Latin Lawyer, one of the most prestigious British publications, has announced its Deal of the Year shortlist. The awards will be presented at its annual ceremony, which will recognize the most relevant transactions for 2024. FERRERE has been nominated for two regional deals in which it played a key role.
First, in the Private Equity category, the firm advised Mill Point Capital on the acquisition of Imbera Uruguay, in the context of a global transaction. FERRERE conducted the due diligence of the local company, and assisted on drafting and negotiating the transaction documents.
The deal’s team was led by the partner heading up the firm’s Corporate team, Santiago Fontana, together with the attorneys Clara Porro and José Rivero.
Second, FERRERE has also been shortlisted in the Public Mergers & Acquisitions category, for advising Grupo Bimbo on the purchase of Pagnifique, a Uruguayan group with a recognized international trajectory (including Mexico and the US), equipped with lead generation technology for production of high-quality ultra-frozen bakery goods. The seller, Linzor Capital Partners, is a private equity fund that invests in medium-sized companies in Latin America, which had acquired Pagnifique in 2013.
FERRERE was lead counsel on this transaction which marked a milestone in the legal practice in Uruguay, given its regulatory aspects, and more specifically in the area of competition. The Commission for Promotion and Protection of Competition in Uruguay initially rejected the transaction, blocking the agreement and preventing its closing. This decision was appealed at administrative level, with intense participation of the FERRERE team, and the Commission ultimately reviewed its position and revoked the initial decision that had denied authorization, thus making it possible to close the deal. The revocation of the resolution issued by the Commission for Promotion and Protection of Competition was a historical milestone in Uruguay, as the first time the competition authority revoked a resolution rejecting a transaction of this sort.
In this case the FERRERE team was led by the Corporate partner Geraldine Ifrán, working together with a broad multidisciplinary team consisting of partner Verónica Raffo, counsels Alejandro Alterwain, Cristina Vignone and Diego Durán, and attorneys Walter Planells, María Eugenia Gitto, Giselle Cardoso, Florencia Fitipaldo, Mathías Rojas and Ana Inés Martínez.
The winners will be announced at a benefit dinner to be held on May 8 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.