Law firm Reed Smith has recruited Andrei Baev as a new partner to its energy and natural resources (ENR) practice in London.

He joins from Chadbourne & Parke, where he was managing partner in the firm’s Moscow office.

Baev has previously worked at BLP, Allen & Overy, Sullivan & Cromwell and Mayer Brown, adding up to more than 25 years of experience in project finance and corporate transactions. He specialises in the emerging markets of Russia, Eastern and Central Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East, and has advised on major projects in the oil and gas sector, as well as on independent power, nuclear power, mining, telecommunications and other infrastructure projects around the world.

At Reed Smith, Baev reports to ENR chair Prajakt Samant, who says: “Andrei’s broad client base and industry experience across multiple sectors and jurisdictions are a natural fit for Reed Smith’s global platform. Andrei will especially help connect our energy and natural resources practice with our financial industry group, our trade finance teams, our Kazakhstan office and our rapidly expanding international arbitration practice.”

Commenting on his new role, Baev adds: “The presence of Reed Smith’s global energy team in Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the United States will be of great value to my clients, whose interests are ever more focused on the rapidly emerging economies that the firm serves so well.”