Elena Kurchuk
Overview
Experience
News
Elena is Counsel of Grata International leading the Russian competition practice.
Elena has more than 20 years of experience advising on international transactions and projects including foreign investments in Russian strategic companies and assets.
Elena’s primary focus has been competition law advice ranging from competition compliance matters and review of distribution and commercial arrangements to investigations and advice on abuse of a dominant position and unfair competition.
Elena has a profound expertise in merger control matters including substantive assessment of competition concerns and obtaining clearance from the antimonopoly authority. She has wealth of experience in managing multijurisdictional reviews and filings. Elena advises on the foreign investment regulations, has obtained prior consents of the RF Government Commission in relation to deals involving strategic industries and foreign sovereign investors.
Elena represents clients before the antimonopoly authority in the proceedings on alleged violations of competition law and public procurement law.
Elena has successfully participated in a number of legislative initiatives related to the Russian competition law.
Elena earlier headed the Russian competition practice of DLA Piper, Salans (currently Dentons) and was an advisor to ASB Consulting Group leading the competition practice.
Awards:
Chambers Europe (2016)
Pravo.ru Best Lawyers (2018)
Education:
- The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), postgraduate course on analyzing current competition conditions in the goods market to ensure relevant antimonopoly regulations 2012
- King’s College London, Economics for Competition Law course 2010
- Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), International Law Degree 1998
- Moscow State Linguistic University 1995
Membership:
- International Bar Association
- Antitrust Section, Women Lawyers’ Interest Group
- Association of Antimonopoly Experts
Languages:
English
Russian
French
German
Practice areas
Corporate and M&A
Experience
- Advising a Turkish beverage company Anadolu Efes Biracilik & Malt Sanayii AS (Anadolu Efes) on the formation of a strategic alliance between Anadolu Group and SABMiller plc in Turkey, Russia, the CIS, Central Asia and the Middle East in a USD 1.9 billion deal;
- Advising Saint-Gobain on regulatory and merger control matters in connection with M&A transactions in Russia;
- Advising Repsol on acquisition of 100% shares of Evrotek holding subsoil use licenses;
- Advising Ecolab Inc. on Russian regulatory and merger control matters related to its acquisition of Champion group business;
- Advising a global producer of medical equipment on Russian competition law matters in relation to distribution, distribution structuring and other commercial arrangements, including compliance review of agreements, representing the company in an investigation of the antimonopoly authority;
- Advising a large retailer on merger control matters in a number of major M&A transactions, clearance with the antimonopoly authority;
- Representing clients (in the life sciences and FMCG sectors) before antimonopoly authority in proceedings on the alleged violations of competition law, investigations by the antimonopoly authority and administrative cases;
- Advising on Russian strategic investment law and foreign investment law matters in multiple major cross-border transactions (including in relation to Russian strategic subsoil users as well as other strategic businesses), obtaining prior approvals of the RF Government Commission;
- Advising major automotive manufacturers and banks in relation to joint marketing arrangements;
- Assisting a major automotive manufacturer with the preparation of the company's compliance code;
- Advising on competition compliance matters and performing compliance audits;
- Advising a major Russian construction company on public procurement matters and tender requirements, review of public contracts.
