Pawel Szaja is a partner in the Capital Markets practice. He is based in the London office and has a broad area of expertise covering EMEA Capital Markets, M&A and Private Equity.

Pawel advises corporates, private equity funds and underwriters in Europe, the Middle East and Africa on complex cross-border equity and debt capital markets, M&A and private equity transactions as well as securities law, corporate governance and ongoing reporting matters. His practice covers several areas of international corporate finance and capital markets transactions, including SEC-registered equity and debt offerings, IPOs, privatisations, debt offerings, public and private M&A transactions and private equity investments, including in emerging markets. Pawel is a member of the Fintech Foundry programme at Shearman & Sterling.

Pawel has completed secondments to the execution group at a major investment bank in London and the legal department at ADNOC in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

• Equity Capital Markets: initial public offerings, rights issues, equity placements, spin-offs, ADR/GDR structures and convertible bonds (SEC-registered and Rule 144A/Regulation S), including offerings by Halyk Bank, Elkem, Terveystalo Oyj, ABN AMRO, Endesa, Yandex, TDC, NXP Semiconductors, ADNOC Distribution, Emaar Misr, Cleopatra Hospital Company, Citadele banka (proposed IPO), AIB Bank plc, Waberer's, Ladbrokes, Laird, New Look, OSRAM, Premier Foods, Alpha Bank, Autoneum AG, Hugo Boss, Western Refining, Banco Comercial Português, Ardmore Shipping, Banco Popular Español, Basic-Fit, Hispania Activos Inmobiliarios SOCIMI, Grivalia Properties, Marine Harvest, Irish Residential Properties REIT, McMoRan Exploration, Merlin Properties SOCIMI SA, Numericable, Logista, Espirito Santo Saude, Coface, Banca Carige, Banca Popolare dell'Emilia Romagna, Credito Valtelinese, Fidelity National Financial.
• Debt Capital Markets: investment grade and high yield bonds (SEC-registered and Rule 144A/Regulation S), project bonds, bank regulatory capital, commercial papers, including offerings by SABMiller, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, ENGIE, ArcelorMittal, Credit Suisse, Schaeffler, Odigeo, Digicel, Mylan, Yandex, NXP Semiconductors, ING Bank NV, StatoilHydro, Western Refining, Deutsche Industriebank, Polkomtel, Eurohypo, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, Boston Gas Company, Keyspan Gas East Corporation, Kerry Group, Range Resources, General Dynamics Corporation, General Mills, ACWA Power, Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline and Emirates Sembcorp Water & Power Company.
• Public / private M&A and private equity investments, including in respect of the merger of Videocon d2h and Dish TV (Asia Pacific's largest direct-to-home TV company); the acquisition by a US listed company Wright Medical Group N.V. of IMASCAP, a French company; a planned public-to-private of a company in Central and Eastern Europe by a private equity fund; sale by EFG of a stake in Credit Libanais; the consortium of investment funds in connection with the acquisition of Eversholt Rail Group in the UK, and a number of other public and private investments by some of the biggest private equity funds.

Awards & Accolades

• Recognised as The Lawyer Hot 100 2020.
• Recognised as a “Rising Star” by IFLR1000.
• Recognised as a “'Next Generation Partner” for Debt Capital Markets in Legal 500 UK 2020.
• Recognised as a “Next Generation Partner” for Equity Capital Markets in Legal 500 UK 2019.
• Recognised as a “Recognised Practitioner” for Equity Capital Markets in Chambers UK 2019.
• Pawel advised on the €670 million IPO and privatisation of Nova Ljubljanska banka d.d., Ljubljana which was awarded “Equity Capital Markets Deal Team of the Year” at the 2019 Legal Week and American Lawyer Transatlantic Legal Awards and “Deal of the Year" in Slovenia at the Dealer’s Choice CEE Legal Awards 2019.
• Pawel advised on the IPO of Waberer's which was awarded the “Deal of the Year” in Hungary at the Dealer’s Choice CEE Legal Awards 2018.
• Pawel advised on the US$851 million ADNOC Distribution IPO which was awarded “Equity Deal of the Year” at the IFLR Awards 2018.
• Pawel advised on the US$814 million bond offering by ACWA Power Management and Investments One Limited which was awarded “MENA Project Bond of the Year” by IJ Global Awards 2018, “MENA Bond Deal of the Year” by PFI Awards 2017 and “Structured Finance Deal of the Year” by Bonds, Loans & Sukuk Middle East Awards 2017.

Publications

• Co-editor, “Investment Guide for Emerging Europe issued by CEE Legal Matters, 2020.
• Author, “Initial Public Offerings: United Kingdom” published by Global Legal Insights, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020.
• Author, “The JOBS Act and IPOs: the view from Europe” published by PLC Magazine, UK edition, September 2015.

Public Speaking

Pawel is a frequent speaker at major industry conferences, including “Capital Raising Opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe” at the Emerging Europe & Central Asia Conference 2019 held at the London Stock Exchange and the IFLR European Capital Markets Forum 2019.