Garrigues, ‘Best Infrastructure Law Firm: Andes’ for the third year running

09 / 27 / 2017

Latin Finance, an economic publication that covers current affairs in Latin America and the Caribbean presented the award after analyzing nominations made by the different players in the industry. In evaluating the work performed by the nominees, the strategy, volume and variety of transactions, innovation and quality of execution were taken into account, as well as whether the projects brought social and economic benefits, thereby contributing to growth in the region.

The 2017 Project & Infrastructure Finance Awards were presented on September 26 in New York, at an event attended by the major financial players and main international law firms, alongside businesses and institutions tasked with implementing large investment initiatives. The partners Oscar Arrús (Lima) and Pedro García (Santiago de Chile) picked up the award. Pedro García headed one of the deals that was key to Garrigues winning the award: the issue of project bonds by Celeo Redes in the international and local markets for a value in excess of US$600 million. The transaction won the best bond, best financing in the electricity industry and best infrastructure financing in the Andes categories. Latin Finance highlighted the “versatile role” played by Garrigues in a benchmark deal for the capital markets. Garrigues advised the underwriters of the local offering and acted as advisors under Chilean law on the international bonds. “There were a lot of regulatory aspects that needed to be explained to the potential investors. We had estimated that the work would take nine months but things went so well that the deal was closed in barely six”, explained Pedro García.

This award, specific to the infrastructure industry, comes after Garrigues was also named best legal firm in the Andes by Latin Finance this year.