Marina Safonova

Associate, New York

Biography

Overview

Marina is an associate in our New York Office Corporate/M&A practice. Marina represents international and domestic corporate clients in connection with public and private M&A transactions, corporate reorganizations and private equity investments across various industries, including energy and infrastructure sectors.

Bars and Courts
New York State Bar
Qualified to practice law in the Russian Federation
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Law
Moscow State Institute of International Relations
Master's Degree
International Economic Law
Moscow State Institute of International Relations
Master of Law
Harvard Law School
Languages
Russian
English
German
Spanish

Experience

Marina's experience includes advising:

Calpine Corporation in several matters, including the Us$1.1 billion financing of the Geysers geothermal power generating facilities in California, one of the largest portfolio of renewable energy assets in the US.

DIC Corporation, a Japanese fine chemicals company, and its US subsidiary Sun Chemical Corporation, in connection with DIC's €1.15 billion acquisition of BASF's global pigments business, known as BASF Colors & Effects.

Ascendant Digital Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: ACND), a SPAC, in its US$3 billion business combination with Beacon Street Group, LLC, a leading multi-brand digital subscription service platform that provides premium financial research, software, education and tools for self-directed investors.

Biosight Ltd., a privately held pharmaceutical development company developing innovative therapeutics for hematological malignancies and disorders, in its reverse merger transaction with Advaxis, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADXS), pursuant to which the shareholders of Biosight became the majority holders of the combined company.

Roark Capital Group and Inspire Brands, Inc., a global multi-brand restaurant company, in the acquisition of Jimmy John's LLC, a fast food sandwich restaurant chain.

Saudi Aramco in its US$69.1 billion acquisition of a 70% stake in Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) from the Public Investment Fund (PIF). The transaction was named "M&A Deal of the Year (Over US$50 billion)" by the M&A Advisor (2020).

CITIC Capital in its US$770 million acquisition of GNC Holdings Inc. through its subsidiary Harbin Pharmaceutical Group Holding Co., Ltd. pursuant to Section 363 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.

Special Committee of Cellular Biomedicine Group, Inc. in its sale to a consortium including certain members of CBMG management, CBMG stockholders and financial sponsors.

Mill Rock Capital in the acquisition of Trojan Lithograph Corporation, a U.S.-based full service provider of high-end, graphic paper packaging, from Arbor Investments.

Newlight Partners LP on an equity investment in the amount of up to US$100 million into Bioenergy Development Group Holdco, LLC and its subsidiaries, a group of companies based primarily in Delaware, Maryland and Italy developing and implementing anaerobic digestion technologies in the United States and overseas.

Certares LP, a global travel, tourism and hospitality investment firm, in its investment in Mystic Invest, a leading European luxury river cruising company.

Pernod Ricard, SA, the world's second-largest distiller, in its acquisition of a majority interest in Rabbit Hole Spirits, LLC, a U.S. premium bourbon brand based in Louisville, Kentucky.

An affiliate of a leading East Asian financial institution in the Sale by EFS Southern Star Partners LP of all of its shares in Southern Star Acquisition Corporation and a stockholder note to CDPQ Investments (U.S.) and CDP Group Infrastructures Inc., respectively.

Alcoa, the world's leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, on the disposal of CJSC Alcoa Metallurg Rus, one of its Russia based fabricated aluminum plants, to CJSC Lainen.

Allianz SE on the sale of OJSC Allianz Investments, a Russian asset management company.

Naspers Limited, the South African-based global internet and media company, on its US$1.2 billion investment to become the largest shareholder in Avito, the leading online classifieds platform in Russia.

Baring Vostok Capital Partners in the acquisition of a participatory share in LLC Viasat Da Vinci and LLC TV Education, Russian companies engaged in TV broadcasting and sales and purchase of TV content relating to the Da Vinci channel, formerly part of the Modern Times Group.

The shareholders of a joint venture company developing an agricultural project in the Stavropol Region for soybeans and corn cultivation (Avangard), on the exit of North Caucasus Development Corporation (NCDC) from the project and the sale of its stake to the remaining shareholder.