings of the airline operator SkyEurope. Viliam is qualified as a restructuring trustee in Slovakia. He is ranked by Chambers Europe and Legal 500 2022 editions. Clients effuse that he is ''a very strong negotiator, focused and goal-oriented'', further adding that ''he is very experienced and always available and ready to help''.
Nina Tsifudina, a Partner in the Sofia office, is the firm-wide Head of Employment & Labour Law. Nina has over 10 years of experience advising both local and international clients on a wide range of commercial matters and corporate transactions, reorganisations and market entry strategies, with a particular focus on mid-market private equity transactions in the TMT sector. Nina has recently been recognised among the most prominent women lawyers across the world by the prestigious IFLR1000 “Women Leaders” 2022 publication. Nina is also ranked by Chambers Europe and Legal 500 2022 editions. She is described by clients as ''a great team leader and overall adviser''.
Mariana Varbanova, Business Development & Marketing Manager in the Sofia office, has been appointed as the firm-wide coordinator of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG), alongside the Service Head Olena Kuchynska. Before joining Kinstellar, Mariana worked for five years in the Brussels office of FTI Consulting where she assisted clients with their political positioning in the area of energy, environmental, chemicals, and agricultural policies. She has been working closely with the Heads of Regulatory Affairs and Heads of External Communications at companies in the energy, industrials and agrichemicals sectors and has built a network of contacts in the environmental / sustainability field.
Patrik Bolf, Firm Managing Partner, comments: 'Throughout our discussions with all candidates their passion, energy and determination to develop these key service lines and sectors came through clearly. I congratulate them and wish them the best on their new leadership roles''.