is General Counsel of Baring Vostok Capital Partners and has been serving funds advised by Baring Vostok and their portfolio companies since she joined Baring Vostok in 1999. As General Counsel, Melinda overseas the work of the legal department of Baring Vostok and servicing the legal needs of Baring Vostok Private Equity Funds. Melinda also works extensively with portfolio companies on mergers and acquisitions, debt financings, and general corporate matters. Prior to joining Baring Vostok, Melinda was General Counsel of EPIC Russia Limited, the Russian investment banking arm of the European Privatisation Investment Corporation. Melinda first came to Russia in 1991 as a member of a Harvard University advisory team to the Russian government which focused on drafting corporate, civil, commercial and post privatisation legislation for Russia. Ms. Rishkofski has an LL.M. in International Business Law from the University of London, Kings College, a J.D. from Dickinson School of Law and a B.S. from The Pennsylvania State University. She is a member of state and federal bars in the United States.
Holly Nielsen
is Senior Funds Counsel of Baring Vostok Capital Partners. She joined the team at Baring Vostok Capital Partners in 2006 after more than six years of joint work on various projects as external legal counsel. Holly has over 20 years of experience in corporate and finance law, including more than 12 years living and working in Moscow. From 1992 until 2006 she was a partner in the Moscow representative office of Baker Botts (1992 until 1994), Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy (1997 until 2000) and Debevoise & Plimpton (2001 until 2006). As part of a Harvard University project, Holly worked as a senior advisor to the Chairman of the Russian Securities Commission from 1995 until 1997. In addition, she has taken part in the creation of the first Russian investment fund in 1994. Over the past nine years, Holly Nielsen has taken part in a number of large mergers and acquisitions deals in the Russian securities markets.
Hugo Canwell
joined the legal team at Baring Vostok Capital Partners in May 2007 as Senior International Counsel. Hugo is an English qualified corporate lawyer with a wide range of private equity experience gained at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP (2005-2007) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (2001-2005). Hugo holds a M.A. degree in Russian from Edinburgh University and a post graduate diploma in law (Common Professional Examination and Legal Practice Course) from the College of Law in London.
Grigory Zhdanov
has over 15 years of legal experience, and has acted as legal adviser to Baring Vostok Capital Partners since 1999. Prior to joining Baring Vostok, Mr. Zhdanov worked for various cîmpanies in the Russian securities market, including OLMA, Alfa Capital and Alfa Bank. Mr. Zhdanov is a member of a Legal Committee of the Russian national association of securities market participants.
