He has vast experience in corporate matters, mergers and acquisitions, project finance and capital markets.
In the last 30 years, he has participated in multiple acquisitions of companies and/or assets through private or bidding processes, both in Chile and abroad, representing both buyers and sellers.
Among these, he has represented the Chilean Government in privatization processes of state-owned companies and various bidders in both public and private bidding processes, including private investment funds and strategic buyers or sellers in different industries, such as banking, telecommunications, insurance, retail, education, auditing, energy, mining, oil and gas, technology, utilities, financial services, and infrastructure.
He has also advised several domestic and foreign companies on corporate governance and compliance matters.
He has taught courses on mergers and acquisitions in several universities, and is permanently recognized by the most prestigious international publications as one of the most outstanding M&A lawyers in Chile.
Paulo is Co-Managing Partner of NLD.
Representative Experience
SUMA / Nubox: Advises SUMA and Nubox in financing by Partners For Growth.
Frigorífico Pacífico / Emergent Cold: Advice on financing granted by Scotiabank Chile, Banco de Crédito e Inversiones and Banco BICE for the construction of cold storage facilities.
Waterlogic / Culligan: Advised on the acquisition of Comercial FPO’s assets.
Emergent Cold: Advice as lead counsel in the purchase of Hook Chile, a company specializing in cold storage facilities and services.
Emergent Cold: Advice as lead counsel in the purchase of 100% of Empresas Multifrigo SpA, a cold storage facilities’ company parent of three subsidiaries: Multifrigo Valparaiso SpA, Multifrigo Casablanca SpA and Multifrigo El Olivo SpA.
Waterlogic: Advice as lead counsel in the acquisition of a 50,001% stake of Mas Pura group in Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panamá, Honduras, Perú and Hong-Kong.
Waterlogic/Culligan: Advice as Lead Regional Counsel in the acquisition of Paqmaq S.A. (Aquamac), Paraguay.
Komax: Advice to Komax shareholders on the company sale to Grupo Axo.
EMSA shareholders: Advice to EMSA shareholders on the company sale to CHL Capital.
Tierra Hotels: Advice to the shareholders of Katari SA, owner of the Tierra luxury hotels, on the sale of a majority stake to Baillie Lodges, owned by KSL Capital Partners.
Volcanes del Sur: Advice to Inversiones Andalucía on the sale of the craft brewery Volcanes del Sur SA to CCU.
Unsecured Creditors Committee (UCC): Advice to the Unsecured Creditors Committee on the Chapter 11 process of Corp Group Banking.
Elis: Advice on the acquisition of Golden Clean.
Emergent Cold: Advice on the acquisition of Friopacífico, a leader in the cold storage services industry.
Waterlogic Holdings Ltd (United Kingdom): Lead counsel in the acquisition of Quality Water Service and Quality Coffee Services in Puerto Rico, Chile and Colombia.
Linzor Capital Partners: Advice on acquisition of Uno Salud.
Oaktree – Agro Merchants: Advice on the indirect sale of Frigoríficos Andinos S.A.
Globant: Advice on acquisition of Grupo Assa.
Globant: Advice on acquisition of Giant Monkey.
Globant: Advice on acquisition of Xappia S.A.
Pharmaq AQ: Advice to client on acquisition of Fish Vet Group’s businesses in Norway, UK, Ireland, and Chile.
Waterlogic: Advice on acquisition of Aquafree, the largest water dispenser company in Chile.
Zurich: Advice on acquisition of Euroamerica Seguros de Vida S.A. life insurance portfolio.
Messer Group – CVC Capital Partners: Advice on acquisition of gas assets of Praxair Chile.
Apollo Global Education: Advice on sale of IACC and control transfer of UNIACC.
Riverwood Capital Partners: Advice on acquisition of 88% of the shares of Nubox (Chile and Colombia).
Zurich: Advice on acquisition of Euroamerica Administradora General de Fondos S.A.
Riverwood Capital Partners: Advice on sale of Synapsis.
Atiaia: Advice on sale of two hydroelectric projects in Chile.
Trilogy Recursos Naturales: Advice on acquisition of 25% of Forestal Casino.
Elis: Advice on acquisition of Albia S.A. and Servicios Hospitalarios S.A.
Komax: Advice on acquisition of Comercial IMG S.A.
Granarolo: Advice on acquisition of Bioleche Lácteos SpA.
Humus Capital Partners and GTD Group: Advice on acquisition of EMSA.
Assa Abloy: Advice on acquisition of ODIS.
TüV Rheinland: Advice on acquisition of Integra Ltda.
Oaktree – Agro Merchants: Advice on acquisition of Frigoríficos Andinos S.A.
Sibelco: Advice on acquisition of Cales El Volcán Ltda.
Riverwood Capital Partners and Megeve Group: Advice on acquisition of Synapsis.
Ernst & Young Chile: Advice on acquisition of JMA.
Exim Licensing: Advice on sale of Exim-Agosin Ltda.
Katari: Advice on acquisition of Hotel Refugia Ltda.
Victoria Capital Partners: Advice on acquisition of Energy Fitness, Aqua Fitness and Hard Candy Fitness.
Linzor Capital Partners: Advice on acquisition of 30% of the shares of Komax S.A.
Ryssen Alcools: Advice on acquisition of the alcohol business of Pamsa.
Masonite International: Advice on acquisition of Masisa’s door manufacturing operation.
CIT: Advice on sale of CIT Leasing Chile Ltda.
Linzor Capital Partners: Advice on acquisition of Tiendas EFE and TASA in Peru. Awarded “Private Equity Deal of the Year 2012” by LatinLawyer.
Sinapsis: Advice on acquisition of AQB S.A. and AGI-TEK S.A.
Burner Systems International: Advice on acquisition of assets.
Cruz Blanca: Advice on acquisition of Clínica Santa Lucía.
Linzor Capital Partners: Advice on sale of Hoyts Cinemas (Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay).
Riverwood Capital Partners: Advice on acquisition of Synapsis (Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Peru).
Palmfund Capital Partners: Advice on sale of 100% of the shares of Legal Publishing to Thomson Reuters.
Cine Hoyts: Advice on acquisition of National Amusement, Inc. in Chile.
Admiralty Resources NL: Advice on sale of Vallenar Iron Company.
Santa Bárbara Resources: Advice on acquisition of mining assets.
Quiñenco – Luksic Group: Advice on sale of Madeco’s cable business to Nexans.
Cascal: Advice on acquisition of Servicomunal and Servilampa.
Linzor Capital Partners: Advice on merger of Cruz Blanca with Grupo Said’s medical business.
Palmfund Management LLC: Advice on the acquisition of Lexis-Nexis Chile.
PPG Industries: Advice on acquisition of Renner Sayerlac (Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay).
Government of Chile: Advice on privatization of EMOS and ESSBIO.
Linzor Capital Partners: Advice on acquisition of Cine Hoyts (Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay).
Ernst & Young Global: Advice on acquisition of Langton Clarke (former Arthur Andersen firm in Chile).
Assa Abloy: Advice on acquisition of POLI.
Ernst & Young Global: Advice on acquisition of Medina Zaldivar (former Arthur Andersen firm in Peru).
Credentials
Admission
- Chile (1992)
Recognitions
- Chambers – Global (Corporate and M&A 2019 – 2020 – 2021 – 2022 – 2023 – 2024).
- Chambers – Latam (Corporate and M&A 2019 – 2020 – 2021 – 2022 – 2023 – 2024).
- The Legal 500 – Leading Individual (Corporate & M&A 2022).
- The Legal 500 (Corporate and M&A, including compliance 2018; Corporate and M&A 2019 – 2021; Banking and Finance 2019, Latin America: International Firms – Corporate and M&A 2019 – 2021; Corporate & M&A 2021-2022).
- The Legal 500 – M&A Powerlist: Latin America (2024).
- Who’s Who Legal (Global Leader – M& A and Corporate Governance: 2023; Global Leader – Government – Government Contracts 2022 – 2024).
- IFLR 1000 (Project Finance 2019 – 2020 – 2022 –2023; Mergers & Acquisitions 2019 – 2022 –2023).
- Best Lawyers (Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions Law 2019 – 2020 – 2021 – 2022 – 2023, Banking and Finance Law 2019 – 2020 – 2021 – 2022 – 2023, Capital Markets Law 2020 – 2021 – 2022 – 2023).
- Latin Lawyer 250 (Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions Law 2019 – 2020, Anti-Corruption Investigation and Compliance 2019 – 2020).
- LACCA Approved (Corporate and M&A 2019 – 2020 – 2021 – 2022 – 2023 – 2024; “Thought Leader” 2019 – 2021).
- Leaders League (Corporate and M&A – “Highly Recommended” 2020) (Mergers & Acquisitions – “Recommended” 2022).
- Latin Lawyer National (Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions 2019 – 2020; Anti-Corruption Investigations & Compliance 2019 – 2020).
Languages
- Spanish and English
Education
- LL.B., Universidad de Chile, 1990.
- LL.M., Duke University, North Carolina, 1997.
Academic Activity
- Professor of course in Mergers and Acquisitions, LL.M. program, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Law School, 2003-2008
Memberships
- Chilean Bar Association.
- International Bar Association (IBA).
Pro Bono
- Board member Red de Alimentos
Board member Despensa Social
Career
Partner, NLD Abogados, 2021 to date.
Partner, DLA Piper BAZ / NLD, 2018-2020.
Partner, NLD Abogados, 2007 – 2018.
Partner, Morales, Noguera, Valdivieso & Besa, 1998 – 2007.
Foreign Counsel, Morrison and Foërster LLP, Washington DC, 1997.
Foreign Counsel, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, New York, New York, 1997 – 1998.
Associate, Morales, Noguera, Valdivieso & Besa, 1993 – 1998.
Partner, Larrain & Reyes 1992 – 1993.