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Expertise. Experience. Efficiency.

Unana Gogokhia

Unana Gogokhia is a partner at BGI Legal. She joined the firm in 2007 from the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, where she had worked as an advisor at the Department of State Debt and Legal Expertise of Contracts. She holds an LLM in International Economic Law (with merits) from the University of Warwick (UK) and is a member of the Georgian Bar Association.

Unana specializes in capital markets, securities and derivatives, project finance, banking, secured transactions, real estate, as well as general corporate and commercial law, being one of extremely few practicing attorneys in Georgia with extensive experience in these practice areas.

Work Highlights:

Unana has led on an array of important transactions. These include the following projects:

  • Advised the joint bookrunners and joint lead managers on issuance of Euro 370,000,000 corporate bonds by Energo-Pro a.s., which was guaranteed by Georgian entities. The transaction was listed on the Irish Stock Exchange;
  • Advised an IFI on financing of the development and construction of mid-range hotel in Tbilisi to be managed by Hilton under the Hilton Garden Inn brand (value of the project - USD 31,000,000);
  • Advised an IFI in issuing GEL denominated bonds under its Georgia’s domestic 200 million GEL bond program;
  • Advised the joint lead managers in connection with the issue of USD 250,000,000 Eurobonds (due 2021) by Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation;
  • Advised the global coordinators in connection with admission of Georgia Healthcare Group plc (GHG), a company based in the UK and holding the largest healthcare and medical insurance business in Georgia, to the premium listing segment of the London Stock Exchange, which raised 100 million USD in capital (gross proceeds);
  • Advised EBRD in respect of the USD 155,000,000 financing (secured lending) of a major producer and supplier of nitrogen based fertilisers in the region with part of the facility to be syndicated and with a local bank also acting as parallel lender;
  • Advised an international bank in listing of TBC Bank in premium listing segment of the London Stock Exchange. This was the second time a Georgian commercial bank was listed on the LSE premium segment;
  • Advised an IFI on issuance of the USD 25,000,000 senior loan to the largest healthcare company in Georgia;
  • Advised the largest online and mobile lending group in issuing the EUR 150 million corporate guaranteed bonds which were admitted to the Regulated Market (Prime Standard) in Frankfurt on the basis of a listing prospectus;
  • Advised 4finance, a leader in digital consumer finance, in connection with issuance of the USD 200,000,000 notes guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by certain group companies, including a Georgian guarantor;
  • Advised TBC Capital acting as an underwriter for the largest ever local currency bond issuance by an IFI in Georgia;
  • Advised local underwriters in underwriting and placement of debut EBRD GEL denominated bond issue in Georgia;
  • Advised IFI on financing of the energy efficient, affordable housing project to be completed by the leading local developer (USD 23,000,000);
  • Advised lead managers in the of US$500 million debut sovereign Eurobond issuance by the state of Georgia in 2008. This was Georgia ’s first international sovereign bond offering following which Georgia has become the first CIS country to have its Eurobonds listed on the London Stock Exchange; 
  • Advised joint lead managers in the USD 250,000,000 placement of bonds by a Georgian state-owned railway company;
  • Advised local issuers on establishment of GDR programmes;
  • Advised a private investor in USD 15,000,000 acquisition of the largest commercial bank in Georgia by network size and subsequent mandatory tender offer and GEL 18.7 million capital increase;
  • Advised an IFI on the potential road concession project;
  • Advised an IFI on investment into a Belarusian commercial bank owned by a Georgian bank and subsequent sale of the shares by way of exercise of the put option; 
  • Advised an IFI on Euro 8,000,000 financing of the Poti Sea Port;
  • Advised IFIs on investment in the leading bank of Georgia;
  • Advised Millennium Challenge Georgia on several projects, including road rehabilitation projects;
  • Advised a global consulting and engineering firm and the Ministry of Energy of Georgia on development of the concession framework for high capacity HPPs.

Unana Gogokhia is individually ranked by IFLR1000, Chambers Global and Chambers Europe.

In addition to her native Georgian, Unana speaks English and Russian.

Excellent team known for acting on high-profile and significant mandates. Clients commend the team's expertise, saying: "They are all very solid, have excellent knowledge, are hard-working and give great practical advice." They further praised the service adding that the lawyers are "client-oriented, quite patient and understand the client's internal procedures."

Chambers Europe - 2017

Zaza Bibilashvili is a well-known and highly regarded figure in the Georgian legal market. One of the founding partners of the firm, he oversees projects and is a key contact for clients. Lasha Gogiberidze has been called "one of the leading lawyers in Georgia" and "a central person not just in capital markets, but in the legal market in general." Considered an expert in capital markets and project finance work, particularly in the energy sphere, he is highly respected by his peers, who say: "He`s among the top lawyers who shaped the legal market."

Chambers Global - 2016

BGI is one of Georgia's leading firms in all areas of corporate law and in energy and infrastructure has acted on key projects in the oil and gas, energy, transport infrastructure areas. Previous comments have included: "Very good law firm for this jurisdiction...very knowledgeable, they get the job done on time and on budget...they are very professional and good lawyers". Thanks for universal praise from competitors and clients alike, BGI sits comfortably in the top tier... BGI is client-focused and solution-oriented... [with] excellent local counsel, not just for Georgian standards, but by international standards... [A major international client says:] "In terms of local law firms... I have a strong preference for BGI."

IFLR1000 - 2017