Dirk Voges

Dirk Advises

• From owner-managed medium-sized companies to listed public companies, mainly in the energy sector (utilities / developers of renewable energy projects / EPC companies / component manufacturers / developers of battery projects / manufacturing companies on energy self-sufficiency issues), automotive and investment (anti money laundering issues).
• Especially German companies and Chinese companies on their activities on the German market

Experience Highlights

• Legal support and implementation of cross-border leasing transactions (US/Germany) with a volume of up to EUR 500 million
• Restructuring of the European group structure of the now second largest furniture manufacturer in the world in preparation for the IPO in South Africa (Steinhoff)
• First merger across the border into Germany in 2006
• Legal support and implementation of M&A transactions of German airlines (Deutsche BA, LTU, Air Berlin)
• Legal support of a public limited company from the start-up phase to the listing on the TecDax of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange
• Accompaniment of negotiations between the European Commission and representatives of Chinese solar module manufacturers on the introduction of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs in the EU; implementation of measures
• Introduction of a compliance system of a NASDAQ-listed stock corporation at its European subsidiaries
• Legal support of a project for the construction and operation of a municipal district heating supply system

Publications

• Co-author of the book “OHG, KG und Publikums Gesellschaft”, Haufe Publishing House
• Co-author of the book “Company succession under inheritance law”, C.H. Beck Publishing House
• “Should I or shouldn’t I? A Q&A on the use of self-generated electricity for charging infrastructure” PV Magazine, 15 November 2021
• “Is the statutory reduction of the EEG tariff permissible under European law?” PV-Magazin, February 2021
• “European Medical Device Law” (published in Chinese) Wolters Kluver China, 25 April 2020
• “Turnkey business: money laundering issues in the sale of photovoltaic systems?” PV Magazine, 25 October 2019
• “Own power consumption or third-party consumption in the group – delimitation relief through new legal regulation?” PV Magazine, 03 January 2019
• “China`s PE and VC market – Q&A” M&A Magazine China | Germany, March 2018
• “A sham: Opinion on the draft law on data theft” Deutscher Anwaltsspiegel, 17/2013
• “Instruments chosen correctly? On the draft law to shape the legal framework for grid expansion” FAZ, 28 November 2011.
• Various publications in the field of capital market law, corporate law, renewable energies, anti-money laundering and tax law in specialist journals and blog contributions
• Various publications and lectures in the field of renewable energies, doing business in China, among others at the University of St. Gallen and the IHK Augsburg /Schwaben

Webinars / Lectures

• Green Electricity and Legal Structure of PPAs” Webinars at various Chambers of Commerce throughout Germany, September 2021 – March 2022
• “Law and taxes in the construction and operation of a charging infrastructure” PV-Magazine webinar on 15 September 2020
• “A new competitive framework for the digital economy”, Cintona “Industry 4.0 Strategy Dialogue”, Cologne, January 2020
• “Legal assessment of RE PPAs in the overall context of energy law Germany and EU”, Conexio event “PPAs as a new pillar in the expansion of renewable energies”, Berlin, February 2019
• “Mapping project risks contractually” PV Magazine webinar “Quality criteria for module selection – what is really important? How EPCs safeguard themselves and their investors”, February 2019
• “Regulatory Framework for M&A in Germany”, Guantao Law Firm, Beijing, December 2016
• “Transformation of traditional industries using the example of RWE”, SASAC, Frankfurt am Main, October 2016
• “Common problems for German decision makers/investors during their investments in China”, German Industry & Commerce Greater China, Stuttgart, October 2016
• “Regulatory framework for M&A in Germany”, Bavarian Business School, Ismaning, September 2016
• “EEG 2014 – regulatory framework and market impact”, KonConnect Day of KOCO AG, Prien a. Chiemsee, January 2015
• “EEG 2.0 – the change of direction in the energy transition and its impact on own power consumption in the industrial sector”, Forum event of Julius Gaiser GmbH & Co KG, Ulm, April 2014
• “Rechtliche Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten beim Strom-Eigenverbrauch unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des EEG”, IHK Schwaben, Augsburg, November 2013.
• China: Market development through M&A transactions”, IHK Special Location comparison China / India.
• IHK Schwaben, Augsburg, September

Career History

Previous Law firms

• 01/20217 -02/2022 Weitnauer Law Firm, Munich, supra-regional law firm, Attorney at Law / Partner
• 01/2015 -12/2016 Yingli Green Energy Europe GmbH, Munich, Head of Legal EMEA / authorised officer / member of the management board
• 03/2013 – 07/2017 Yingli Green Energy International AG, Zurich, Switzerland, Legal General Counsel EMEA / Director / Board member (since 01 / 2015)
• 2008 -2011 Phoenix Solar AG (listed at the Frankfurt TecDax), Sulzemoos, Chief Compliance Officer
• 01/2004 – 12/2014 BTU Simon / BTU Treuhand GmbH, Munich, Lawyer Tax adviser Accountant, Attorney at Law / Of Counsel / Partner
• 03/2001 – 12/2003 Ebner Stolz & Partner, Munich, Lawyer Tax adviser Accountant, supra-regional partnership, Attorney at Law, Head of the legal department in the Munich office
• 01/1998 – 02/2001 CT Dr. Knagge & Voges GmbH, Oldenburg, Law firm in association with tax adviser, accountants, management consultants of the Commercial Treuhand-group, supra-regional partnership, Attorney at Law, managing director
• 03/1995 – 12/1997 Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (LVB) GmbH, Leipzig, Head of the legal department, authorized representative
• 11/1993 -02/1995 Billig, Verhoeven, Schulz & Partner, Leipzig, Law firm, Attorney at Law

Memberships

• Member of the Legal Committee of the Chamber of Commerce Munich and Upper Bavaria
• Member of the Environment and Energy Committee of the Chamber of Commerce Munich and Upper Bavaria
• Member of the Corporate Law Association VGR
• Member of the advisory board of Munich Child gGmbH

Education

University of Bayreuth

Dirk is a partner in gunnercooke GmbH, whose registered office is Kurfuerstendamm 15, 10719 Berlin, AG Charlottenburg, HRB 224488 B. All lawyers of gunnercooke GmbH are admitted either in Germany or Austria to practise as Rechtsanwalt or Rechtsanwaeltin and are members of and regulated by the relevant local Bar (Rechtsanwaltskammer).