Valentina Semenikhina

As a member of Morgan Lewis’s top-ranked technology, outsourcing, and commercial transactions group, Valentina regularly advises clients on unique and unprecedented projects in the tech sphere that involve technology transfer, outsourcing, and distribution arrangements in emerging markets.

Valentina was named a Rising Star in M&A, Russia, by IFLR1000 EMEA (2022) and was recommended in the Legal 500 EMEA (2025) for her work on infrastructure projects. She is admitted in England and Wales and qualified in Russia.

Valentina is fluent in Russian, English, and German. Before joining Morgan Lewis, Valentina worked as an associate in the corporate practice of another international law firm.

• Advised an ADX-listed Investcorp Capital plc in the acquisition of an interest in a diversified portfolio of assets valued at over $200 million and on related corporate governance and disclosure matters
• Represented a private equity investor in connection with a joint venture in photovoltaics sector in a European country
• Represented a Middle Eastern telecommunications infrastructure provider in several competitive bid procedures to acquire telecom tower businesses in the MENA region
• Advised a private company on acquisition of business of a crypto exchange trading terminal and related intellectual property
• Represented an aircraft leasing company in a competitive bid procedure to acquire a business portfolio from a consortium of international investors
• Advised a number of families on establishing foundations under the ADGM and DIFC regimes for asset protection and succession planning purposes, including on related structuring and governance matters
• Represented a UAE-based investment firm in establishment of a joint venture with two ADX listed companies
• Advised multiple clients on redomiciliation of their holding vehicles to the ADGM and DIFC
• Advised multiple international businesses on the strategy and execution of their Russia exits, as well as on international and Russian sanctions
• Advised Nebius Group N.V., a Europe-based technology company listed on Nasdaq seeking to build one of the largest commercially available AI infrastructure businesses:
  • on its $5.2 billion sale of all of its businesses in Russia and certain international markets, the largest Russia exit to date
  • on its strategic equity financing of $700 million from a select group of institutional and accredited investors
• Advised a number of emerging businesses in the UAE on shareholders agreements and governance matters
• Advised one of the largest Russian financial groups in connection with investments by Middle East sovereign funds into the concessionaire of the public-private partnership project for the construction of a toll road in St. Petersburg and related debt financing arrangements
• Advised Yandex, a leading tech company in Russia, on:
  • Acquisition by the ride-hailing and food-delivery JV with Uber of the call centers and cargo business of Vezet Group
  • Complex and novel corporate governance restructuring, announced in November 2019 and implemented in 2020, involving the creation of a new public interest foundation (PIF) formed under newly introduced Russian legislation
  • Ride-sharing JV with Uber in Russia and neighboring countries, with a combined valuation of $3.8 billion
  • Ecommerce JV with Sberbank of Russia, with a combined valuation of $1 billion
• Advised Kismet Group in relation to consolidation of its telecom tower business with one of Russia’s largest telecommunication companies, MegaFon, including advice on JV arrangements