Biography
Sebastian is a partner in our Energy, Infrastructure, Project, and Asset Finance (EIPAF) practice in Istanbul. His practice focuses on complex projects in the energy and infrastructure sectors, including public-private partnerships, covering project development, financing greenfield assets, and refinancing and restructuring brownfield projects.
He advises on various financings, incorporating guarantees, promotional funds, and refinancings from ECAs and development finance institutions (DFIs), particularly KfW, EIB, and export credit agencies such as Euler Hermes, EKF (EIFO), EKN, and SACE-backed financings. His expertise also extends to structuring complex financial models and negotiating cross-border transactions.
In the area of infrastructure, Sebastian has a long-standing reputation for advising on infrastructure projects across various sectors, including motorways, hospitals, airports, roads, and bridges. He is also renowned specialist across the energy spectrum.
Experience
Representation of the consortium of Senior Financiers including EBRD, AIIB, Deutsche Bank AG, Standard Chartered Bank, Natixis, IsDB, ICD, and Vakıflar Bank in connection with approx. EUR1,1 billion financing of the Nakkaş-Başakşehir Motorway, final section of the Northern Marmara Motorway, being developed by Nakkaş Otoyol Yatırım ve İşletme A.Ş. owned by Rönesans Group, and a group of Korean Sponsors including Samsung C&T and Korean public organizations, including Korean Expressway Corporation, KIND and PIS Fund. The financing to be extended by the commercial banks are backed by the ECAs including Atradius, the ICIEC, and SERV.
Representation of Rönenans Holding and its Kazakh subsidiary Renell Kokshetau LLP in connection with the financing of the first healthcare facility to be developed under the PPP model in Kokshetau, Kazakhstan.
Representation of Kolin İnşaat Turizm Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. as the sole sponsor in the EUR884,066,610 financing of the construction and operation of the Çeşmeli-Kızkalesi section of the Çeşmeli-Erdemli-Silifke-Taşucu Highway Project carried out on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model basis. The financing was provided by Akbank, Barclays, DenizBank, DZ Bank, İşbank, Vakıfbank, Yapı Kredi Bank and Ziraat Bank and was partially covered by a credit insurance from the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).
Representation of Fernas İnşaat A.Ş. and FNS Otoyol Yatırım ve İşletme A.Ş., acting as sponsor and the project company, in connection with the EUR973,769,434 financing for the Ankara-Kırıkkale-Delice motorway project on the basis of the built-operate-transfer (BOT) model.
Representation of senior financiers including the Deutsche Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, ICBC, Silk Road Fund, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, Kuveyt Türk, Akbank, Garanti BBVA, QNB, VakıfBank, and Ziraat Bank in connection with the EUR1.7 billion senior secured financing for the Antalya-Alanya motorway project on the basis of the built-operate-transfer (BOT) model, supported by ICIEC under a non-honouring of sovereign financial obligations (NHSFO) policy cover.
Representation of lenders led by Deutsche Bank (Akbank, TEB, Ziraat Bank, VakıfBank, Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank, Kommunalkredit Austria AG and QNB Finansbank) in connection with the financing of EUR1.225 billion for the payment of the upfront lease payment under the new tender to the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMI) for Antalya Airport. The total upfront lease payment equals to EUR1,812,500,000 and the remaining portion has been contributed as equity jointly by the sponsors TAV Airports and Fraport AG.
Representation of Fernas İnşaat A.Ş, as sponsor and Fernas Otoyol İşletmesi A.Ş., the project company, in connection with financings with an aggregate amount of EUR1,244,857,455 for the construction of Aydın-Denizli Motorway in accordance with the built-operate-transfer (BOT) model, which became fully operational in October 2024. The financings were extended by the offshore branches of the consortium of Turkish banks consisting of Ziraat Bank, Akbank, İş Bank and Yapı Kredi Bank and are entitled to benefit from the debt assumption by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance of Türkiye.
