Dan Matthews is the managing partner of Baker & McKenzie’s Istanbul office. He is a member of Baker & McKenzie’s Energy, Mining & Infrastructure Industry Group and Banking & Finance Practice Group. Before relocating to Istanbul in 2011, he was the managing partner of the Baku office and, prior to that, worked for several years in Baker & McKenzie’s Moscow office. He is listed as a leading individual in his area of practice by Chambers Global, Legal 500, PLC Which lawyer? and IFLR 1000. Mr. Matthews is a member of the Florida Bar, and is also a member of the US Section of the US – Turkey Business Council.

Practice Focus

Mr. Matthews advises on all types of cross-border finance transactions, including financing in the oil and gas industry. He also advises domestic and multinational clients on related structuring, credit support, taxation, customs and currency control issues. He has experience in advising both borrowers and lenders in a broad range of banking and finance transactions, including project, acquisition and export financing.

Representative Legal Matters

• Advised one of Turkey’s largest conglomerates and its subsidiary in relation to a USD1 billion financing project for the development of a coal-fired power plant.
• Advised Akbank in relation to the issuance of USD500 million notes due 2017 and USD500 million notes due 2022.
• Advised Commerzbank and other lenders with respect to loan facilities to Türkiye Sınai Kalkınma Bankası A.Ş. (TSKB)
• Advised US Overseas Private Investment Fund (OPIC) in relation to a USD50 million loan facility to Şeker Mortgage Finansman A.Ş. secured by mortgage loans.
• Advised ING Belgium NV/SA, Fortis Bank SA/NV, KBC Bank NV, Commerzbank AG, Filiale Luxembourg and Banque LBLux S.A. in relation to an amendment and restatement agreement relating to EUR157 million senior multicurrency term and revolving facilities to Deceuninck.
• Advised Standard Chartered Bank in connection with a facility.
• Advised the Mandated Lead Arrangers in a syndicated loan to the International Bank of Azerbaijan on matters of Azerbaijani and English law (transaction value: USD173.5 million).
• Advised a major European bank on its project and export financing of an electric arc furnace for an iron ore processing facility in Azerbaijan (transaction value: 165 million).
• Acted as Azerbaijani law counsel for a hedge fund active in trade finance, managed by New York-based subsidiary, as mandated lead arranger in connection with the provision of trade-related syndicated multicurrency loan facilities to the Russian subsidiary of an Azerbaijani bank, the largest financial institution in the Caucasus that guaranteed the loan.

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Florida Bar - Member
• American Chamber of Commerce, Baku - President (2009-2012)
• Junior Achievement, Azerbaijan - Member, Board of Trustees (1999-2011)
• Eurasia Partnership Foundation - Member of the Board of Directors (2007-2012)
• US – Turkey Business Council - Member (2012-present)
• American Chamber of Commerce, Azerbaijan - Member of the Board of Directors (2000-2012)

Admission

Florida~United States (1986)

Education

University of Florida  (J.D.) (1986)
University of Florida  (B.A.) (1983)