Associate

Simon Kitikov

Profile

Simon advises on complex disputes with an international element in Kazakhstan and Russia, including international commercial arbitration. He has rights of audience before the AIFC Court.

Practice Areas
  • Commercial and corporate disputes
  • International arbitration
Education
  • Master’s degree, Higher School of Economics
Образование
  • Магистр, НИУ “Высшая школа экономики”
Languages
  • Russian
Selected Experience

AIFC Court and international arbitration

  • Representing a client in proceedings for the recognition and enforcement of a SIAC arbitral award in the AIFC jurisdiction.
  • Representing a major Kazakhstani developer in IAC arbitration arising from a construction financing agreement.
  • Representing a UAE company in IAC arbitration concerning the recovery of an advance payment and penalties following the termination of a transaction for the sale of shares in a Kazakhstani oil company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Interim measures

  • Obtaining interim measures before a state court in support of IAC arbitration, including a travel ban against the beneficiary from leaving the Republic of Kazakhstan.
  • Representing a Korean company in a dispute concerning the preservation of interim measures granted by the Specialized Interdistrict Economic Court of Karaganda Region in support of foreign arbitration.

Major commercial disputes

  • Representing an oilfield services company in a dispute concerning the client’s claims of improper performance under a construction contract exceeding KZT 2.5 billion.
  • Representing one of Kazakhstan’s largest banks in a dispute over the recovery of debt under a banking guarantee exceeding KZT 20 billion, including the reversal of a first-instance court decision declaring the guarantee invalid.
  • Representing an international telecommunications company from China in a dispute concerning the contractor’s improper performance of works for the installation of communication base stations.
  • Representing a Swiss transport and logistics company in a dispute concerning the unlawful use of freight forwarding codes in international transportation.
  • Representing a Spanish company in a dispute over the recovery of debt under an acknowledgement of losses agreement in the amount of EUR 6 million.

Corporate disputes

  • Representing a Hong Kong company, as majority participant, in a corporate dispute involving the compulsory buyout of participation interests and an attempted hostile takeover of a healthcare business.
  • Representing a Russian company in a dispute concerning the recovery of damages from a director and participant, as well as the challenge of transactions aimed at asset stripping before the Specialized Interdistrict Economic Court of Atyrau Region.
  • Representing a client in a corporate dispute concerning the breach of pre-emptive rights in the sale of participation interests in a limited liability partnership.
  • Representing the majority participant of one of Kazakhstan’s largest private railway carriers in a dispute with a minority shareholder.
  • Assisting with the conduct of a general meeting of participants aimed at restoring control over a company despite opposition from minority participants.
  • Challenging the actions of a bailiff in connection with the unlawful imposition of interim measures prohibiting the change of the company’s director.

Disputes with state authorities

  • Representing a pharmaceutical company in a dispute with a territorial body of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan concerning the challenge of an order to remove advertising of a medicinal product.
  • Representing a client in a dispute with the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan concerning the invalidation of a regulatory legal act in the railway transport sector.