Olga Melo Zanelli

Olga is a seasoned practitioner and leads large-scale complex energy and infrastructure development projects. She is a champion for promoting best international practices for infrastructure investment across the CIS and CEE countries.

She advises both public clients (including state authorities and state-owned companies) and private international sponsors and lenders, as well as subcontractors and operators on all aspects of cross-border projects. She has been involved in many high profile and high value infrastructure projects including in the transportation (airports, roads and ports), utilities and energy sectors.

Olga was one of the few lawyers involved in the very first attempts to implement PPP projects in Russia and CIS countries in the early 2000s.

She is the head of the Paris CIS and CEE Desk assisting international clients in any aspects of their business and litigation procedures in the region.

Accolades

• Top-ranked by leading international legal directories in the past 14 years including most recently Band 1 in Projects in Infrastructure – Russia by Chambers Europe 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 and "Leading Individual" in PPP and Infrastructure Projects – Russia by Legal 500 EMEA 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018
• "Women Leaders" in Russia by IFLR 1000 2021 and 2020
• Tier 1 in PPP/Infrastructure by pravo.ru – 300 2021
• "She's commercially oriented. She has very good management skills, which for a partner is very important", Chambers Europe 2021
• "She always brings innovative solutions and knows how best to apply them in the local business environment", Chambers Europe 2020.
• "She's commercially oriented, has very good management skills, which for a partner is very important and regularly assists with PPP and infrastructure projects for clients from the transportation and utilities industries and also acts for banks that provide financing to projects", Chambers Europe 2020.
• "Olga Melo Zanelli is a market leader in this area and has great experience. She is always ready to provide personal attention and advice", Legal 500 EMEA 2020
• "Olga Melo Zanelli is responsive and experienced, with strong client relationships", Legal 500 EMEA 2020
• "the excellent Olga Melo Zanelli […] has excellent depth. I have found them to be very commercial and responsive, with strong client relationships with both sponsors and lenders", Legal 500 EMEA 2020
• "open-minded lawyer with a good eye for business realities", Chambers Europe 2019
• "the top-class and well-connected", Legal 500 EMEA 2019
• "sources praise her constructive approach and extensive experience", Chambers Europe 2018
• "a strong project manager with solid commercial skills", Legal 500 EMEA 2018
• "she is proactive and commercially sensitive. She has a good understanding of practical and political realities in dealing with Russian regional authorities", Chambers Europe 2017
• "open-minded, very attentive and fully understands client needs", Legal 500 EMEA 2017

Publications

• The Public-Private Partnership Law Review – 7 Edition (2021): Russia Chapter (by Olga Melo Zanelli, Roman Churakov and Lola Shamirzayeva)
• The Government Procurement Review – 8 Edition (2020): Russia Chapter (by Melo Zanelli, Lola Shamirzayeva and Olga Polkovnikova)

Background

Olga obtained her law degree from the Moscow State University. She joined the firm as partner in 2010. She is the member of the Paris bar.