Ms Saniya Perzadayeva is the Unicase Founder and Partner and a recognised expert in Infrastructure and PPP, Project Finance, Construction, Energy and Renewables. Saniya advises on various legal issues, in particular on corporate and commercial matters, energy, real estate, infrastructure, and public-private partnerships.

Saniya has over 20 years of operational experience advising clients on a broad range of legal issues with a particular emphasis on corporate and commercial law. She is experienced in banking and finance, debt and deposit operations, cross-border finance transactions, syndicated loans, and securities transactions. She is an expert at Corporate law and M&A across Central Asian countries.


EDUCATION

Bachelor Degree in Law, Adilet Higher Law School; Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2003—2005
LLM in Banking and Finance Law, Queen Mary University of London; UK, 2001
LLB, Cardiff University of Wales; UK, 1997—2000

RESEARCH

EIRA 2023
USAID
IRENA, Senior Policy Analyst for Renewable Energy Map Kazakhstan Country Report for Secretariat of the International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA Innovation and Technology Centre (IITC), 2017
ADB, Renewable Energy Auction Mechanism Guidelines for Implementation, 2018

PUBLICATIONS

Unicase Weekly Legal Digest
Legal alerts, introduced amendments to legislation, and legal breakthroughs published on a weekly basis;

Book of the ISPPPS Papers 2020
Co-author of the book with the International Society of Public Private Partnerships Sciences, ISBN no 978-2-9575544-0-9;

International Comparative Legal Guide
Author of the “Renewable Energy 2023: Practical Cross-Border Insights into Renewable Energy Law, Kazakhstan Chapter;”

Production Sharing Agreements
Co-author for “A Global Legal Handbook,” edited by Flavio G.I. Inocencio and published in November 2021 by Globe Law and Business, UK;

IFLR100 Women Leaders 2022, Q&A
Guest interviewee for the IFLR100 Women Leaders rating;

Moore & Van Allen PLLC / Unicase Law Firm, Colby B.H. Jenkins and Saniya Perzadayeva, Law of Astana International Financial Centre
An overview of AIFC Legal Framework

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

De Montfort University Kazakhstan, Almaty
Lecturer on Introduction to Kazakhstan Business Law, 21 Jan 2023 – 21 April 2023;

Deutsch Kazachische Universitat (Kazakh-German University)
Guest lecturer for the Master’s program in Strategic Management of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, 16 November 2023;

Deutsch Kazachische Universitat (Kazakh-German University)
Lecturer for Innovative Business Legalboost program: Law Firm Development Strategies and Legal Environment of Innovative Business, 2023.

KIMEP
Lecturer on International Investment Law, 2015—2016;


WORK EXPERIENCE

Masdar, UAE [UAE-based Energy Company] 2023, ongoing
Local Legal Counsel

Intergovernmental Agreement between UAE and Kazakhstan. Assisted Masdar, the UAE-based renewable energy firm, regarding a transaction centered on developing a 1 GW wind project with a battery energy storage system (BESS) in Kazakhstan.
Selected Outcomes:
§ US$1.4 billion direct investment in Kazakhstan;
§ Kazakhstan energy transition acceleration;
§ Ramping up renewable energy generation to 10% by 2030 in Kazakhstan;
§ Mitigating the adverse environmental impact of fossil fuel consumption.

ACWA Power, Saudi Arabia [Energy Company] 2023, ongoing
Local Legal Counsel

Intergovernmental Agreement between Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan on 1 GW Jungar Gate Wind Farm Project. Advise ACWA Power and its international consultant Covington & Burling. Drafted the intergovernmental agreement, reviewing drafts of the Power Purchase Agreement and investment agreement.

Selected Results:

§ US$1.5 billion direct investment in Kazakhstan;
§ Kazakhstan energy transition acceleration and contribution the green economy;
§ Mitigating the adverse environmental impact of fossil fuel consumption.

U.S. Agency for International Development 2017, ongoing
USAID “Power the Future” Project
Consultant, Senior Researcher

Assist with introduction and improvement of renewable energy auction documentation, methodology recommendations, renewable energy auction schedule in Kazakhstan. Revised recent relevant reports prepared by other donors and summarized all key barriers and recommendations, identifying different bankable financial models and other renewable energy investment conditions, reviewing international best practices.

Selected Results:

§ Extended the PPA term from 15 to 20 years;
§ Drafted the Investor’s Guide to Renewable Energy Projects in Kazakhstan;
§ Introduced tariff indexation;
§ 64% reduction in solar auction tariff and 46% reduction in wind auction tariff as a result of successful auction introduction;
§ Installed and commissioned 139 Renewable Energy projects with 3,254 MW capacity in total (25 hydro power plants, 44 solar power plants, 66 wind farms, and 4 biomass power plants).

USAID “Power Central Asia” Project
Consultant, Senior Researcher

Provided gap analysis reports, laws assessments and proposals for improving energy security, regional connectivity, and deployment of clean energy technologies in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The scope of work includes analyzing relevant documents including legal, regulatory, permitting, institutional framework governing renewable energy procurement to identify barriers to renewable energy use and to provide relevant recommendations on a model power purchase agreement. Assisted in ensuring a competitive procurement process for renewable energy based on successful tenders/auctions, which includes stakeholder consultations on discretionary and competitive procurement of renewable energy technologies.

Selected Responsibilities:

§ Update national energy strategies in Central Asian region;
§ Develop optimal market design, including legal, institutional, regulatory, and technical frameworks;
§ Scale up clean and renewable energy in the region;
§ Support regional energy cooperation.

World Bank, USA 2020, ongoing
Local Legal Counsel
Variable Renewable Energy Integration Potential in Kazakhstan. Reviewed and analyzed Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Kazakhstan.
§ Regulatory and Institutional Review of Kazakhstan’s Geothermal Sector. Reviewed existing national legislation and regulations that governs utilization of geothermal energy in Kazakhstan.
§ Roadmap of Uzbekistan Industrial Decarbonization. Researched policy and regulatory environment. Provided an institutional analysis to identify gaps in legislation.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Member of the Advisory Board at De Montfort University
Andersen Regional Partners Meeting 6-8 October, 2022, Delhi, India

PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS

o Panelist at the Presentation of the Book “the Law of the AIFC” By Michael Blair Qc, Chairman of AIFC Legal Advisory Council, Leading Counsel at 3 Verulam Buildings, 2021;

o The author of “Supporting Foreign Businesses in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan" for Weproject Media (Creative Asia). 19 May, 2022;

o Speaker at Energy Week Central Asia and Mongolia;

o Speaker at Post Pandemic Recovery and Sustainable Development Along the Belt and Road, Webinar hosted by: LAWASIA One Belt, One Road Committee, sponsored by: Jincheng Tongda & Neal Law Firm & The Law Society of Hong Kong;

o Panelist at the Presentation of the Book “the Law of the AIFC” By Michael Blair Qc, Chairman of AIFC Legal Advisory Council, Leading Counsel at 3 Verulam Buildings, 2021;

o Tutor and Panelist at the Tutorial organized by IFC “PPP: functional expertise” with the topic “Methodology for projects assessment, risk management, and monitoring”, December 2020;

o Webinar Panelist at “Central Asia: Solar PV growth opportunities and the latest solutions”, InvestIn Network, 15 December 2020, London;

o Panelist at a virtual conference with “Deep Dive Uzbekistan Solar Industry: Unlocking the Utility-Scale Solar Potential”, Green Energy Future Central Asia Virtual 2020, October 21-22, 2020;

o Panelist at the LAWASIA webinar on Building Connectivity for Sustainable Belt and Road Development “One Belt - One Road”, September 2020;

o Corporate Business Trainer at GSS Center, July 2020;

o Speaker at the First Law Information Conference by China International Trade Promotion Committee, July 2020;

o Organized an online seminar on renewable energy sources: Central Asia’s Burgeoning Market. A talk with participants from Unicase, Raushana Chaltabayeva and Jannat Salymova-Tekay, covering growing markets in Central Asia, July 2020;

o Panelist at “Uzbekistan’s Future Energy Under COVID-19 Impact”, a webinar by Peak Events, May 2020;

o Panelist at “Kazakhstan Renewable Energy Development Under Covid-19”, a webinar by Peak Events, April 2020.

o Speaker at 32nd LAWASIA Conference on “Legal and Regulatory Regimes Regarding Asset Management Practice,” November 2019, Hong Kong, China;

o Author of “Main Barriers to Small-Scale Renewable Energy Projects in Kazakhstan,” 12 August 2019;

o Speaker at “Management of Assets in Kazakhstan,” the annual LAWASIA Conference in Hong Kong, China; November 2019;
o Host of LAWASIA Belt & Road Seminar in collaboration with the Kazakhstan Bar Association and supported by the China Law Society, Belt & Road Through Central Asia: Law & Economic Development, Almaty, Kazakhstan, 13 May 2019;
o Panelist and speaker at the 2nd annual International PPP Finance Summit with the topic “Discussing the Evolving Regulatory Regimes, Affecting Infrastructure Assets” in London, July 2019;

o Panelist at the Seminar on “Topical Issues and Features of the ЕРС Projects”, the GSS Training Center in Astana and Almaty; November 2018;

o Speaker at the Kazakhstan Forum on Corporate Law, 24-25 May 2018, Holiday Inn Hotel, Almaty;

o Speaker at the XI Annual conference of IBA “Law Firm Management,” December 2017;

o Panelist at the XI Annual Conference of the IBA "Law Firm Management," December 2017;

o Speaker at the Kazakhstan Legal Forum 2017 on “The Features of M&A in Mining”, September 2017;

o Speaker at VII Investment Forum “Baykonur Invest,” May and July 2017;

o Guest speaker for Polish Reb, Polish National Television, July 2017;

o Participant in the Kazakhstan Legal Forum, September 2016;

o Participant in the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of CIS member states, February 2016;

o Panelist at the Legislative Platform for Renewable Energy №6, Kazakhstan, 2015;

o Speaker at III International Forum for the promotion of legal services in Kiev, December 2015;

o Speaker at III International Forum on sustainable Energy of the CIS and Central Asia (SEF), 2015;

o Speaker at Kazakhstan Financial Innovation Forum, February 2015;

o Lecturer of the course “Arbitration: Concept, History, Forms, and Practice”, Taiburyl, May 2014;

o Speaker on HR outsourcing tools, May 2012;

o Panelist at Digital Communications Kazakhstan, September 2011;

o Speaker at the Summit of Infrastructure Development in Kazakhstan, March 2009;

o Participant in the Kazakhstan International Oil & Gas Exhibition (KIOGE), 2006.

AWARDS

· The Qazaq Green Association medal for “Contribution to the Development of Renewable Energy Sector;”

· Ranked Band 3 as an individual lawyer for the last 9 years in Corporate and Finance and Energy and Natural Resources practice areas – Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide 2024;

· Highest Ranked Lawyer in Energy 2023 – Who’s Who Legal (WWL,) 2023 editorial;

· Distinguished Practitioner in PPP and Infrastructure – Asialaw Profiles;

· Leading lawyer in Commercial, Corporate, and M&A – The Legal 500 EMEA 2023;

· “Key Contributor” and “Champion Originator” awarded by Unicase in 2023 upon becoming the Tier 1 law firm in Legal 500 in Energy and Natural Resources practice among Dentons, Kinstellar, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius law firms;

· Highly Regarded Lawyer in Banking – IFLR1000, 2023;

· IFLR1000’s Central Asia Women Leaders 2021 and 2022, among the elite cohort of leading female transactional experts, 7 outstanding female lawyers in Kazakhstan, and 750 globally;

· Honored professional in renewable energy by Qazaq Green Association, awarded to 20 best professionals in Kazakhstan.