Illya Sverdlov is a Partner in the Kyiv office and the firm-wide head of Tax. He has 18 years of experience advising on domestic and cross-border tax matters across a range of industries, with a special focus on TMT, life sciences, industrials, and FMCG.

Illya specialises in Ukrainian and international tax structuring, transactional tax, post-acquisition integration, and transfer pricing. He supports clients in tax audits and controversies. He regularly works with cross-disciplinary teams in implementing tax-efficient structures for Ukrainian, CEE and cross-border clients in inbound and outbound investment transactions.

Illya is a frequent author and speaker in the business and legal media and conferences on international tax.

RECENT ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDE ADVISING*

tax

• VFU FUNDING PLC on tax structuring in its capacity as issuer on its debut USD 500 million 6.20% loan participation notes listed on Euronext Dublin (GEM)
• NEQSOL on tax structuring related to the USD 734 million acquisition of VF Ukraine, the largest mobile operator, from MTS Group
• MAERSK AND DAMCO GROUP on tax restructuring of its activities in Ukraine
• UKRATLANTIC (Groupe Atlantic) in relation to a tax audit and numerous tax court cases
• DFC (former OPIC), an agency of the United States of America, on complex tax structuring related to providing a USD 500 million loan facility to a wind farm project

technology

• EPAM INC on comprehensive tax support and structuring of its activities in Ukraine, representing before tax authorities, VAT advice and transfer pricing
• PERION NETWORK on tax structuring related to its USD 3.75 million acquisition of Septa Communications LLC, also known as Captain Growth, a Ukrainian start-up which applies cutting-edge AI-driven technologies to marketing
• ARISTOCRAT LEISURE, one of the largest global manufacturers of gaming solutions, on tax aspects of its USD 500 million successful acquisition of a developer Plarium Global
• A CONNECTED-DOORBELL STARTUP on tax structuring and post-integration support in relation to  its sale to a global retail giant

* Experience prior to joining Kinstellar

EDUCATION

• 1997 – 2002: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine, Institute of International Relations, Master’s degree

LANGUAGES

Ukrainian, Russian, English, Spanish