Michael Foundethakis

Ranked in 5 Practice Areas

Band 4

Banking & Finance

France

12 Years Ranked

Spotlight

Banking & Finance

Africa-wide

2 Years Ranked

Foreign Expert

Banking & Finance

France

13 Years Ranked

Foreign Expert

Banking & Finance

France

13 Years Ranked

Expertise Based Abroad

Banking & Finance

Germany

14 Years Ranked

Ranked in Guides

Europe 2024

France 2025

About

Provided by Michael Foundethakis

Global

Practice Areas

Michael Foundethakis has broad experience acting for both lenders and borrowers in a wide range of international finance transactions. He is primarily involved in cross-border project finance, structured trade finance (including ECA-backed export finance), acquisition finance, syndicated lending, financial restructuring and the trading of distressed loans in the secondary debt market. Much of this work entails dealing with export credit agencies, development financial institutions and other governmental and multi-lateral institutions. His main focus is on emerging markets, particularly Central and Eastern Europe, the CIS and Africa.

Career

Michael Foundethakis is an English and French qualified partner based in the Paris office of Baker McKenzie. Michael acted as the Global Chair of Baker McKenzie's Banking & Finance Practice between May 2017 and July 2020. Michael currently heads Banking & Finance in Paris and is also Global Head of Project and Trade & Export Finance for the firm and chairs Baker McKenzie's Africa Steering Committee.

Michael joined Baker McKenzie in 1999, became a partner in 2003 and has worked in both the London and Munich offices of the firm prior to taking the helm of the Banking & Finance practice of the Baker McKenzie Paris office in October 2010.

Michael is highly recommended as a leading banking and finance lawyer by Chambers Global, Legal 500, JUVE and IFLR. Additionally, he was the exclusive winner of the ILO Client Choice Award 2011 in Banking for Germany and again winner of the same award in 2017 in Banking for France. A team led by Michael Foundethakis was awarded Banking, Finance & Restructuring Team of the Year at The African Legal Awards 2015.

Professional Memberships

Michael Foundethakis has been admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales since 1995; became a member of the Munich Bar from 2002 to 2017; has been a member of the Paris Bar since 2011 and qualified as an Avocat à la Cour in 2019; and was admitted as a solicitor in Ireland in 2019.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Global Guide

Banking & Finance - France

Band 4

Individual Editorial

Michael Foundethakis is qualified to practise in France, the Republic of Ireland and the UK. He advises on project finance as well as structured trade and export finance. He has particular strength in cross-border work, with clients including leading international financial institutions and activity involving African jurisdictions.

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Banking & Finance - Germany

Germany expertise based abroad

Individual Editorial

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Banking & Finance - Africa-wide

Spotlight

Individual Editorial

Michael Foundethakis is global head of the project, trade and export finance group within Baker McKenzie, and is based in Paris. He has extensive experience in advising on Africa-related mandates and maintains a number of long-term client relationships in the finance sector.

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Banking & Finance - France

Foreign expert in Africa-wide

Individual Editorial

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

We are very happy with the work and accessibility of Mike Foundethakis in particular. I appreciate his knowledge of international development banks in Africa.