Cobbetts targets Russian market for AIM listings

Cobbetts AIM team has embarked on a marketing tour of Russia in the wake of a series of successful deals for Russian client Highland Gold, one of the largest mining companies in the world.

Cobbetts’ head of public issues Andrew Wright advised Highland Gold on its £200m admission to AIM last year and last month also acted for the client when it signed a strategic partnership deal with Canadian mining company Barrick Gold.

Wright headed Fox Brooks Marshall, the niche Manchester corporate finance firm which merged with Cobbetts last November. As part of the London Stock Exchange’s push to attract more foreign companies to the London market, last year he organised a tour of New Zealand, expounding the benefits of AIM.

Wright commented: “[Russia’s] oil and gas markets are developing rapidly and will soon be a major asset. This coupled with an unsophisticated bank structure, which makes bank loans highly expensive, means that AIM is a highly attractive finance vehicle for Russian business.”