Dear CERBA Members and Partners,

On behalf of CERBA long-standing Member – Antal Russia, we would like to invite you to take a comprehensive survey of salary levels for specialists, managers and leaders in companies across Russia.

The objective of the survey is to help to analyze the Russian job market and to find out about salaries changes in 2019.

Please use the following link to take a survey: https://ru.surveymonkey.com/r/ss2019wEN The survey is anonymous and takes about 12 minutes to complete. It is free to participate and you will be emailed the results free of charge. Hurry up! The survey will close soon.

If you have any questions or comments about the survey, please contact Antal Russia. 

Thank you very much in advance!

Canada was represented at the talks by Assistant Deputy Minister Mark Gwozdecky. The parties talked over the state and prospects of the Belarusian-Canadian relations, bilateral cooperation within international organizations, the situation in the Eastern-European region and also Belarus' relations with leading partners.

The issues of international security, the situation in the European region, the Belarusian-Canadian relations were considered at the meetings with Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development of the House of Commons of Canada Michael Levitt and Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade Raynell Andreychuk. At the conference on integration in the Eurasian region Oleg Kravchenko laid out Belarus' initiatives to establish cooperation and further alignment between the regional integration associations – the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union. The participants of the conference also talked over Belarus' participation in the EAEU with the focus on benefits and advantages for Canada and other western countries regarding the development of cooperation with Belarus.

Belarus-Canada cooperation in trade, economic and investment sectors was discussed at the talks with CERBA Chairperson Gilles Breton and the management of the Canadian companies interested in cooperation with Belarus.

Cooperation prospects with the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War History were discussed at the meeting with representatives of the Canadian War Museum. 

In March 2019 Bellerage was joined by the Financial Outsourcing and Legal Compliance practices of Alinga Consulting.

The joint company - Bellerage Alinga - has more than 100 employees in Moscow and St. Petersburg and serves more than 300 clients from different industries.

“The merger allows us to strengthen our position as price-quality leader in financial outsourcing, as well as significantly expands the opportunities for further growth,” commented Alexander Bykov (Managing Partner Bellerage).

Chet Bowling (Managing Partner Alinga) added that “Bellerage Alinga should now be rated #7 in the RA Expert Rating, allowing us to challenge the bigger players in the market.”

Bellerage Alinga provides a wide range of services in the following areas: Financial Outsourcing, Tax Consulting & Audit, Legal Support, and Business Process Automation.

"This Consulting Business Model, unique to the 2nd tier marketplace, allows us to be perceived by our clients as complimentary to the Big 4. Providing complex business support solutions is our greatest strength, and the merger with Alinga Consulting is yet another step towards our leadership in this area," notes Bellerage Partner Jonathan Tubb (15 years Senior Partner at E&Y and Deloitte CIS).

NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM - Addressing the nation of Kazakhstan, Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced snap election of the President of Kazakhstan, Kazinform correspondent reports. 

"Dear compatriots, I am addressing each of you! In accordance with the country's Constitution, I made a decision to hold snap election of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan on June 9, 2019," said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The Head of State pointed out that on this matter, he had consulted with the Leader of the Nation Nursultan Nazarbayev, the speakers of both houses of the Parliament, the Prime Minister of the country, conferred with the Constitutional Council upon his decision, and met with leaders of parliamentary parties. "The decision on the early elections is crucial and necessary," he said.  

as per KazInform

International news agency

Moscow, 3 April – According to Kommersant annual law firm rankings, Dentons was ranked among the best Top 5 law firms in Russia in 23 practices:

• Antimonopoly law: Disputes (1^st place)
• Antimonopoly law: Consulting (1^st place)
• Commercial: International Trade and Customs (1^st place)
• Commercial: Company Establishment and Foreign Business Development in Russia (1^st place)
• Compliance (1^st place)
• Corporate: M&A (Foreign Assets) (1^st place)
• International Arbitration (1^st place)
• Litigation: Employment Disputes (1^st place)
• PPP (1^st place)
• TMT: Consulting (1^st place)
• Transportation and Logistics: Disputes (1^st place)
• Transportation and Logistics: Automotive (1^st place)
• Private Wealth (1^st place)
• Retail  and FMCG: Disputes (1^st place)
• FMCG: Consulting (1^st place)
• Commercial: Commercial Contracts
• Energy and Natural Resources: Consulting in Energy Sector
• Energy and Natural Resources: Disputes in Coal Industry
• Family Law: Disputes
• Intellectual Property
• Litigation: Corporate Disputes
• Litigation: Property Disputes
• Tax: Dispute Resolution

3 Dentons partners were ranked as leading lawyers in their practice areas:

• Richard Cowie – Corporate/M&A
• Victor Naumov – TMT
• Karina Chichkanova – PPP

Kommersant bases its rankings on the complexity, uniqueness and value of projects handled by the law firms operating in the Russian market.

About Dentons

Dentons is the world's largest law firm*, delivering quality and value to clients around the globe. Dentons is a leader on the Acritas Global Elite Brand Index, a BTI Client Service 30 Award winner and recognized by prominent business and legal publications for its innovations in client service, including founding Nextlaw Labs and the Nextlaw Global Referral Network. Dentons' polycentric approach and world-class talent challenge the status quo to advance client interests in the communities in which we live and work.  www.dentons.com

* The American Lawyer 2018 – Global 100 law firm ranking by number of lawyers.

Moscow, January 2019 – Alexei Zakharko has been elected Russia Managing Partner at Dentons, the world’s largest law firm.  

Alexei Zakharko commented: “I am honored to be elected to this role. As managing partner, I will focus on further strengthening Dentons’ leading position in Russia in order to meet our clients’ growing needs for top quality legal services and innovation.”

Alexei Zakharko has extensive experience in acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, corporate finance and leveraged acquisitions. He also has considerable experience in private equity transactions, port/terminal transactions and bank equity deals. He is ranked as one of the leading lawyers in Corporate/M&A in Russia by Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, The Legal 500 and the Best Lawyers Guide.

Alexei Zakharko graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 2003 and received a law degree from Cornell University in 2005. He joined Dentons’ Moscow office as a trainee in 2002 and worked in the London office from 2007 to 2008. He was appointed partner in 2011 and head of the Energy and Natural Resources practice in 2017.

Alexei Zakharko takes over leadership from Florian Schneider, who was the Russia Managing Partner from 2012 until 2018. Under Schneider’s leadership, Dentons strengthened its Corporate/M&A, Private Equity, Life Sciences, Capital Markets, Energy, White Collar Crime and Competition practices. In 2014 and 2018, Dentons was named “Law Firm of the Year in Russia” at the Chambers Europe Awards. Florian Schneider will continue working as a partner in the Real Estate and Corporate/M&A practices.

Tomasz Dabrowski, Chief Executive Officer of Dentons Europe, commented: “Dentons has a powerhouse team in Russia and I am confident that under Alexei’s competent leadership, we will maintain and grow our position as the top international law firm in Russia and CIS.”

Florian Schneider, Dentons Partner, added: “Alexei’s knowledge of the Russian legal environment, strong leadership skills and commitment to clients will ensure his success in this new position.”

About Dentons

Dentons is the world's largest law firm*, delivering quality and value to clients around the globe. Dentons is a leader on the Acritas Global Elite Brand Index, a BTI Client Service 30 Award winner and recognized by prominent business and legal publications for its innovations in client service, including founding Nextlaw Labs and the Nextlaw Global Referral Network. Dentons' polycentric approach and world-class talent challenge the status quo to advance client interests in the communities in which we live and work.  www.dentons.com

* The American Lawyer 2018 – Global 100 law firm ranking by number of lawyers.

NUR-SULTAN, March 26, 2019 - With the support of the “Kazakh Invest" National Company" JSC, 27 investment projects with participation of foreign capital worth US$ 3.1 billion were implemented in Kazakhstan in 2018. As a result of it about 6 000 jobs have been created. 

Currently, there are 157 projects with the participation of foreign investors from 26 countries totaling about US$ 40 billion in the monitoring system of the “Kazakh Invest". Implementation of these projects may create about 45 000 jobs.

Within the regions, the largest number of projects falls on the Almaty region - 27 projects worth US$ 4.1 billion. The top five also includes Karaganda region - 15 projects worth US$ 2.1 billion; Nur-Sultan city - 12 projects worth US$ 4.1 billion; Kostanay region - 12 projects worth US$ 2.2 billion and Aktobe region - 10 projects worth US$ 1 billion.

There is also a separate list of investors underway, negotiations with them have begun on 180 projects. In 2019, it is planned to ensure the commissioning of 27 projects and attract up to 100 new investors.

by MFA Kazakhstan

According to international media reports, Uzbekistan expects to increase its gold reserves to 430 tonnes between 2020 and 2024 as the country looks to develop its domestic gold deposits. The reports said that purchase could start this year as the central bank plans to buy 81.37 tonnes of gold.

The increase in gold reserves is part of the plan announced by the State Committee on Geology and Mineral Resources in its draft concept of the development of the geological industry of Uzbekistan for 2020-2024.

According to the development plan, the country will spend $230 million in exploration and development of new gold deposits. According to production numbers from 2017, Uzbekistan is the world’s ninth-largest gold producer and has the eighth-largest gold reserves.

The government’s geology department has identified 97 gold and silver deposits.

The government’s long-term plan would be a significant increase in its gold reserves. In its latest report, as of Jan. 1, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan said that is current gold reserves are valued at $14.64 billion.

Uzbekistan’s plan comes after central banks bought gold at the fastest pace since in 50 years, according to the 2018 data from the World Gold Council. According to the WGC, last year central banks bought 651.5 tonnes of gold.

If Uzbekistan meets its five-year target, the central bank’s reserves would be the twelfth largest in the world, just behind the European Central Bank’s official reserves of 504 tonnes.

By Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Kazakhstani President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has announced his resignation affective from March 20, 2019.  

The speaker of the upper house of parliament, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, would take over as acting president until presidential elections can be held.

https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstans-leader-resigns-after-almost-30-years-in-power

Gowling WLG is pleased to announce that Yulia Yarnykh, a member of the firm’s Moscow office, has been promoted to counsel. She previously served as an associate.

“In Russia, the counsel designation is accorded to those experienced lawyers who have inspired respect from their clients and have demonstrated strong leadership qualities and dedication to the firm,” said David Aylen, managing partner of Gowling WLG Russia/CIS. “On behalf of the firm, I congratulate Yulia on this well-deserved career milestone.”

Yulia Yarnykh focuses her practice on a broad range of IP and corporate matters, including the enforcement of IP rights, trademark protection and IP transactions. She is also proficient in compliance and regulatory matters in media, e-commerce, personal data protection, competition and advertising.

In 2018, Yulia was named a “Rising Star” by Managing Intellectual Property, one of the world’s premier IP publications.

Through the strength of our Moscow office, Gowling WLG delivers a wide range of intellectual property law services across Russia. Our award-winning trademark, copyright and patent professionals work with European, Canadian and global companies to manage and defend their IP rights.

ABOUT GOWLING WLG’S GLOBAL IP PRACTICE:

With unmatched expertise in patents, trademarks, brands and designs, copyright, advertising, IP litigation and more, Gowling WLG has been winning IP cases for clients around the world for over 125 years, and offers exceptional representation in a dynamic and competitive market. Learn more

ABOUT GOWLING WLG RUSSIA/CIS:

Gowling WLG Russia/CIS is a recognized leader in the protection of intellectual property rights in the region. Through the strength of our Moscow office, the firm has worked with a global clientele for about three decades to deliver strategic advice in all aspects of IP law throughout Russia and the CIS.

We are a trusted adviser to many of the world’s leading innovators and brand owners on the Fortune Global 500 list. Clients appreciate the superior quality of our services, strategic and practical approach, and responsiveness. Learn more

Contact:

Madina Assylbekova
Director of Business Development RUSSIA/CIS
+7 495 775 4863
madina.assylbekova@gowlingwlg.com