Tango with Regulators: How Latin American Investors Can Close Deals in Russia
Working with Russian assets today can often resemble a tango: investors need to feel the rhythm of regulatory requirements and respond swiftly to changing rules. How to navigate this dance with regulators was the focus of a seminar hosted by Asari Legal’s Regulatory practice, titled Tango with Regulators: How Latin American Investors Can Close Deals in Russia, held on 5 March 2025.
The event was organised with the support of the NC SESLA association and brought together more than 40 participants, including representatives of Latin American diplomatic missions, trade offices, and the business community.
During the seminar, Nato Tskhakaya, Partner and Head of Asari Legal’s Regulatory practice, and Dzhan Chelenk, Associate, addressed the key regulatory challenges that investors currently face when structuring transactions in the Russian market.
The speakers discussed whether a “friendly” jurisdiction status effectively provides immunity from restrictions and what practical advantages it may offer. Particular attention was devoted to the enforcement of counter-sanctions and to situations where they may impact transactions involving Russian assets.
The session also covered dividend payments and intercompany lending between Russian entities and foreign investors, with insights into the factors that issuers, banks, and regulators consider when reviewing such transactions.
The seminar concluded with a discussion of antitrust control over economic concentration in Russia and typical scenarios in which transactions may require clearance from the competition authority.