Michael Albrecht vom Kolke

Dr. Albrecht vom Kolke was ranked by WirtschaftsWoche as a Highly Recommended Lawyer in the categories Compliance and Corporate Law. In addition, he has been named a Rising Star in the Corporate Governance category by LMG Expert Guides and a Rising Star by International Tax Review at its Rising Stars Awards 2022 EMEA. Dr. Albrecht vom Kolke’s experience includes advising, among others:

• L’Occitane on the divestiture of its Russian business to local management;
• Renault Group on the sale of Renault Russia to the city of Moscow and the disposal of its 67.69% interest in AvtoVaz to NAMI;
• Halliburton on the sale of its Russia operations to a Russia-based management team made up of former Halliburton employees;
• Sylvamo Corporation on the $420 million sale of its Russian operations to Pulp Invest Limited Liability Company;
• Citigroup, Inc. on AO Citibank’s sale of a portfolio of ruble-denominated personal installment loans and consumer credit card balances to Uralsib;
• Ball Corporation on EU sanctions implications in connection with the US$530 million sale of its beverage packaging business in Russia to Arnest Group;
• the supervisory board of Continental AG in an internal investigation in connection with car emissions and related corporate governance matters;
• numerous international investment companies, financial institutions, insurers, consultants and corporates across many business sectors, including energy, mining, industrial goods, consumer and luxury goods, automotive, media, communications, IT and tourism, on compliance questions related to EU sanctions against Russia;
• multiple international energy, automotive, banking, industrial goods, consumer goods and IT companies in connection with their discontinuation of business operations in Russia;
• the board of directors of a Middle East-based developer and operator of power generation plants in an internal investigation into fraud, bribery and corruption allegations relating to a southeast Asia energy project; 
• the management board of an international automobile manufacturer regarding the consequence management of multijurisdictional investigations and litigation in connection with diesel exhaust emissions;
• the supervisory board of Stada Arzneimittel AG on its US$5.6 billion purchase by Bain Capital Private Equity, LP and Cinven Partners LLP;
• supervisory boards and management boards of multiple financial institutions regarding the consequence management in connection with so-called “cum/ex” transactions, including internal investigations, ensuing litigation and settlement negotiations;
• a management board of a European financial institution in an internal investigation relating to business practices in connection with the so-called “Panama Papers”;
• the management board of Hamburg Commercial Bank in connection with its privatization and related matters;
• a management board of a European financial institution with respect to board members’ duties in a post-M&A dispute;
• the board of directors of a U.S. technology and services company on corporate governance issues after a merger with a German stock corporation;
• a multinational oil and gas company on compliance with EU sanctions in connection with the exportation and maintenance of high-end technologies and equipment; and
• several multinational automotive companies on compliance matters relating to EU sanctions on investments in Russia and Crimea.

Dr. Albrecht vom Kolke is a frequent speaker and panelist at national and international conferences. He studied law at the universities of Freiburg (Germany) and Grenoble (France). Following the completion of his doctoral thesis at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law in Freiburg, he completed his legal preparatory service in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich and Pristina (Kosovo).