6.4.2022

Capital Markets Expert Merja Kivelä Nominated as One of the IFLR1000’s Women Leaders 2022

For the fifth time in a row, IFLR1000 has named Castrén & Snellman’s capital markets expert, Partner Merja Kivelä as one of the Women Leaders for this year. The IFLR1000 Women Leaders selects the leading female transactional lawyers in the world, who are consistently recommended by clients and peers for the quality of their advice and service. Merja has been nominated every year since the IFLR Women Leaders guide was launched in 2018.

Merja is one of Finland’s most experienced capital markets lawyers. She co-heads our Capital Markets & Financial Regulation service, which was Finland’s market leader in IPOs in 2021. She is also a trusted advisor in private M&A transactions and chairs the shareholders’ meetings of numerous listed companies and institutions.

Merja is widely acknowledged in her field across Europe; to give but one example, she won the award for Equity Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year at the Women in Business Law Awards 2021.

Each year, the IFLR1000 research evaluates lawyers and firms on the basis of transactional experience and market feedback. During the process the research team evaluates thousands of submissions and survey data of thousands of client referees and peers, and conducts hundreds of interviews before nominating individuals for Women Leaders.

See the rankings in detail on IFLR1000 webpages.

Latest references

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Case published 21.9.2026
We advised Neoen Renewables Finland Oy, part of the French Neoen Group, in its sale of a data centre project to a consortium consisting of international data centre developers and operators. This marked Neoen’s first data centre development project in Finland. Founded in 2008, Neoen is one of the world’s leading independent renewable energy producers. The company operates in 15 countries. It develops, finances, builds, owns, and operates solar power plants, wind farms, and battery storage systems. Neoen Group is owned by global alternative asset manager Brookfield Corporation.
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We advised Jolt Capital and Tesi in connection with their investment in VEV, a leading provider of commercial fleet electrification solutions. The investment, led by Jolt Capital with Tesi as co-investor, will support VEV’s next phase of growth and expansion across Europe. As part of the transaction, VEV became an independent company following the acquisition of Vitol’s stake in the business. Founded by Vitol, VEV provides integrated fleet electrification solutions combining fleet strategy, charging infrastructure, energy supply and operational services. Through its VEV IQ platform, the company supports more than 6,000 commercial electric vehicles across Europe and has been deployed across more than 600 sites spanning the transport, logistics and waste sectors. Jolt Capital is a private equity firm focused on growth investments in European deeptech companies. Tesi is a Finnish state-owned investment company that promotes Finnish business and economic growth through investments. We advised Jolt Capital and Tesi on the equity financing and structuring aspects of the transaction. International law firm Goodwin advised the investors on the acquisition of VEV.
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VR-Group Plc is a transport and logistics group owned by the Finnish State, operating passenger and freight rail transport in Finland with activities also in the Swedish market. VR Group provides passenger, logistics and maintenance services with over 160 years’ experience in developing responsible transport of the future. We advise VR Group in intellectual property matters as part of the company’s wider brand protection efforts. Our assignments have included advice on copyright, design rights and trademarks, focusing on the protection of the company’s visual identity – including its distinctive green colour – in connection with transport services as part of a comprehensive IP protection strategy. VR Group’s consistent brand building has also received recognition, including the Finland Chamber of Commerce’s Brand of the Year award in 2026. In the competition, brands were viewed comprehensively from various perspectives, including their story, strategic role, brand renewal ability and intellectual property protection. The jury found that VR had understood the importance of the protection of its brand as part of a comprehensive business strategy. 
Case published 9.9.2026