Marius af Schultén

Partner, Member of the Finnish Bar

Services

  1. Environment, Energy & Green Transition
  2. Restructuring Proceedings

Contact details

I head Castrén & Snellman’s Environment, Energy and Green Transition team. My key areas of expertise include land use planning and permitting of large-scale infrastructure projects.

I have gained extensive experience as strategic advisor to domestic and international energy and infrastructure project developers, investors, funds, and financial institutions on their investments in Finland. This has included advice on green field project development, M&A transactions involving project companies or project assets, various types of co-operation agreements between developers and administrative court proceedings related to various permits and land use plans. My key focus sector is renewable energy, notably the onshore and offshore wind power, photovoltaics, battery storage, and hydrogen sectors, among others. In addition, I have been involved in various mining, forestry, chemicals, and aquaculture projects. Chambers Europe ranks me as one of the leading legal experts in Finland in the category of Energy and Natural Resources.

Regardless of the nature of the assignment – whether project development, transactions, or court proceedings – understanding the client’s business is the key to high quality legal advice. Our job as lawyers is to help our clients in navigating through the legal jungle, thereby ensuring the successful realisation of their projects. This is only possible by focusing on finding solutions, not just searching for problems. This is the mindset that I strive to keep in everything I do.

Latest references

Fortum – Acquisition of a project development portfolio for renewable power from Enersense
We are acting as a counsel to Fortum in a transaction in which Fortum is strengthening its renewable power project pipeline through the acquisition of a project development portfolio from Enersense. The debt-and-cash free purchase price is approximately EUR 9 million, with the potential for project-specific earn-outs subject to projects successfully reaching a final investment decision in the future. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2025. Fortum is a leading Nordic energy company with the purpose to power a world where people, businesses and nature thrive together. Fortum’s core operations comprise of efficient, CO2-free power generation as well as reliable supply of electricity and district heat to private and business customers. The company is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. One of Fortum’s strategic targets is to develop at least 800 MW of ready-to-build onshore wind and solar projects by the end of 2026.
Case published 19.12.2024
A. Ahlström Real Estate – Acquisition of an office complex
We advised A. Ahlström Real Estate Ltd in its acquisition of an office complex in Pasila, Helsinki, from Avain Yhtiöt Oy. The office complex is part of a new block area that will also include three tower blocks. Construction of the block has started in early 2025 and the office building is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The office building is located in Central Pasila, in the immediate vicinity of the Tripla shopping centre, with excellent transport connections. The office will provide modern and adaptable office space for up to 450 employees. The anchor tenant in the new premises is Avain Yhtiöt. A. Ahlström Real Estate manages the real estate and forest assets of A. Ahlström Oy. Avain Yhtiöt is a Finnish housing provider specialising in developing, constructing, and managing residential properties and housing services. Under the Avain Asunnot brand, Avain Yhtiöt and Avain Asumisoikeus own over 12,000 rental, right-of-occupancy, and service housing units across Finland.
Case published 18.3.2025
OP Corporate Bank – Real estate financing arrangement
We advised OP Corporate Bank plc in a real estate financing arrangement relating to DHL Express logistics centre under construction near Helsinki Airport. In the arrangement Nrep (acting on behalf of NSF III Fund) and Pontos Group acquired Finavia’s stake of DHL Express logistics centre under construction. LEED Platinum certification will be applied for the project, and as a result of the certification, the facility is contemplated to qualify as a green loan after the construction completion date.
Case published 12.3.2025
Gasum – Chartering a new bunker vessel
We advised Gasum in chartering a new LNG and bio-LNG bunker vessel. The vessel called Celsius will serve Gasum’s customers starting 2027. The investment is part of Gasum’s strategy to secure the availability of LNG and bio-LNG to its customers in the Northwestern European area as demand increases in the coming years. Gasum is a Nordic gas sector and energy market expert. Gasum offers cleaner energy and energy market expert services for industry and for combined heat and power production as well as cleaner fuel solutions for road and maritime transport. The company helps its customers to reduce their own carbon footprint as well as that of their customers. Sirius is a Swedish shipping company founded by the Backman family. Sirius operates 11 product/chemical tankers and 2 LNG tankers and has a further 3 product/chemical tankers under commercial management.
Case published 11.3.2025
Castren & Snellman Ebrands funding round
eBrands – Funding round
We assisted eBrands Holdings Oy in its latest funding round, during which the company raised 7.5 million euros. The new funding brings the company’s total raised capital to 50 million euros. The latest funding round was mainly led by the family investment company Veikko Laine, Varma Pension Fund, and operational shareholders. The funding will be used to develop eBrands’ AI-based Apollo market growth tool, which helps brands expand into sixty different markets and sales channels without local infrastructure or heavy investments. eBrands is an export platform that grows consumer brands globally through e-commerce and major retail channels. Specializing in the US and European markets, eBrands enables brands to internationalize with an export service model that reduces the risk and complexity associated with expansion by leveraging advanced technology. Founded in 2020, the Helsinki-based company’s team includes 75 people, and the company’s revenue exceeds 35 million euros.
Case published 11.3.2025
Nrep – EUR 100 million construction project in Herttoniemi, Helsinki
We advised the real estate investor and developer Nrep in a EUR 100 million construction project in Helsinki, which combines build-to-rent housing and care homes within the one scheme. A fund managed by Nrep (NSF V) purchased the plot of land in Herttoniemi, Helsinki and subsequently secured planning consent to deliver a hybrid living scheme. The modern complex will offer high-quality housing and care facilities for the elderly alongside rental accommodation. We advised Nrep in both the purchase of the plot and the contracting of the care and housing complex. A total of 425 apartments and 108 care homes will be delivered across four buildings on the site. Construction is scheduled to begin in autumn 2025, with delivery targeted in 2028. The project will be implemented in accordance with Nrep’s principles of sustainable construction. The buildings will be equipped with solar panels, geothermal heat will be used throughout, and low-emission green concrete and steel will be used as materials. 
Case published 6.3.2025
Ugly Duckling Ventures – Investment in Skyfora
We represented Ugly Duckling Ventures in the EUR 4 million seed funding round of Skyfora. The investment will support the deployment of Skyfora’s advanced weather intelligence solutions, including their state-of-the-art Telecom GNSS Meteorology solutions. Ugly Duckling Ventures led the funding round alongside LUMO Labs, and other investors included, among others, Voima Ventures and EIC Fund. Ugly Duckling Ventures is a venture capital fund based in Copenhagen, Denmark, that focuses on seed and pre-seed stage investments in Nordic ventures. Skyfora is a Finnish weather intelligence company that provides next-generation AI-powered weather forecasting and data collection solutions. Their innovative Telecom GNSS Meteorology solutions are designed for optimizing the performance of AI weather forecasts improving global climate change resilience and weather-insight across industries.
Case published 4.3.2025
Neste – EUR 200 million Green Term Loan
We advised Neste as it signed a EUR 200 million bilateral green term loan agreement with Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ). The proceeds of the loan will be used to finance eligible assets and projects in accordance with Neste’s Green Finance Framework. The loan has a tenor of five years. Neste published a renewed Green Finance Framework in February 2024 to align future financing activities with market best practices and standards. In addition to renewable and circular solutions, Neste’s renewed framework includes renewable energy as an investment category. Longer term actions on Neste’s climate roadmap include scaling up new technologies and innovations, with focus on renewable hydrogen. Renewable hydrogen and other new technologies are estimated to have a reduction potential of 20% or more of the 2019 scope 1 and 2 emission baseline by 2030.
Case published 21.2.2025

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