Seyfi Can Kandemir

Seyfi Can focuses his practice on international project finance transactions, with a particular emphasis on the power, infrastructure, mining, and oil and gas sectors. He counsels sponsors, developers, multilateral lending and development agencies, international financial institutions, export credit agencies, and commercial banks in project and international finance, including corporate and hybrid financings, as well as concession financings. Seyfi Can’s practice covers both developed and emerging markets across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and North America.

Legal 500 has described Seyfi Can as “incredibly knowledgeable” with “phenomenal social skills” that enable him to manage complicated situations effectively, and has noted he is “to the point and clear, which saves a lot of time and effort for everyone,” as well as “diligent and a good listener, giving timely advice and thorough reviews of contracts.”

Power

• Advised HSBC Bank Group and ING Bank Group in export financing for the development of three large wind farms by Rönesans Enerji Üretim ve Ticaret A.Ş. (a subsidiary of TotalEnergies and Rönesans Holding). The transaction was structured to meet the Green Loan Principles and benefits from political risk cover from Germany’s export credit agency.
• Advised and subsidiaries in export financing for the development of a 56 MW wind power plant and a 35 MW solar hybrid power plant by Enerjisa Enerji Üretim A.Ş. The transaction was structured to meet the Green Loan Principles and in respect of the financing for the wind power plant, benefits from political risk cover from Germany’s export credit agency. Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft also utilized a novel structure under Germany’s ERP Export Financing Programme, which is administered by KfW IPEX-Bank.
• Advised Institutional investors in connection with the US private placement refinancing of a portfolio of wind farms in the Nordic region.
• Advised Kremna Enerji Üretim ve Ticaret A.Ş., a subsidiary of GAMA Enerji A.Ş., on the restructuring of loan facilities used to finance the development and operation of two hydroelectric power plants in Türkiye. Financing was provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, ICBC Türkiye Bank A.Ş., and International Finance Corporation.
• Advised Saudi Aramco on the closing of the $12 billion hybrid acquisition, development, and financing of a world-scale Integrated Gasification and Combined Cycle (IGCC) project in Jazan Economic City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Jazan project is set to be the largest complex of its kind worldwide, comprising gasification blocks, gas turbine power blocks that will produce up to 3.8 gigawatts of power, an air separation unit, and other ancillary assets.
• Advised Turkish Electricity Transmission Corp. (TEİAŞ) and the Privatisation Authority of Türkiye in connection with the privatization of TEİAŞ by way of an initial public offering.
• Advised EnerjiSA Enerji Üretim A.Ş. (a subsidiary of Sabancı Holding and E.ON) in connection with the development and financing of a portfolio of power projects, including hydro, combined-cycle gas turbines, wind and lignite, financed by IFC, EIB, EBRD, Proparco, K-Sure, and a syndicate of international and domestic commercial banks.
• Advised a syndicate of lenders (including the EBRD, FMO, IFC, and commercial banks) in relation to the financing of investment costs of a distribution network operator owned by Zorlu Holding.

Infrastructure

• Advised an international consortium of sponsors in connection with the construction and operation of Big Almaty Ring Motor Road, financed by the EBRD, Islamic Development Bank, and Eurasian Development Bank.
• Advised a syndicate of seven US and European commercial banks on a secured facility extended to Prince Rupert Port and the Port of Vancouver to expand the Prince Rupert Port and refinance existing debt in connection with both ports.
• Advised IFM Investors, an Australia-headquartered global institutional investment manager, on its acquisition of a 40% stake in Mersin International Port, a Turkish commercial port, from Akfen Group.
• Advised an international consortium of sponsors in connection with the development and financing of two hospital projects (Kocaeli and İzmir Bayraklı) in Türkiye under the Turkish healthcare PPP programme, financed by the EBRD, EDC, and DFC.
• Advised a syndicate of lenders, including EBRD and Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, in connection with the restructuring of project finance facilities provided to TAV’s Izmir Ege Airport.
• Advised a large GCC sovereign wealth fund in a co-investment alongside funds managed by a global fund manager in the infrastructure sector to acquire an Australian airport operator in a 23.6 billion Australian dollar (approximately $17 billion) take-private transaction.

Mining

• Advised a syndicate of lenders (including IFC, DFC, Natixis, BNPP, SocGen, Crédit Agricole, and ING) to Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée on the development and financing of the expansion of a bauxite project in the Republic of Guinea.
• Advised EBRD and Turkish commercial banks in connection with the development and financing of the Lapseki and Ivrindi gold and silver deposit mines in Türkiye.
• Advised the lenders, including commercial banks and export credit agencies US Ex-Im, COFACE, Euler Hermes and K-Exim, in connection with the financing of Phase I of the US$10 billion Emirates Aluminium Project in the UAE.

Oil and Gas

• Advising an export finance agency in the financing of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Advised a syndicate of commercial banks in the refinancing of a number of project finance facilities (approx. $1 billion) in respect of a petrochemical complex in Egypt.
• Advised the sponsors QatarEnergy and Exxon Mobil on the $10.3 billion Barzan Gas Project in Qatar.

Corporate Finance/Impact Investing/Strategic Advisory

• Advised Ülker Bisküvi Sanayi A.Ş., one of Türkiye’s leading snack brands, in approx. $400 million sustainability linked financing.
• Advised Polinas Plastik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. in its export and IFI financings.
• Advised Spark+ on the financing for procurement of LPG cylinders in Ghana.
• Advised one of the largest independent power producers in Türkiye in connection with an ongoing dispute in Israel.
• Advised the seller in the proposed sale of medical clinics in Europe and Middle East to a global private equity house.
• Advised Arkham Intelligence on their sponsorship arrangements with Galatasaray SK.

• Recognized as “Ones to Watch” in Projects, Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in the United Kingdom, 2023-2025
• Recognized as “Next Generation Partner” in Industry Focus: Emerging Markets, Legal 500 UK, 2023-2024
• Recommended for Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil and Gas, Legal 500 UK, 2023
• Recommended for Corporate and Commercial: M&A: Lower Mid-Market Deals, £50m–£500m, Legal 500 UK, 2023
• Named a “Rising Star” in Emerging Markets, Legal 500 UK, 2022
• Recommended for Emerging Markets, Legal 500 UK, 2021-2022