Vlad Zinovyev is a corporate associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions, Energy & Infrastructure, Power & Renewables, and Cleantech Practice Groups.
Vlad advises on complex domestic and cross-border transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors across the United States and the Middle East, with a focus on M&A, private equity investments, joint ventures, and project development arrangements. He also has additional expertise in equity and debt capital markets and broader corporate finance matters.
He has represented sovereign-owned entities, public and private companies, private equity and asset management firms, and financial institutions in connection with projects and transactions across the United States, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. His industry experience includes renewable and conventional power generation, storage, transmission and distribution, energy transition fuels and technologies, petrochemical and industrial projects, utilities, as well as metals and mining.
Vlad previously worked in Gibson Dunn’s Abu Dhabi office, and before that across the Beijing and London offices of another international law firm.
Vlad received his LL.M. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, M.Sc. from King’s College London, and LL.B. from Saint Petersburg University. He is admitted to practice in the State of New York and in England and Wales, and is fluent in Russian and Mandarin Chinese.
Representative Experience:
Renewables and Conventional Power
- Veritas Capital: on its $3.1 billion acquisition and related financing of Wood Mackenzie, a global research and consultancy group serving the energy, renewables, and natural resources industries.
- AIP Management: on its strategic U.S. platform expansion through an investment in Silicon Ranch Corporation, one of the largest solar independent power producers in the U.S.
- AIP Management: on its acquisition of majority equity interests in Victory Pass and Arica, co-located 463 MWac solar photovoltaic and 186 MW battery energy storage system projects in California, from Clearway Energy.
- AIP Management: on its acquisition of minority equity interests in Pine Forest, a co-located 300 MWac solar photovoltaic and 200 MW battery energy storage system project in Texas, from Clearway Energy.
- Clearway Energy: on its acquisition of the 137 MW Tuolumne Wind Project located in Washington from Turlock Irrigation District, an electric and water utility providing California’s Central Valley with power and irrigation water.
- Paragon Energy Capital: on its sale of the 93.5 MW Saguaro natural gas-fired combined-cycle power cogeneration facility located in Nevada to Nightpeak Energy.
- Antin Infrastructure Partners: on its acquisition of a majority stake in PearlX, an owner and operator of fully integrated smart grid infrastructure systems.
- energyRe: on a tax equity investment from Google and in a related financing for three solar power projects located in South Carolina.
- Orion Renewable Energy: on the development and sale of a wind project in the United States.
Utilities
- Berkshire Hathaway Energy and its utility subsidiaries: on multiple financings, including refinancings of six separate revolving and term-loan credit facilities in an aggregate amount of up to $8.9 billion.
- MidAmerican Energy Company: on multiple bond offerings, including (i) a $1.35 billion registered green bond offering of 5.350% first mortgage bonds due 2034 and 5.850% first mortgage bonds due 2054, (ii) a $600 million registered green bond offering of 5.300% first mortgage bonds due 2055, the proceeds of which were used to finance or refinance qualifying energy, clean transportation, and climate change adaptation investments, and (iii) a $400 million registered bond offering of 5.500% first mortgage bonds due 2056.
- Eastern Energy Gas Holding: on multiple registered senior notes offerings, including (i) an offering of $900 million aggregate principal amount of 5.650% senior notes due 2054, (ii) an offering of $700 million aggregate principal amount of 5.800% senior notes due 2035, and (iii) an offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of 6.200% senior notes due 2055.
- State Grid Corporation of China: on its joint venture with two state-owned utility companies to develop a $1.8 billion PPP electricity transmission project (including transmission lines, substations, and distribution systems) in Ethiopia.
- State Grid Corporation of China: on the development and financing of the $1.65 billion, 660 kV HDVC, 878-km Matiari-Lahore BOOT electricity transmission project in Pakistan.
- Veolia Environment: on the EPC contract template for the development of wastewater treatment facilities in China.
Oil & Gas, Petrochemical and Industrial
- ADNOC: on the development of one of the world’s largest integrated production complexes at the TA’ZIZ Industrial Zone in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
- Middle Eastern sovereign-owned energy entity: on its ~$3 billion sell-down of shares in its natural gas unit via a fully marketed offering to institutional investors.
- Middle Eastern sovereign-owned energy entity: on its ~$320 million sell-down of shares in its energy logistics unit via an accelerated book-build offering to institutional investors.
- Investment Corporation of Dubai and ALEC: on the initial public offering (IPO) and listing of ALEC, a UAE-based engineering and construction company focusing on energy, on the Dubai Financial Market.
- NEOM: in connection with the drafting of contract and commercial laws for a special economic zone in Saudi Arabia.
- IGY Marinas: on the development and operation of super-yacht marinas in the NEOM region of Saudi Arabia.
Mining and Metals
- Underwriters and deal managers on multiple bond and tender offers by Vale Overseas Limited and Vale S.A., including (i) multiple offerings of $3.25 billion aggregate principal amount of guaranteed notes and (ii) multiple tender offers to purchase for cash outstanding guaranteed notes up to an aggregate principal amount of $1.7 billion.
- Government of Kyrgyzstan: on negotiating its strategic investment agreement with the TSX and NYSE-listed Canadian mining company Centerra Gold Inc., relating to one of the largest gold mines in the world, and settling a $200 million alleged expropriation claim.
- Government of Kyrgyzstan: in connection with the alleged expropriation of Stans Energy Corp.’s mining rights in one of the world’s largest rare-earths deposits.
*Includes representations prior to association with Gibson Dunn.
Capabilities
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Capital Markets
- Cleantech
- Energy and Infrastructure
- Infrastructure
- Power and Renewables
- Private Equity
- Projects
Credentials
Education:
- King's College London - 2022 Master of Science
- University of California, Berkeley - 2022 Master of Law
- Saint Petersburg University - 2015 Bachelor of Law
Admissions:
- England & Wales - Solicitor
- New York Bar