Luka Lightfoot | People | Baker McKenzie

Biography

Luka trained and qualified at another major international law firm before joining Baker McKenzie in September 2009.

Practice Focus

Luka advises lenders, sponsors, borrowers and ECAs on a wide variety of international and emerging markets financing transactions and restructurings. He is primarily involved in financing from countries in the Emerging Markets.

Representative Legal Matters

Advised Standard Chartered Bank, as global lead coordinator, lenders, export credit agencies and development finance institutions on the USD 2.33 billion financing to the United Republic of Tanzania to support a landmark railway development project in East Africa. The proceeds from the financing will be used by Yapi Merkezi for the construction of Lot 3 and Lot 4 (approximately 430 kilometres) of the Standard Gauge Railway in Tanzania, connecting Makutupora to Isaka.
Advised BBVA as lender and arranger on an innovative up to €340 million sovereign refinancing for Angola, supported by a first-loss IBRD guarantee and second-loss MIGA cover, with refinancing savings expected to support World Bank-backed education projects in Angola.
Advised MUFG, UKEF, AFC and a syndicate of commercial banks and institutional investors on a UKEF line of credit and tied commercial financing to the FERA and guaranteed by MEPC in connection with a complex multi-road project in the Republic of Senegal.
Advised Deutsche Bank and Societe Generale in connection with a first (AfDB)/second (ATIDI) covered EUR 570 million sustainable financing to the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire in connection with high-impact green and social initiatives, including renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, water and sanitation, health, and education.
Advised Standard Chartered Bank on an ICIEC-supported Islamic Murabaha financing, with the Ministry of Finance and Budget of Senegal acting as Co-Obligor, for Banque Nationale pour le Développement Economique in connection with the installation of solar streetlamps, amounting to EUR 103 million.
Advised Afreximbank and Africa Finance Corporation on a project financing to Azikel Petroleum Limited in connection with the construction and development of a refinery project in Nigeria.
Advised Afreximbank and certain other lenders (including commodity traders) in respect of the financing to Somoil – Sociedade Petrolifera Angolana, S.A. - regarding the indirect acquisition of two offshore oil blocks from Galp.
Advised PROPARCO in relation to a $10,000,000 loan granted to Africure Pharmaceuticals to allow Africure to increase its production capacity in Africa by launching two new plants in Côte d'Ivoire and Ethiopia and thus giving better access to more than 2.6 million people in Africa to essential medication and vaccines by 2024. Africure is an Indian manufacturer and distributor of generic pharmaceutical products sold in sub-Saharan Africa and the development of these activities will create or support around 800 new jobs.

Admissions

England & Wales~United Kingdom (2009)

Education

College of Law (Legal Practice Course) (2006)
University of Sussex (LLB Honors, International Commercial Law) (2004)
University of Sussex (Post Graduate Diploma in Law, with distinction)

Languages

English
German
Italian
Serbo-Croatian