Arsen Khachikian

Cross-Border Corporate Lawyer in United Arab Emirates

Highlights 

More than 15 years of professional experience, with an aggregate project value exceeding USD 45 billion across more than 70 jurisdictions.

Practice focuses on corporate and commercial law, the oil and gas sector, EPC projects, construction, real estate, and sanctions and export control.

• 15+ years of experience
• $45B+ aggregate value of matters
• 70+ jurisdictions

Biography

Arsen Khachikian is a partner, founder and director of AKTA, focusing on corporate and commercial law as well as real estate and construction projects.

Prior to establishing his own practice, he worked at leading US law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where he advised on a broad range of projects across the sectors below.

Key Projects

Corporate

• Advised DP World on the establishment of a USD 288 million joint venture with Tashkent Invest for a multimodal logistics terminal in Uzbekistan;
• Advised the Government of Uzbekistan on reforms relating to foreign direct investment, special economic zones and dispute-resolution legislation;
• Advised a client on the internal restructuring of companies registered in DMCC, including the relevant share purchase agreements;
• Advised the family office of an ultra-high-net-worth individual on restructuring and subsequent redomiciliation to the UAE;
• Advised the finance company of a major oil group on obtaining a DFSA Category 3C asset management licence;
• Advised a client on the potential acquisition of an ammonia producer valued at USD 800 million;
• Advised a client on the acquisition of an SPV owning three tankers for USD 54 million;
• Acted for a client on the acquisition of a fuel retail network valued at USD 160 million;
• Acted for a group of investors on a proposed acquisition of a distressed chemical production business valued at USD 1.3 billion;
• Advised on antitrust and regulatory aspects of the Russian leg of the proposed USD 28 billion merger between Baker Hughes and Halliburton;
• Advised a client on the USD 1.45 billion sale of one of the world’s largest diamond mining companies;
• Acted for a client on the USD 300 million sale of its stake in one of the largest car-dealership networks in Russia;
• Advised a major oil company on a range of commercial and corporate matters, including UAE corporate law, international arbitration and land-law issues;
• Acted for a client on the acquisition of a bank in Central and Eastern Europe for USD 73 million and an African microfinance business for USD 36 million;
• Advised private equity fund Baring Vostok on its USD 39 million investment in the A5 pharmacy chain; and
• Coordinated a multi-jurisdictional survey of finance and corporate laws in more than 60 countries (EU, MENA, Asia and Africa) for a major private equity fund.

Oil and gas

• Advised a client on the USD 220 million acquisition of a participating interest under a production-sharing agreement in Kazakhstan from investors based in Oman and Thailand;
• Acted for a client on the sale of an interest in a Romanian upstream project valued at up to USD 340 million by way of a farm-out agreement;
• Acted for Equinor (formerly Statoil) on its USD 550 million acquisition of a 49% interest in major Russian upstream assets;
• Advised Equinor on the acquisition of a 33.33% interest in a significant Russian upstream asset for more than USD 250 million;
• Advised a major Gulf oil company on a series of oil-products supply contracts linked to Platts, worth in excess of USD 60 million;
• Acted for a client in a tripartite joint venture for the development of unconventional oil and gas fields; and
• Advised a client on the acquisition of upstream assets worth more than USD 160 million through a series of transactions with multiple sellers.

Construction

• Acted for a client on a USD 1.2 billion EPC project involving McDermott, Maire Tecnimont and CC7 – providing end-to-end support from launch in 2017 to commissioning in 2022, including change orders, extensions of time, design changes, guarantees, letters of credit and customs matters; the Chapter 11 proceedings of an EPC contractor in the US; COVID-19 impacts; and the exit of US/EU contractors and transfer of the project to CC7;
• Advised a client on FEED-stage contracts with Daelim and Técnicas Reunidas;
• Acted for a client in a tender process for a petrochemical project, including parallel EPC negotiations with Daelim and Técnicas Reunidas;
• Led negotiations with Honeywell on a suite of licence agreements (technology licence, basic design, performance guarantees, catalyst supply and engineering services);
• Advised a major oil company on pre-contractual issues relating to the termination of a long-lead equipment supply contract with Lummus Technology;
• Advised a client on a potential USD 84 million dispute with a major EPC contractor over oil and gas facilities in Uzbekistan;
• Advised a client on options to increase capacity under low-density polyethylene technology licence agreements with Univation Technology;
• Advised a client on pricing issues under an EPC contract for upstream facilities with Hyundai; and
• Advised a client on warranty claims against a major manufacturer of power-generation turbines.

Real estate

• Acted for a client on a proposed acquisition of a landmark Moscow skyscraper valued at around USD 1 billion;
• Advised a major investment holding on the proposed acquisition of the White Gardens business centre in Moscow for approximately USD 750 million;
• Advised a client on a USD 340 million investment in the Four Seasons Moscow (Hotel Moskva);
• Acted for a development and investment company on the due diligence and acquisition of the Aura shopping centre in Novosibirsk;
• Advised a client on the potential acquisition of the premium Romanov Dvor office complex in central Moscow;
• Acted for a leading Russian insurer on the USD 133 million sale of a landmark central Moscow office building;
• Advised Auchan on the USD 276 million acquisition of a shopping complex in Moscow;
• Conducted legal due diligence of a land plot in the Tyumen region for Leroy Merlin;
• Delivered an internal training workshop for more than 20 lawyers and staff of a US law firm on real estate development, sale and leasing in Dubai; and
• Advised landlords and tenants on leases of retail, office and warehouse premises, with aggregate rent commitments in excess of USD 1 billion.

Sanctions and export controls

• Delivered webinars for more than 200 employees of a major international oil company on US, UK and EU sanctions targeting Russia;
• Assisted a client in administrative proceedings concerning an alleged breach of US export-control regulations brought by BIS;
• Advised on the preparation and submission of applications for export and re-export licences to the competent authorities in the US and Russia;
• Acted for a client on the completion of EPC projects in Russia by international contractors from the US and the EU;
• Advised on the inclusion of sanctions and export-control clauses in a range of commercial contracts;
• Acted for OTIS in connection with the divestment of its Russian business; and
• Advised various clients on issues arising from their exit from Russian assets.

Dispute resolution and special situations

• Drafted a statement of defence in LCIA proceedings arising out of a dividend-distribution dispute in a major international industrial holding;
• Assisted the disputes team in long-running cross-border litigation before the High Court of Justice of the British Virgin Islands over ownership of one of Russia’s largest privately owned energy companies; and
• Assisted the disputes team in High Court proceedings in England and Wales in a USD 334 million claim concerning unlawful interference with crude oil supply contracts.

List may include matters worked on prior to joining AKTA.

Credentials

Education: 

• King’s College London, School of Law, UK – LL.M., international corporate and commercial law (2026, ongoing)
• Moscow State University, Russia – specialist, 5-year law degree, magna cum laude (2011)

Languages:

• English – fluent
• Russian – native

Admissions & Memberships

• England and Wales – solicitor
• Russian Federation – lawyer diploma