Dilshad Khabibullayev is a Partner in the Tashkent office and a member of the Infrastructure & Projects service line.

Dilshad has over two decades of experience in infrastructure, investment, and public-private partnership (PPP) projects—particularly in the transportation sector—in Uzbekistan and the broader Central Asia region.

Throughout his notable career, Dilshad has played a key role in pioneering transport infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan, including the country’s first airport PPP, first toll road PPP, and first traffic video surveillance investment project. His expertise spans both the automotive and aviation industries, where he has consistently delivered strategic legal counsel on complex, high-impact projects.

RECENT ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDE ADVISING*

AUTOMOTIVE

• UZAUTOSANOAT, a state holding company managing the automobile industry in Uzbekistan, on a long-running transaction reformatting equity investments of General Motors in JV General Motors Uzbekistan into a commercial alliance, as well as implementing compliance procedures in the Uzbek automotive industry
• UZAUTOSANOAT on an investment project setting up a joint venture company with BYD Auto, a major Chinese EV manufacturer, to produce electric vehicles under the BYD brand in Uzbekistan
• ADM JIZZAKH, a local automotive assembler of Cherry, Haval, KIA, and Renault brands, on various transactions including project finance, IP, compliance, etc.
• UZAUTO MOTORS on bridge financing transactions, the issuance of Eurobonds, and setting up joint ventures in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Kyrgyzstan
• JIZZAKH AUTO, a JV company of Uzautosanoat and Volkswagen Group, on issues related to signing an investment agreement and other documents related to setting up an assembling facility in Uzbekistan

AVIATION

• THE GOVERNMENT OF UZBEKISTAN on technical assistance relating to the Unbundling of Civil Aviation Sector project financed by the World Bank, including conducting due diligence of Uzbekistan Airways, the national airline, in terms of its corporate structure, corporate governance, and ownership structure; providing recommendations on restructuring Uzbekistan Airways; conducting a review of the legal and regulatory framework, and providing suggestions on necessary amendments for reforming the civil aviation sector
• THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT OF UZBEKISTAN, within the group of World Bank experts, on improving Uzbekistan’s aviation policies and bringing them in line with international best practice standards
• TURKISH AIRLINES on various legal issues related to their operations in Uzbekistan, including corporate, employment, regulatory, taxes, and administrative and judicial proceedings, etc.
• WILLIS LEASING, a US aviation leasing company, on a lease agreement for aircraft engines with Uzbekistan Airlines
• A MAJOR PRIVATE AIRLINE COMPANY in Uzbekistan on its debut Eurobond offering under RegS and Rule 144A

PROJECTS & INFRASTRUCTURE

• THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT COMMITTEE OF AUTOMOBILE ROADS on the pioneering Tashkent-Andijan toll road project financed by the World Bank, including the pre-feasibility study, pre-investment study, and transaction advisory support phases. Assistance included a review of the legal and regulatory framework of the transport sector and automobile roads; ongoing advice to key technical and financial experts on various legal issues related to corporate governance, public procurement, investment and PPP agreements, land acquisition, resettlement, and other matters; the preparation of recommendations on the implementation of the project, and drafting the legal part of the pre-feasibility and pre-investment reports
• A SPONSOR OF THE SAMARKAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PPP PROJECT until the financial closure of the transaction, including drafting and negotiating Heads of Terms; assisting the lead counsel (Freshfields) in drafting and negotiating the PPP agreement and Government Support Agreement; assisting the Ministry of Transport with drafting the resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers and President on the project; and reviewing and negotiating the financing documents of the transaction
• A SPONSOR OF THE NEW TASHKENT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT and ANDIJAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PPP PROJECTS, including on the regulatory aspects of Uzbekistan’s Investment Law and PPP Law, procurement procedures, and other legal issues related to the project and assisting the lead counsel (Freshfields) in drafting and negotiating the Heads of Terms
• A SPONSOR OF THE BUKHARA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PPP PROJECT on regulatory aspects of Uzbekistan’s PPP Law, procurement procedures, and other legal issues related to the project and reviewing and amending the drafts of the PPP agreement and Government Support Agreement
• THE WINNING BIDDER OF THE URGENCH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PPP PROJECT on regulatory and legal issues, including reviewing the draft of the PPP Agreement

CORPORATE

• PTC HOLDING, a major logistic and transport company in Central Asia, on establishing a joint venture company with Uzbekistan Railways Company to construct and operate a transportation hub in Uzbekistan
• CHINA RAILWAYS on establishing a joint venture company with Kyrgyzstan Railways and Uzbekistan Railways to construct and operate a railway from China to Uzbekistan as part of the Middle Corridor
• BENEFICIARIES OF INTERNATIONAL BEVERAGES TASHKENT (bottler of PepsiCo in Uzbekistan) on various legal issues, including transforming the ownership structure of the companies producing and distributing goods under PepsiCo’s trademarks in Uzbekistan
• CLAAS on various corporate, regulatory and employment issues pertinent to a joint venture company in Uzbekistan
• EMBASSIES OF THE US, UK, KOREA, SAUDI ARABIA, ISRAEL AND EU DELEGATION on various legal issues related to the missions, personnel, and citizens of the respective countries

*Experience prior to joining Kinstellar.

EDUCATION

• 2013: University of Arizona, USA, LL.M. in International Trade and Business Law
• 2003: Tashkent State Institute of Law, Uzbekistan, LL.B.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

National Association of Accountants and Auditors of Uzbekistan

LANGUAGES

Uzbek, English, Russian, Kazakh