Diana Dimova is the Managing Partner of the Sofia office, the head of the local M&A and Corporate practice and the co-head of the firm-wide Banking & Finance sector.
Diana has advised numerous international companies on their market entry in Bulgaria and has extensive experience in M&A and corporate, private equity, energy and natural resources, as well as in infrastructure and projects.
Clients are full of praise, noting her involvement and hands-on approach. One source adds: 'We appreciate the day-to-day work she put in'.
RECENT ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDE ADVISING
Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
- KBC GROUP on the EUR 610 million acquisition of the fourth biggest bank in Bulgaria, United Bulgarian Bank (UBB), and of the third biggest leasing company in Bulgaria, Interlease, from the National Bank of Greece, as well as on the acquisition of MetLife’s remaining 40% stake in UBB-MetLife
- MEZZANINE MANAGEMENT on a complex mezzanine financing and equity investment into Remix Global involving corporate restructuring of the target by way of carving out core assets into a new entity
- ONE OF THE LARGEST GLOBAL INSURANCE AND ASSET MANAGEMENT PROVIDERS on the Bulgarian legal and regulatory aspects of their proposed acquisition of the European business of another global insurance provider
- UNITED BULGARIAN BANK and CIBANK on their merger, providing full-scope transaction assistance and employment advice and obtaining merger approval for the first time in the framework of newly amended legislation
M&A and Corporate
- GTT COMMUNICATIONS, a leading global cloud networking provider, on their acquisition of Interoute, an operator of one of Europe’s largest independent fibre networks and cloud service platforms, from Emasan and Turbo Holdings Lux II
- KBC GROUP on the EUR 610 million acquisition of the fourth biggest bank in Bulgaria, United Bulgarian Bank (UBB), and of the third biggest leasing company in Bulgaria, Interlease, from the National Bank of Greece, as well as on the acquisition of MetLife’s remaining 40% stake in UBB-MetLife
- INTERVET, the animal health division of MSD (a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company), on the reorganisation of their business in Bulgaria, including changes to their distribution model, winding-up of the local subsidiary and related employment and regulatory aspects
- MICRO FOCUS INTERNATIONAL, a global infrastructure software business, on the Bulgarian legal aspects of the sale of SUSE, a leading global provider of open source infrastructure software, to the investment fund EQT VIII for an enterprise value of USD 2.535 billion
- TOWN & COUNTRY HOLDINGS, an H.I.G. Capital Portfolio Company, on the acquisition of Home Dynamix, a designer and manufacturer of home textile products
- UNILEVER GROUP on the Bulgarian legal aspects of the EUR 6.825 billion sale of its global Spreads business to KKR
- UNITED BULGARIAN BANK on the complex sale of a secured NPL and distressed assets portfolio to a consortium of asset managers
Energy & Natural Resources
- A FRENCH DEVELOPER OF RENEWABLE ENERGY POWER PLANTS on the 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
- NOVENERGIA, a European renewable energy investment fund, a part of Total Eren, acting through two local subsidiaries operating photovoltaic power plants, on a variety of regulatory matters, as well as on corporate, employment, and other legal issues in Bulgaria
- TRANSATLANTIC PETROLEUM LIMITED, a leading on-shore oil and gas exploration company, acting through its subsidiary Direct Petroleum Bulgaria, on the potential exit from a concession agreement for the extraction and primary processing of natural gas and condensate in Bulgaria
EDUCATION
- 2009: The College of Law, London, UK, LL.M. 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
LANGUAGES
Bulgarian, English
