Dr. Ioannis Kaptanis heads the Project Finance Department of our Firm, focusing on concession projects, project finance transactions, and privatisations. He regularly advises and represents clients in arbitration and litigation, as well as contract negotiation.

Moreover, he advises banks and corporations on financing transactions, particularly asset backed lending transactions, derivatives and repo agreements.

Ioannis is ranked as Highly Regarded by the IFLR1000 and a Leading Partner in the practice areas of Projects and Privatisation, of Banking, Finance & Capital Markets and of Dispute Resolution in Greece by The Legal 500 EMEA. He is also ranked by Chambers Global and Europe.

Academic Background

  • University of Athens, School of Law (Ph.D in Civil Law (Dr. juris), summa cum laude)
  • University of Athens, School of Law (LL.M. in Civil Law, summa cum laude)
  • University of Athens, School of Law (LL.B., summa cum laude)

Languages

  • Greek
  • English
  • French
  • German

Professional Memberships

  • Partner in Koutalidis Law Firm
  • Member of the Athens Bar Association. Qualified to appear before all Courts of all degrees, including the Supreme Courts.

Recognitions

  • Chambers Global and Europe Legal Guides, ranked in Banking & Finance (Greece)
  • IFLR1000 - Project Development (Greece), Highly Regarded
  • Legal 500 EMEA - Projects and Privatisation (Greece), Leading Partner
  • Legal 500 EMEA – Banking, Finance and Capital Markets (Greece), Leading Partner
  • Legal 500 EMEA - Dispute Resolution (Greece), Leading Partner

Career Highlights

Recent work includes:

  • Advising HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions GmbH on the sale of its 17% equity stake in the Olympia Odos motorway concessionaire and operator to VINCI Concessions, AVAX Concessions, AKTOR Concessions, and GEK TERNA,
  • Advising Alpha Bank S.A. on an €806 million secured bond loan for the Athens International Airport (AIA) expansion projects under the Airport Development Agreement, advising also the Greek systemic banks’ syndicate on the required amendment and restatement of four major bond loans issued by AIA in 2019, 2022, and 2024,
  • Advising a consortium of all Greek Systemic Banks in connection with (a) an up to circa €35 million bond loan to the Athens International Airport (AIA) for the financing of its initiative to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2025, for the installation of PV stations with battery energy storage system and heat pumps, including RRF financing and (b) a €105 million secured bond loan for the financing of corporate purposes of AIA,
  • Advising Aegean Motorway S.A. (the concessionaire of the Maliakos Kleidi section of PATHE Motorway) on the refinancing of its existing senior and subordinated debt financing and financing of the senior debt service reserve by National Bank of Greece S.A., Piraeus Bank S.A., Alpha Bank S.A. and Eurobank S.A., i.e. all Greek systemic Banks up to amount of circa €419 million,
  • Advising Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA) on its up to €710 million common bond load (with an “accordion” option, allowing for an up to €100 million increase of the loan reaching a total amount of up to €810 million), arranged by the four Greek systemic banks, i.e. National Bank of Greece S.A., Piraeus Bank S.A., Alpha Bank S.A. and Eurobank S.A., where Alpha Bank S.A. acted as bondholder agent and administrative agent, integrating Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF) funding across multiple DESFA projects under a non-SPV framework,
  • Advising Alpha Holdings and Services S.A. on its inaugural issuance of €400 million Fixed Rate Reset AT1 Notes,
  • Advising Alpha Bank on its tender offer for its €400 million Senior Preferred Notes,
  • Advising Piraeus Bank and Eurobank with regards to the provision of financing (along with Recovery and Resilience Facility funds by the Greek State) of an overall amount of €195 million to the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator for the implementation of its eligible investment plan, being the installation of smart meters,
  • Advising a subsidiary of the sponsors of the project, Aktor Concessions and Intrakat, on the issuance of a common secured bond loan of up to €216 million subscribed for by Alpha Bank S.A. and other systemic banks, in the context of the public private partnership (PPP) agreement for the review, financing, operation and maintenance of the road interconnection of West Peloponnese, Kalamata-Rizomylos-Pylos- Methoni sub connection,
  • Advising Fraport Greece on its refinancing for a total amount of €960 million of the project financing of the concession for the upgrade, maintenance, management and operation of fourteen (14) in total regional airports of the Hellenic Republic,
  • Advising Eurobank and National Bank of Greece, in implementation of a framework agreement with HELLENiQ RENEWABLES, on the issuance by HELLENiQ RENEWABLES Wind Parks of Evia S.M.S.A. of a secured bond loan of an amount up to €86 million and on the issuance by KOZILIO ENA S.M.S.A. of a secured bond loan of an amount up to €133 million,
  • Advising Eurobank and National Bank of Greece in respect of a framework agreement on the issuance by HELLENiQ RENEWABLES S.M.S.A. and its subsidiaries of acquisition facilities and term loan facilities related to renewable energy projects up to the total amount of €766 million,
  • Advising Eurobank, National Bank of Greece, Piraeus Bank and Alpha Bank with regards to the financing to the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator up to an amount of €660 million in respect of the company’s capital expenditures,
  • Advising a syndicate of the Greek systemic banks in connection with the refinancing of the existing indebtedness to such banks of Athens International Airport S.A. (“AIA”), 
  • Advising NN Group on the acquisition of MetLife’s business in Greece and the subsequent merger, 
  • Advising GMR Airports Limited and its Greek subsidiary on the EUR 60,5 million financing by National Bank of Greece S.A. in the context of the New Kastelli (Heraklion) International Airport concession project,
  • Advising DESFA on its €505 million common bond load, arranged by the four systemic banks, i.e. Alpha Bank S.A., Eurobank S.A., National Bank of Greece S.A., and Piraeus Bank S.A. where Eurobank S.A. acted as bondholder agent and administrative agent,
  • Advising Alpha Bank on its Euro 500M Senior Preferred bond issuance which has a 6.5-year maturity and is callable in year 5.5 with a coupon of 2.5% and a yield of 2.625%. The bond is listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange – EuroMTF Market,
  • Advising the sponsor, Aktor Concessions S.A., and the concessionaire on the concession of the exclusive right to own, use, administer, operate and exploit the Marina of Alimos for a 40-year period for a total consideration of EURO 57.5 million,
  • Advising Piraeus Bank S.A., National Bank of Greece S.A., Alpha Bank S.A. and Eurobank S.A. on (i) an up to €665.6mio bond loan in connection with the 20-year extension of the Airport Development Agreement dated 31 July 1995, (ii) an up to €100mio bond loan, for the financing of capital expenditure projects (iii) an up to €140mio bond loan for the financing of working capital and operational needs,
  • Advising GMR Group Limited with respect to the concession of the planned new international airport in Heraklion, Crete,
  • Advising Alpha Bank on the demerger by way of hive-down of its banking sector,
  • Advising Alpha Bank on matters of Greek Law on the successful issuance of a landmark Euro 500 million Tier 2 subordinated bond,
  • Advising the preferred bidder (Fraport-Copelouzos consortium) with respect to the tender process for the awarded concession of the management, operation and maintenance of 14 regional airports,
  • Advising Fraport and Copelouzos in relation to the sale and transfer of a 10% participation stake in the Fraport Greece entities by Slentel to Marguerite Fund,
  • Advising an international consortium in relation to the tender for the privatization of Egnatia Odos Motorway,
  • Advising Sponsors on Maliakos-Kleidi Project Finance,
  • Advising a major Greek Bank as hedging bank in the context of Mall development projects, energy projects and PPPs in Greece and abroad,
  • Advising and representing before arbitral tribunals and Greek Courts the Concessionaire of a Toll Road €1bn Concession (from the bidding stage until today),
  • Representing a French energy company in an ICC Arbitration against a major Greek company with respect to contract price escalation.

Publications