Gulnur Nurkeyeva

Gulnur Nurkeyeva
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Gulnur Nurkeyeva

Partner, Head of China Office

Beijing, China

Gulnur Nurkeyeva is a Head of China Desk and responsible for all China Related projects in countries of GRATA International presence. 

Gulnur has over 18 years of experience in Kazakhstani legal services market.

She has started her career in 1999 in Astana Bar association as Qualified Advocate. Later she worked for Kazakhstan Government in the Ministry of taxes and participated in drafting first tax Code of Kazakhstan.

Prior to joining GRATA Law Firm, she worked more than 10 years as an in-house (later head of Legal Department) in National Welfare Fund "Samruk-Kazyna" Group.

Samruk –Kazyna manage the shares of the State-Owned Enterprises in oil and gas, metallurgical, nuclear, telecommunication, transport sectors, such as KazMunayGasKazatomprom, Kazakhtelecom, Kazakhstan Railway, KazPost, Air Astana, Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC), Samruk-Energy.

The practice led by Gulnur has become a winner of China Business Law Awards 2015-2016 in the category of “Energy, Projects and Infrastructure”.

Education:

  • 2012 - LL.M. in Chinese Law Peking University (PRC).
  • 1999- bachelor degree in International law Karagandy National University Kazakhstan.

Membership:

  • Kazakhstan Bar Association
  • Weihai Arbitration Commission of PRС (2020)
  • North-Kazakhstan Chamber of Legal Consultants "ZANGER";
  • Chamber of Legal Consultants of Astana city “Kazakhstan Centre of Professional Lawyers”.

Languages:

  • Kazakh
  • English
  • Russian
  • Chinese

What Clients Say:

  • “GRATA has abundant practical experience in Central Asia’s energy and infrastructure sector,” says Pei Ruonan, a senior project manager in China National Technical Import & Export Corporation. “It can offer the best and most efficient legal services to enterprises.”
  • Clients recommend Gulnur Nurkeyeva, head of the China desk at GRATA, “She is dedicated and ready to answer different questions from clients; meanwhile, she is very professional and offers a pertinent service to our company by giving timely and effective solutions.”
  • China Business Law Journal

China ENFI Engineering Corporation:

  • “We would like to appreciate in particular of the outstanding professionalism of the Head of China Desk Mrs. Gulnur Nurkeyeva, for providing excellent legal support in registration of permanent establishment of China ENFI in Kazakhstan and successful application for the first category construction, design and survey licenses. In addition, she has an excellent awareness of the work of Ministries and authorities and how to communicate effectively with them to get problems addressed.”

Individual awards/rankings:

  • A-list Lawyer 2022 by China Business Law Journal
  • Interview for Kazakhstan National Television
  • Interview for a Kazakhstan Government website
  • Finalist of Dealmaker of the Year (International) SSQ ALB China Law Awards 2021
  • 2 winning Awards in Deals of the Year 2020 - China Business Law Journal
  • Arbitrator of the Weihai Arbitration Commission of PRС (2020)
  • CEDR Accredited Mediator (2019)
  • Deals of the Year Award 2018 - China Business Law Journal
  • China Business Law Awards 2015

Recommendation letters:

Education:
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Experience

Gulnur has extensive experience in advising Chinese Companies in Kazakh corporate law, construction activities and M&A transactions, such as:

In CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Advising Beijing State-Owned Assets on Construction project, including procurement regulations, labor law issues, taxation issues, financing.

Advising China Railway 23 Bureau Group on construction activities, including tax a corporate structuring of activity, obtaining work permits and construction license.

Advising China Machinery Corporation on construction activities, including legal support on obtaining construction license.

Advising a consortium of Chinese Companies, led by China Railway No.2 Group Co.,Ltd on construction of modern tram-line Astana LRT, including revising FIDIC EPC contracts, representing the consortium in negotiations with the Owner, advising on taxation, procurement regulations, advice on regulations applicable to EXPO 2017 Projects and Astana New City Special Economic Zone, registration of each consortium member’s branch, registration as a SEZ participant and legal advice on obtaining construction license.

Advising China National Technical Import & Export Corporation on taxation and form of legal presence in Kazakhstan, drafting corporate documents, registration of permanent establishment in Kazakhstan, consulting on obtaining necessary permits and licenses.

Advising China Railway Asia-Europe Construction Investment Co. on legal issues of its construction activities in Kazakhstan, including advice on regulations applicable to Astana New City Special Economic Zone, participation in project structuring, analyzing EPC Contracts and other commercial construction agreements, registration of Permanent establishment in Kazakhstan.

Advising China Construction Sixth Engineering Division Co., Ltd on legal issues of its construction activities in Kazakhstan, including tax and corporate structuring of activity, registration of Permanent establishment in Kazakhstan, applying for the necessary permits and Construction License.

Advising China National Chemical Engineering Group, Corp.  on licensing matters, labor law issues, obtaining of permits and authorizations, taxation issues, financing, and commercial contracts.

Advising Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co on corporate issues, including a form of legal presence in Kazakhstan, registration of legal entities in Kazakhstan and on necessary permits for Design activities in Kazakhstan.

Due diligence of CITIC Construction assets in Kazakhstan and in the Russian Federation.

Advising Beijing Institute of Geological & Prospecting Engineering on corporate issues, including the form of legal presence in Kazakhstan, registration of legal entities in Kazakhstan and on necessary permits for geological activities in Kazakhstan.

Advising China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), Chinese leading construction and engineering company forming one part of the China National Machinery Industry Corporation (Sinomach) group of companies, on obtaining Construction and Design License in Kazakhstan.

Advising China Railway No.22 Bureau Group on participating in the first stage of the competitive bidding as regards composition, completeness oaf set and way of execution of the PPP project “Construction of the By-pass Railway Line Bypassing the Almaty Railway Terminal”.

Advising China Railway Seventh Group regarding establishing their legal presence in Kazakhstan, including registration of the branch office.

Advising Chinese defense industry company NORINCO on branch establishment, including legal support on obtaining a construction license.

In MINING AND OIL & GAS INDUSTRY include: 

Advising CGN Mining Company Ltd., the largest Chinese uranium mining company, on joint activities with Kazatomprom JSC on developing new uranium deposits, as well as on joint activities of producing fuel pellets.

Advising one of the biggest private oil and gas Company Jereh Group on corporate issues, including registration of legal entities in Kazakhstan.

Advising China Investment Corporation, one of the leading Asian investment funds on the acquisition of 11% shares in the form of GDRs of KazMunayGas Exploration and Production, a London-listed oil and gas company.

Advising Sinopec Engineering regarding a labour audit, including obtaining work permits for foreign employees in Kazakhstan.

Advising MIE Holdings Corporation, one of the leading independent upstream oil and gas company in China, on its purchase of 100% shares of Emir Oil LLP for aggregate consideration of USD 170 million, including obtaining the approvals from the Government of Kazakhstan, carrying out legal Due Diligence, structuring transaction, negotiation SPA and Shares Pledge Agreements.

Advising Hydro China International Engineering regarding acquisition of the local company, including Due Diligence and drafting of a buy-sell agreement in Kazakhstan.

Advising China Petroleum Engineering CNPC on potential project of Construction of LNG, including preparation of a comprehensive analysis of legal matters related to procurement regulations and project structuring.

Advising Beijing Etrol Technologies Co on potential acquisition of Kazakhstan company, including Due diligence of the project and target company.

Advising Hansen Energy Ltd. on potential acquisition of Kazakhstan company, including Due diligence of the project and target company.

Advising Xiamen Tungsten Company, largest Chinese tungsten market company, through Chinese law firm Global Law Office, on acquisition of majority shares from Severny Katpar LLP in order to develop tungsten deposits in Kazakhstan, Karaganda region, including Due Diligence of the project and target, negotiation SPA.

Advising Zhongman Petroleum and Natural Gas Group , one of the leading independent upstream oil and gas companies in China, on its purchase of 99% shares of Petro NefteGasService LLP, including obtaining the approvals from the Government of Kazakhstan. Carrying out legal Due Diligence, structuring transaction, negotiation SPA.

In RENEWABLE SOURCE OF ENERGY include: 

Advising SUMEC Clean Energy International Co., Limited on construction project of a power plant in Kazakhstan, including advice on taxation and form of legal presence in Kazakhstan, drafting EPC contract and Consortium agreement, registration of permanent establishment in Kazakhstan.

Advising Chinese Company on the tariff structure applicable to the solar electric power market in Russia.

Advising Shanghai Company on legal issues of development and investment in a solar power project (IPP) in Kazakhstan including regulations on feasibility study, construction, approval by the relevant government authority and Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

Advising Shanghai Company HuanTai on establishing a JV company with its local partners in Kazakhstan and on legal requirements to use of land plots for construction and operation of solar power plants.

Advising Shanghai Electric Power Generation Group on constriction project, including procurement regulation, obtaining individual identification number, obtaining business Identification Number.

Advising Chinese Universal Energy Co., Ltd on:

50 MW Wind Power Project in corporate and construction matters, licenses and permits, tariffs and other Renewable Source of Energy regulations in Republic of Kazakhstan.

50 MW Solar Power Project in corporate and construction matters, licenses and permits, tariffs and other Renewable Source of Energy regulations in Kazakhstan.

In BANKING AND INSURANCE include:

advising The People’s Insurance Company of China (PICC) Property and Casualty Company Limited on legal issues related to NFC Kazakhstan fire accident.

(according to the Undertaking agreement between GRATA Law Firm LLP and PICC Property and Casualty Company Limited, GRATA was chosen as a first-choice Legal adviser in Kazakhstan till April 2020).

Advising China Development Bank as a head of Grata International team on following matters:

Country Report on Azerbaijan.

Drafting loan agreement in APLMA form,  Georgian law capacity legal opinion.

Completing the standard CDB checklist in respect of the US$15 million loan to the Joint Stock Company of Georgia.

completing the standard CDB Checklist from a Russian law perspective.

drafting a Russian law share pledge over the shares of Russian Company and issuing a customary Russian law legal opinion.

Advising Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited on an unsecured corporate loan, providing a Turkish law legal opinion on the personal guarantees give by these Turkish citizens.

Advising China Exim Bank on reviewing the Guarantee from a Kazakhstani law perspective, issuing a Kazakhstani legal opinion in respect of the Guarantee (covering, among others, the legality, validity).

In Trade and Industry

Advising Kemen Noodle Manufacturing, Chinese national key Leading Enterprise in Agriculture Industrialization and Hunan Provincial Hi-Tech Enterprise, on its purchase of 100% shares of Kenesary Astyk LLP, including carrying our Due Diligence, structuring the deal, negotiation SPA.

Awards
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China Business Law Awards Winner 2015

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Сhina Business Law Journal: China Deals of the Year 2018, 2020

News

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Partners of GRATA International in China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan participated in the 11th MINEX Eurasia Forum

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Implementation of the apostille procedure between Kazakhstan and China

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We are pleased to inform you about the publication of the third issue of the international scientific and practical legal journal «Chamber of Arbitrators»

Publications

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Practical aspects of recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in the People’s Republic of Сhina

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Interview for Khabar 24 TV channel: "Minimization of risks when concluding contracts with Chinese counterparties"

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The legal regulations and perspectives of cryptocurrency in Kazakhstan: Opportunities of the Astana International Financial Centre for Chinese crypto miners

Events

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Video
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