The hard-working and flexible Petr Hudec continues to impress in the capital markets arena, where he has established a strong reputation in both debt and equity transactions, acting for underwriters and issuers. Petr Hudec is highly regarded and well versed in both DCM and ECM matters, including IPOs, bond issuances and EMTN programmes. Clients identify him as a multi-skilled practitioner and a hard-working lawyer who truly understands the client's needs. He is perfect and solves issues straight away.
Biography
Petr Hudec is a partner in our global Capital Markets practice and the head of our Capital Markets practice based in Prague.
He has nearly two decades of experience representing corporates and financial institutions in a wide range of equity and debt capital markets transactions, including a number of the first-ever and highest-value capital markets transactions in and out of the Czech Republic and the CEE region.
Petr's extensive experience includes navigating clients through the complexities of equity and debt capital markets transactions ranging from IPOs, secondary offerings and public takeovers to investment-grade bonds, high-yield bonds, regulatory bonds, covered bonds, private placements, EMTN programs, and liability managements. In addition, his practice includes advising on secured lending and structured credit transactions. He also regularly advises on issues concerning capital markets regulation.
Petr is Czech and New York law qualified. He is based in Prague and has previously worked in the firm's London office. He is consistently ranked as a leading capital markets lawyer by major publications.
Experience
Petr has advised, among other, the following clients:
International Debt Capital Markets
- BNP PARIBAS, J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley Europe as joint global coordinators, joint physical bookrunners and initial purchasers, and UniCredit Bank as joint bookrunner and initial purchaser, on the issuance of senior secured notes by the leading European defense group Czechoslovak Group. The transaction involved the issuance of US$1 billion 6.500 per cent. senior secured notes due 2031 and €1 billion 5.250 per cent. senior secured notes due 2031, offered under Rule 144A and Regulation S. The notes benefited from a comprehensive collateral package and had to be integrated into the group's overall financing structure. The transaction was awarded the "Global Banking & Markets Deal of the Year" at the Global Banking & Markets CEE, CIS & Türkiye Awards 2025.
- IDS Financing from the IDS Group, which includes Royal Mail and GLS, as issuer on the simultaneous issuance of €750 million 4.000 per cent. fixed rate notes due 2032 and €650 million 3.250 per cent. fixed rate notes due 2029, both admitted to trading on the main market of the London Stock Exchange. The notes were issued under an EMTN programme established immediately prior to the issuances, on which we also advised. The transaction was awarded the “Bonds Above £1bn Award” at the ACT Deals of the Year Awards 2025.
- ENERGO-PRO, a leading European electricity distribution and renewable hydropower generation company, as issuer on several standalone issuances, including the recent issue of €300 million 6.45 per cent senior guaranteed notes due 2031 issued through a private placement and offered under Regulation S, the issue of €700 million 8.00 per cent guaranteed notes due 2030 offered under Rule 144A and Regulation S and the subsequent €50 million tap issuance. The transaction was awarded the "Deal of the Year – Czechia" at the Global Banking & Markets CEE, CIS & Türkiye Awards 2025.
- Slovenské elektrárne, the largest electricity producer in Slovakia and one of the largest in Central Europe, on the establishment of its €2 billion EMTN programme and the successful debut issue of €750 million 3.875 per cent. green bonds due 2032 under the programme. The transaction was recognized as "Country Deal of the Year (Slovakia) 2025" by the CEE Legal Matters.
- EP Infrastructure, a leading European energy infrastructure utility, on several standalone issuances, the establishment of its EMTN programme and several high-profile issuances thereunder, including the recent issue of €500 million 4.375 per cent green bonds due 2034, which were admitted to trading on Euronext Dublin.
- ČEZ Group, one of the ten largest energy companies in Europe, on the establishment and multiple updates of its €8 billion EMTN program, several tender offers for outstanding notes and multiple sustainability-linked bond issuances under the programme, including the recent €750 million 4.375 per cent European Green Bonds due 2034, which were the first European Green Bonds issued on the Czech market and among the first in CEE. These transactions represent important milestones in integrating ESG objectives into corporate financing.
- EPH Financing International as issuer and Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH) as guarantor on the establishment of EPH's €3 billion EMTN programme, its annual update, and all issues thereunder, including the latest issue of €500 million 4.625 per cent. guaranteed notes due 2032 and the inaugural issue of €500 million 5.875 per cent. guaranteed green notes due 2029. The inaugural issuance was awarded as the "Debut Corporate Bond Deal of the Year and Energy Transition Deal of the Year" at the Global Banking & Markets CEE, CIS & Türkiye Awards 2024.
- PPF Group on the capital markets matters connected to its sale of 50 percent plus one share in PPF Telecom Group's assets across Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia to Emirates Telecommunications Group Company (e&) for a total consideration of up to €2.5 billion, which represents one of the largest regional transactions and one of the largest ever transactions executed by PPF Group. The transaction was recognized as "CEE Deal of the Year 2024" and "Country Deal of the Year (Bulgaria) 2024" by the CEE Legal Matters. We also advised the resulting JV company, e& PPF Telecom Group, on a comprehensive update of their EMTN programme.
- CTP Group on the establishment of its €8 billion EMTN programme, its subsequent annual updates, multiple issues of green bonds thereunder, and tender offers in respect of outstanding notes. The most recent update of the programme involved a complex revision of the programme documentation to enable the company to issue both senior notes and hybrid notes. The issued notes are listed on the Global Exchange Market of Euronext Dublin.
- České dráhy, (Czech Railways) as issuer in connection with several standalone issuances, including the latest issue of €500 million 3.750 per cent. senior unsecured notes due 2031. All notes were admitted to trading on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
Equity Capital Markets
- Avast (Gen Digital), a multinational cybersecurity software company headquartered in Prague and a long-term client of the firm, on its US$816.6 million initial public offering (IPO).
- A syndicate of international banks on the initial public offering (IPO) of shares of CZG – Česká zbrojovka Group (Colt CZ Group), one of the leading European producers of firearms for military and law enforcement, personal defence, hunting and sport shooting, and their listing on the Prague Stock Exchange.
- A syndicate of international banks in connection with Colt CZ Group's secondary listing on Euronext Amsterdam.
- EP Infrastructure on its contemplated IPO of ordinary shares and GDRs, with listings on the Prague and London stock exchanges. At the final stage, controlling shareholder EPH opted for a bilateral transaction with Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets instead of the IPO.
- Waberer's International together with its shareholder MidEuropa, on the IPO of Waberer's and listing of its shares on the Budapest Stock Exchange. The offering included both primary and secondary shares and its total size was HUF 24.7 billion (approximately €79.6 million).
- Pegas Nonwovens, a nonwoven fabrics producer with its shares listed on the regulated markets of the Prague Stock Exchange and Warsaw Stock Exchange, in connection with a voluntary tender offer by R2G Rohan Czech, a Czech Republic-based investment holding company, to acquire the remaining 89.17% stake in Pegas Nonwovens.
- NWR, the central European hard coal producer, on the successful restructuring of its balance sheet via a UK arrangement scheme and rights issue, which included a related issue of new senior secured notes, mandatory convertible notes and contingent value rights listed on the Luxembourg MTF.
- JPMorgan, as lead manager, in connection with the offering and listing of shares in Central European Media Enterprises, a NASDAQ-listed company holding media businesses in Central and Eastern Europe, including the operator of a leading television network in the Czech Republic.
- AAA Auto Group in connection with the IPO of its shares in the Czech Republic and Hungary. The shares were admitted to trading on the main market of the Prague Stock Exchange and the Budapest Stock Exchange.
- One of the largest CEE consumer credit providers with rapidly expanding global operations in connection with its planned IPO and listing of shares on the London Stock Exchange. The transaction was completed as a private M&A sale via a dual track process.
- ČEZ Group in connection with the dual listing of its shares on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.
Domestic Debt Capital Markets
- EMMA Finance CZ and EMMA Finance SK, special purpose vehicles of private equity firm EMMA Capital, in connection with the establishment of the first Czech-law-governed dual-issuer CZK 7.5 billion note programme and issuances thereunder, including the issuance of CZK 2 billion 6.35 per cent. notes due 2031 by EMMA Finance CZ and the debut issuances of CZK 2.5 billion 6.00 per cent. notes due 2030 by Emma Finance CZ, and €50 million 5.25 per cent. notes due 2030 by Emma Finance SK.
- joint lead managers, managers and coordinators in connection with several standalone issuances, the establishment of the CZK 20 billion note programme by Dr. Max, a leading European pharmacy chain, and the latest issue of CZK 1.25 billion 6.20 per cent. Notes issued under the programme.
- Rohlik.cz Finance II as issuer on several standalone issuances, including the latest issue of CZK 4 billion retail offering of senior secured fixed rate bonds due 2029 with a right to receive an extraordinary bonus linked to equity value. This was the first time such novel feature, which provides investors in corporate bonds with an upside linked to equity value, has been used in the domestic retail bond market.
- Accolade Group, a major European investment and real estate group, as issuer on the establishment of its CZK 5 billion domestic bond programme and several issuances thereunder, including the latest CZK 1.625 billion 6.75 per cent green notes due 2031. We also advised Accolade on a standalone CZK 3 billion 8.00 per cent green bond issue due 2029, which was the first ever green bond issuance by a corporate issuer under Czech law.
- ENERGO-PRO Green Finance as issuer on its CZK 3.5 billion retail domestic offering of green notes due 2029, issued by ENERGO-PRO Green Finance, guaranteed by its holding company DK Holding Investments and secured over shares in ENERGO-PRO and certain other assets of DK Holding Investments. The notes have been admitted to trading on the regulated market of the Prague Stock Exchange.
- České dráhy (Czech Railways), as issuer, in connection with its domestic issues of bonds and the establishment and maintenance of its commercial paper program.
- NET4GAS on a CZK-denominated dual-tranche bond offering in an aggregate amount of CZK 11 billion. The transaction consisted of CZK 4.1 billion floating rate bonds due 2028 and CZK 6.9 billion 2.745 per cent. bonds due 2031. The bonds are admitted to trading on the regulated market of the Prague Stock Exchange. The transaction represented the biggest CZK denominated corporate bond offering so far and the 10-year tranche had the longest tenor achieved by a corporate issuer in the most recent decade.
Ranked as "Leading Partner" in Banking, Finance and Capital Markets, The Legal 500, 2026
Ranked as "Market Leader" in Capital Markets, IFLR 1000, 2018-2025
Ranked for Capital Markets, Chambers Global & Europe, 2017-2026
"Petr Hudec is business-oriented and goals-driven, and has efficient communication."
(Chambers Europe, 2026)
"Petr Hudec is very knowledgeable, very experienced and good to negotiate with. He has a calm demeanour and always leads negotiations to a successful end. It is a pleasure to co-operate with him."
(Chambers Global & Europe, 2025)