Gide Loyrette Nouel ("Gide") is pleased to announce the appointment of seven local partners, effective from 24 May 2012. These are internal appointments around the Firm's international network encompassing a range of practice groups including Banking & Finance, M&A / Corporate, Projects (Finance & Infrastructure), Real Estate and Tax.

Melinda Arsouze - Gide Loyrette Nouel London - Banking & Finance

A member of Gide's Banking & Finance practice group, Melinda Arsouze specialises in international capital markets. A U.S. qualified lawyer, Melinda will join Christopher B. Mead in heading Gide's U.S. capital markets practice. With over ten years of experience in this area, she has advised on numerous major cross-border securities offerings, including initial public offerings, privatisations, high yield transactions and other debt issuances, including both public offerings in the U.S. and privately placed transactions. A fluent French speaker, Melinda works closely with Gide's capital markets teams in Paris and London. Melinda also has a specific focus on developing Gide's EMEA practice, including in Europe, Turkey, North Africa and Asia, in coordination with and supported by Gide's international network. Melinda joined Gide in Paris in 2008 after a number of years at a major U.S. law firm. Melinda is a member of the New York Bar and a graduate of the Columbia University School of Law.

Bertrand Barrier - Gide Loyrette Nouel Kyiv -  M&A/Corporate

Bertrand Barrier is the head of Gide's Kyiv office. He joined Gide in 2002 and specialises in cross-border transactions with specific expertise in mergers & acquisitions and industrial investment projects. A member of the Paris Bar since 2001, Bertrand holds a Master's degree in Law from the University of Paris XI and is a board member of the French-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce. Bertrand speaks French, English, German and Russian.

FAN Jiannian - Gide Loyrette Nouel Shanghai - M&A/Corporate

Based in Shanghai, Fan Jiannian joined Gide Loyrette Nouel in 2001. Jiannian has more than a decade of international corporate and M&A experience advising public and private sector clients, across a range of sectors including automotive, appliances, manufacturing and industrial gases. He has worked extensively in relation to the acquisition of stakes in listed Chinese companies, an area where he has advised on a number of landmark transactions. Fan Jiannian holds a Bachelor's degree in French Literature and a Certificate in International Business Law from Fudan University (Shanghai), as well as a Master's degree in French Business Law and a Master's degree in Banking and Financial Law from the University of Paris 1  Pantheon-Sorbonne. Jiannian speaks Chinese, French and English.

Eszter Kamocsay-Berta - Gide Loyrette Nouel Budapest - Projects (Finance & Infrastructure)

Eszter Kamocsay-Berta heads Gide's Budapest Projects (Finance & Infrastructure) practice. Eszter has a proven track record advising multinational enterprises on structuring their investments in Hungary and has extensive expertise in the energy and infrastructure sector. She is an experienced transactional lawyer who has built a reputation for working with clients to develop and implement their international and domestic business strategies. Independent industry publications recognize Eszter's expertise by ranking her contributions top tier in various projects related practices. She speaks Hungarian, English and German.

LIU Yue - Gide Loyrette Nouel Beijing - Projects (Finance & Infrastructure)

Based in Beijing, Liu Yue joined Gide in 2000. With more than a decade of cross-border experience, Yue's practice focuses on advising European and Chinese clients on a broad range of projects, infrastructure, energy and construction matters, including concession and PPP mandates in the energy, water, transport, and public utility sectors in China. A member of the Chinese Bar, Liu Yue holds a Bachelor's degree and Postgraduate diploma in International Law from the China Foreign Affairs University (formerly the Foreign Affairs College), and a Master's degree in Financial and Banking Law from Queen Mary College of the University of London. Yue speaks Chinese and English.

Vanessa Tollis - Gide Loyrette Nouel New York - Tax/Banking & Finance

Based in Gide's New York office, Vanessa Tollis heads the Firm's US tax practice and is a member of the Tax and Banking & Finance practice groups. She has specialised for over 11 years in the U.S. tax aspects of cross-border transactions (inbound and outbound), and regularly advises sponsors and participants in the global capital markets on tax-efficient structured financings, including cross-border securitisations and securities offerings. She also advises funds and investors on tax issues associated with the structuring, funding, and operation of investment funds and other joint ventures. Vanessa holds a J.D. from Boston College Law School, an M.S.W. from Simmons College, and a B.S. from The College of William & Mary. She is a member of the ABA, New York State Bar Association, New York City Bar Association, IFA, and the French American Chamber of Commerce. Vanessa speaks English, French and Swedish.

Ekaterina Vilenskaya - Gide Loyrette Nouel Moscow - Real Estate

Ekaterina Vilenskaya heads the Real Estate practice of Gide Moscow. She specialises in real estate law, land law and contract law. With over eleven years of professional experience, her practice also focuses on town-planning and construction law, lease, including transactions involving public land development, the privatisation of land plots, and, more generally, any transactions related to real estate assets. She also advises clients in the sphere of public-private partnership projects regarding all real estate matters. Ekaterina graduated from Moscow State University (MGU), Civil Law Faculty. She speaks Russian, French, English and Polish.

Commenting on the appointments, Senior Partner Baudouin de Moucheron said: "Many congratulations to the new partners. These promotions are the result of their outstanding work in providing high quality advice to our clients, and reflect the high caliber of talent across the firm's global network."