Ana Teresa Rizo

She has advised international finance institutions reviewing the security structures and drafting the agreements. She also has advised foreign investors in their corporate organization to be used in Nicaragua as well as regulatory issues.

Ana Teresa has participated in complex transactions, including the due diligence and structuring the transaction to acquire companies in different areas such as retail, distribution, telecommunication, financial institutions, among others. She also acts as legal counsel to different local companies dealing with the day-to-day operations as way as taxes, labor and contracts.

Ana Teresa has also been involved in drafting and reviewing the “Ley de Garantías Mobiliarias” and “Ley de Leasing” to be approved by the National Congress as well as in the discussions of the “Ley de Promoción de la Competencia”.

• Ana Teresa advised in the acquisition by Akzo Nobel of 100% of the share capital of the Grupo Orbis S.A., a sociedad anónima, incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Colombia, that is the owner, directly or indirectly of shares of companies in Colombia, Ecuador, Panamá, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador
• The firm was in charge of the Due Diligence to Pintuco Nicaragua, draft a red-flags report of the transaction and review of Disclosure Schedule of the deal. The transaction included the Pintuco paints and coatings business, Andercol and Poliquim (resins) and Mundial (distribution and services). The headquartered is in Medellin, Colombia. The Main company brands: Pintuco, Protecto and AVF paints.
• Ana Teresa advised CMI Energía, one of the largest renewable energy businesses in Latin America, focusing on wind, solar and hydro technologies, in a Green Bond Issuance and a Loan facility Agreement secured by shares. The proceeds of the bond will be used to finance green projects in the categories of renewable energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, and clean transportation. CMI Energía anticipates that this bond will help execute its sustainability priorities and support the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
• The transaction involved a combination of (i) US$700 million 6.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2029 (the Notes) issued by Investment Energy Resources Limited (IERL), and (ii) a US$300 million loan (the Loan Facility) provided to IERL by a syndicate of Central American banks. Both the Notes and the Loan Facility are guaranteed by operating subsidiaries of IERL (the Guarantors) and are secured by a pledge of CMI's common stock in the Guarantors.
• Ana Teresa adviced in the acquisition by Webhelp of all the Latin America operations of OneLink, as local counsel for the jurisdictions Nicaragua, our firm, advised also in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Panama, conducting the due diligence for each of the mentioned jurisdictions, advised regarding the relevant regulatory matters, and reviewed the applicable sections of the SPA for each of the jurisdictions involved. Also, Arias conducted the review of the relevant Seller Disclosure Schedules included in the SPA. The deal consisted in the acquisition by Webhelp of all the Latin America operations of OneLink in México, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panamá and Colombia. The deal is highly relevant in view that with the acquisition of OneLink, Webhelp consolidates its operations worlwide as top player in the BPO and Call Center industries.
• Ana Teresa and her team advised New Fortress Energy, through its local company NFE (Nicaragua Development Partners LLC, Sucursal Nicaragua) during the legal study of pre investment operations and during the execution of the construction project of the first natural gas plant in the country with a capacity of up to 300MW, as well as, in the negotiation of the Power Purchase Agreement with the distributors DISNORTE and DISSUR. Additionally, Arias has locally advised NFE regarding information and regulatory matters related to the issuance of Notes issued by New Fortress Energy in the US to finance its operations and expansions.
• Arias has played a key role in the negotiation of all project contracts, both with the public sector and private companies, and in the processing of all permits, licenses and authorizations related to the generation of energy, maritime and land transport logistics, establishment of a port base for the importation of natural gas, interconnection to the national interconnected system and the regional transmission system, among others, including, the port concession contract, generation license contract, interconnection agreement, construction contracts, supply contracts, and lease contracts, among others.
• The team also has advised NFE in local regulations related to the issuance of the Notes and securing with the PPA such Notes and Loans Facilities to expand NFE´s operations. In the first stage of the project, the accompaniment was crucial to identify the regulations that needed to be reviewed by government institutions and to prepare proposals that would provide legal certainty to the investment. Arias also advised on the main technical-legal studies for the project. Arias' advice included the preparation and negotiation of the project's special law, which provided all the legal security required for this multi million investment, the first of its kind in the country. This law guaranteed the project ample tax benefits and facilitation of the various administrative processes in the country. Arias has been providing the necessary legal security required for this multi-million dollar investment, in a context where there were not many regulations and administrative procedures to deal with liquefied natural gas. Likewise, good management of technical-legal aspects with multidisciplinary teams has been a very significant contribution to the development of the project.

• Banking and finance
• Corporate and M&A
• Restructuring and insolvency

• Banking
• Consumer goods and services
• Energy
• Financial services
• Oil and gas

• International Bar Association (IBA)

• Degree in law at the Universidad Centroamericana de Nicaragua
• Authorized to practice as a lawyer and notary public by the Supreme Court of Nicaragua.
• Master of Economic Law at the University of Chile and Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Cornell University.