Diana Dimova is the Managing Partner of the Sofia office, the head of the local M&A, Corporate & Private Equity services and the co-head of the firm-wide Financial Institutions (transactional) sector. 

Diana has advised numerous international companies on their market entry in Bulgaria and has extensive experience in M&A, corporate, private equity, energy and natural resources, as well as in infrastructure and projects.

Diana is a problem solver and is very service-oriented. With unrivalled legal expertise, she combines a commercially astute and pragmatic mindset, making her one of the very best lawyers in the market.

She is very responsive and knowledgeable about corporate governance in Bulgaria.

Legal 500, 2023 / Chambers Europe, 2023

RECENT ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDE ADVISING

• KBC BANK on several acquisitions of financial institutions in Bulgaria: (i) the EUR 1,015 million acquisition of Raiffeisenbank Bulgaria from Raiffeisen Bank International (the largest transaction in the Bulgarian banking sector to date); (ii) the EUR 77.7 million acquisition of NN’s pension insurance and life insurance businesses in Bulgaria (one of the largest deals in the domestic insurance sector); (iii) the EUR 610 million acquisition of United Bulgarian Bank (UBB) and Interlease leasing company in Bulgaria from the National Bank of Greece
• TAWAL on the acquisition of the telecommunications tower assets of United Group B.V., consisting of more than 4,800 towers across Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovenia, for EUR 1.2 billion
• UNITED BULGARIAN BANK on its merger with CIBANK and providing full-scope assistance with the transaction, structuring, TUPE-like transfer of over 2,500 employees, and merger approval
• MERIDIAM, a French infrastructure investment fund, on the Bulgarian legal aspects of their winning bid in the tender for the 35-year concession of Sofia Airport valued at EUR 4.3 billion (the largest public-private partnership project in Bulgaria in recent years)
• KIN+CARTA, a global digital transformation consultancy and a B Corp company, on its acquisition of Bulgarian award-winning software development company Melon Group together with its subsidiaries in North Macedonia and Kosovo
• A FRENCH DEVELOPER OF RENEWABLE ENERGY POWER PLANTS on an intended acquisition of a large photovoltaic power plant project in Bulgaria as well as on the acquisition of the Bulgarian subsidiaries of a global renewable energy company which owns and operates wind farm projects

EDUCATION

• 2009: The College of Law, London, UK, Practice Diploma in International M&A
• 2005 – 2006: King’s College London, UK, PG Diploma in EU Law
• 1997 – 2002: University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia, Bulgaria, Faculty of Law, LL.M.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

• Sofia Bar Association
• International Bar Association

LANGUAGES

Bulgarian, English