Ivo Bárta has obtained extensive experience mainly in the areas of financing, privatization, mergers and acquisitions, and foreign direct investment projects under Slovak and Czech law.  He has represented various multinational and domestic clients in a broad variety of transactions, including commercial, corporate, real estate, securities, and financial law.

Mr. Bárta has worked on numerous banking and financial projects, including the structuring of syndicated and club loans, export and acquisition finance loans, and real estate financings, representing leading Slovak and international financial institutions such as BAWAG Bank CZ, Citibank, ČSOB, EBRD, Eximbanka, Istrobanka, Schroder Salomon Smith Barney, Slovenská sporiteľňa, UniBanka, Všeobecná úverová banka, West LB, and Živnostenská banka.

Mr. Bárta was named in The European Legal 500 as the leading individual in the area of corporate and commercial law in the Slovak Republic, and in the latest edition of PLC Which Lawyer? and The European Legal 500 as the recommended individual in the Czech Republic in the area of banking and finance.

Provision of Loans
Mr. Bárta has also gained considerable expertise in structuring, negotiation and  documentation of a wide variety of financings. Among others, he has represented the following clients:

• Slovenská sporiteľňa, a.s., in connection with the bilateral loan provided for the biggest real estate developer in Slovakia in order to finance the construction and operation of a major shopping-mall investment project in Bratislava;
• Slovenská sporiteľňa, a.s., in connection with the preparation, negotiation, and a guarantee granted by the EBRD in order to secure the receivables of the biggest Slovak electricity producer from the syndicated loan provided by a consortium of Slovak banks;
• Slovenská sporiteľňa, a.s. and Všeobecná úverová banka, a.s., in connection with the financing of the acquisition of the biggest Slovak chemical company by the Istrodeza, part of the AGROFERT Group;
• EIB, in connection with the preparation of the standard loan documents to be used in Central and Eastern Europe. The preparation was based on legal standards used in Western Europe;
• Všeobecná úverová banka, a.s., in connection with the bilateral loan provided to the biggest German developer to finance construction and operation of a major shopping-mall investment project in Nitra;
• Všeobecná úverová banka, a.s. in connection with preparation of the loan documentation related to financing of a logistic center executed by HB Reavis Group a.s., a Slovak real estate developer;
• Všeobecná úverová banka, the second largest Slovak bank, in connection with export financing provided to ZAO SP Matador Omskshina jsc, a Russian tyres manufacturer; and to Dniproshina, an Ukraine tyre plant. Both loans are to be insured by Slovak Export-Import bank;
• Všeobecná úverová banka, a.s., in connection with the bilateral loan provided for the biggest real estate developer in order to finance the construction and operation of the investment logistic center in Bratislava;
• Paroplynový cyklus, a.s. Bratislava, a Slovak utility company, with respect to obtaining a secured bridge loan in order to finance the construction and start-up costs of a combined electricity and heating power plant in Bratislava.  He subsequently led the team representing the company in obtaining a permanent financing loan from the European Investment Bank, secured by a state guarantee and additional bridge financing from a consortium of international banks;
• Credit Suisse First Boston International, in connection with the refinancing of the purchase of the major Slovak heat and steam producer by the Cypriot investment company Penta Investments Acquisition limited, a member of the Penta Group;
• Citibank (Slovakia), a.s., in connection with (i) the preparation and provision of the syndicated loan arranged by Citibank (Slovakia), a.s. for the biggest aluminum producer in Central and Eastern Europe, and (ii) the restructuring of a syndicated loan arranged by Citibank (Slovakia), a.s., used to refinance the existing debt of the biggest aluminum producer in Central and Eastern Europe; and
• Citibank (Slovakia), a.s., in connection with the preparation and provision of the export financing loan provided by Citibank (Slovakia), a.s. to the companies in Ukraine and Russia secured by various Ukrainian and Russian assets.

Project Financing
Mr. Bárta has also participated in a variety of significant project financing transactions in the Slovak and Czech Republics, including the representation of the consortium of Siemens Project Ventures and Advanced Power in connection with the preparation of the construction and the financing of a power-plant in Malženice, Slovakia, and real estate project financing. He also represented Globtel GSM, a.s., one of the main providers of cellular phone services in the Slovak Republic, with respect to obtaining project financing for the construction and operation of the GSM network in the Slovak Republic.

Acquisition Financing
Most recently, Mr. Bárta represented Slovenská sporiteľňa, a.s. and Všeobecná úverová banka, a.s. in the acquisition financing of the majority of shares of Istrochem, a.s. by Istrodeza, a.s., a member of the Agrofert Group, and the subsequent refinancing of Istrochem, a.s.

Capital Markets
He further represented underwriters in the planned initial public placement of Globtel shares on international and Slovak capital markets. He also represented Slovenská sporiteľňa, a.s. in connection with introducing the derivative contracts, ISDA Agreements, and other financial derivatives prepared by Slovenská sporiteľňa, a.s.

Mr. Ivo Bárta joined White & Case in January 1997.  Prior to joining White & Case, he worked for one of the top law firms in Chicago and its branches in Prague and Bratislava.  He established the Bratislava office of White & Case and, as one of the most experienced Slovak lawyers in the firm, supervises its operations.  He was made a partner in January 2001.