In what can only be described as a definitive appraisal of its hard work and unparalleled expertise, the Firm is delighted with being awarded these prestigious confirmation of legal excellence. In particular, the Firm notes the importance of the Energy law award by DEALMAKERS at a time when Cyprus is highly touted as an upcoming energy hub, due to the discovery of extensive natural gas resources offshore the island.

Moreover, the Firm’s Managing Advocate Anastasios Antoniou is particularly satisfied with the receipt of the Cyprus Competition law award for 2012. Anastasios, a member of ECLF and a leading Cyprus competition lawyer, has expressed the view that more awards are yet to come for the Firm, the work of which has on numerous occassions been awarded for both its Merger Control and Concentrations practice as well as its Cartels and Unfair Trading practice and litigation.

Learn more about our Energy law practice and our Oil and Gas practice.

Learn more about our Merger Control practice and our Competition law practice.

The Firm had also been a major sponsor earlier this year of the EU Conference celebrating 20 years of EU Merger Control and continues to maintain its eminent position in Merger Control law and practice in Cyprus. Read more about the Firm’s publications on Cyprus Merger Control and Competition law.

Without limitation, the areas in which render our expert legal advice to the Energy industry include:

• Oil and Gas
• Electricity
• Renewable Energy Sources
• Commercial energy matters, distribution and transactions

Contact us to discuss your legal needs at energy@antoniou.com.cy.

Read our Information Paper on Electricity 

Read our Information Paper on Renewable Energy Sources 

ANASTASIOS ANTONIOU LLC has been awarded the ACQ GLOBAL AWARD 2011 as Competition Law Firm of the Year and Corporate INTL’s Global Award 2011 for Competition Advisory Excellence.

ANASTASIOS ANTONIOU LLC has been awarded the ACQ GLOBAL AWARD 2011 as Competition Law Firm of the Year and Corporate INTL’s Global Award 2011 for Competition Advisory Excellence.

ANASTASIOS ANTONIOU LLC

Cyprus Private Investment Funds, known as private International Collective Investment Schemes (ICIS), are private funds that can be formed under the laws of Cyprus. A private ICIS fund can have up to 100 investors, also known as unit-holders. The purpose of a private ICIS fund is the collective investment of funds injected in such schemes by the unit-holders.

Setting up a regulated private International Collective Investment Scheme in Cyprus entails professional regulated services by qualified Advocates such as the award-winning lawyers of ANASTASIOS ANTONIOU LLC. It also involves other professionals, which must be approved by the Central Bank. Our Firm undertakes the provision of all professionals required for a private ICIS to be licensed, established and operating seamlessly and our Clients maintain the choice at all times to provide their own Investment Manager, Custodian or Auditors as long as these are approved by the Central Bank. In detail, the roles in an ICIS are usually as follows:

Investment Manager: The scheme may be managed internally through the executive Directors appointed at the formation of the ICIS (which must be approved as to their investment experience and capacity by the Central Bank) or through a third party, an Investment Firm licensed by a regulating authority to act as Investment Manager of the particular Scheme. If a Cyprus Investment Firm is to be used as the Investment Manager, which we highly recommend, it must be licensed to provide portfolio management services under its Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) licence. Our Firm can provide both individuals acting as Investment Managers of an ICIS as well as licensed Investment Firms undertaking the same role.

Custodian: An established bank (in Cyprus or in another reputable jurisdiction) is appointed as the custodian of an ICIS, subject to its approval of the Fund’s purpose and subject to such bank being approved by the Central Bank to act as the custodian. The custodian bank shall bear responsibility for holding and safeguarding the assets placed under the ICIS, should these be tangible or intangible assets. Our Firm maintains excellent approved intermediary relationships with banks in Cyprus and in Europe and can arrange for the appointment of the custodian bank.

Administrator: ICIS without physical presence in Cyprus per se must appoint administrators that are approved by the Central Bank to administrate the private fund in Cyprus. The fund’s Cypriot administrators render their services with regard to book-keeping and accounting, compliance, reporting, filing, share issue, transfer and redemption and other relevant services. Our Firm arranges for the administrative requirements of a private International Collective Investment Scheme through its professional in-house administrators.

Auditors: Qualified professional auditors appointed upon formation of the private ICIS attend to the annual audit, the bi-annual monitoring reporting and other compliance functions, all under the IFRS and applicable legislation. Our Firm arranges for the appointment of our affiliated qualified external auditors to provide the necessary services at the highest value and in full compliance with the regulatory requirements.

Legal Advisors: The ICIS’s lawyers draft various documentation such as the Memorandum and Articles of Association in the case of variable capital company (or partnership agreement or trust deed) and attend to the legal formation, licensing and regulatory compliance of the private ICIS both upon formation and afterwards. As recognised leaders in this practice area, ANASTASIOS ANTONIOU LLC covers the full range of a private fund’s legal needs.

Our legal services cover the formation, operation and compliance of private investment funds in Cyprus. Read our Information Paper on Investment Funds in Cyprus or contact us at investment@antoniou.com.cy to discuss how you can setup a private investment fund and receive our legal services and advice.