Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) is pleased to announce that infrastructure and energy expert, Riko Vanezis, has joined the firm’s Frankfurt office as a Partner. He was previously a Partner at Clifford Chance in the same city.
Qualified in England & Wales, Riko has over thirty years’ experience advising commercial lenders, development finance institutions, project developers, sponsors and other parties on international infrastructure, energy and transport projects, financings and restructurings.
Riko was part of the three-person team that set up Clifford Chance’s Frankfurt office in 1990 and he played an important role in the development of that firm’s German practice, where he was the Banking and Capital Markets Practice Leader from 2000 to 2012. Riko also helped set up Clifford Chance’s Istanbul office in 2011 and retains an active Turkish practice. At WFW, Riko will play a leading role in developing infrastructure as a core sector for the firm.
WFW Senior Partner, George Paleokrassas, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Riko to the firm. He is without question one of the most experienced and respected infrastructure and energy lawyers in Europe and a doyen of the Frankfurt legal scene. His joining us helps further enhance our growing reputation as a leading law firm in the global infrastructure space, a sector of key strategic focus for the firm.”
Riko added: “I am very excited to be joining WFW at this time. There is a huge need for investment in infrastructure and energy throughout the world and WFW is committed to growth and expansion in these areas. With its global outlook and existing strength in energy and transport, WFW provides an excellent platform from which to achieve its ambitious goals. WFW’s core areas of expertise have strong synergies with mine and I am looking forward immensely to helping my new colleagues further develop the firm’s international infrastructure practice”.
