Dias Carneiro Flores Sanches Turkienicz Amendola Waisberg & Thomaz Bastos Advogados has expanded its M&A and infrastructure practices with three lateral hires. Roberto Carneiro and Leonardo Batista join from Barbosa Müssnich Aragão in M&A, and Ricardo Assaf joins from renewable energy power company Renova Energia in infrastructure. All three lawyers join the firm as partner.
Managing partner Thiago Vallandro Flores reports that before the arrival of the new M&A partners, the firm had six partners who worked on M&A but “not really someone that would be the head of the practice.” Flores explained that the firm hired Carneiro to head and reorganise the firm's M&A practice. Carneiro and Batista have worked together for 13 years at BMA, and the two decided to move together to the new firm.
This move is also a result of an anticipated increase in M&A work. “I think that the next two years in Brazil will see private equity coming in,” Carneiro said.
Assaf joins the firm in the wake of expected demand for renewable energy expertise. Assaf worked at Machado Meyer before joining Renova Energia, and has expertise in regulatory work, energy and infrastructure projects.
“Renewable energy is one of the few infrastructure sectors that continues to attract investment in Brazil despite the current macroeconomic turmoil,” Flores said. He reported that both wind and solar work are expected to increase in the country. “Since the first wind power auctions that took place several years ago we’ve gone from advising initially sponsors to also advising lenders and suppliers. Because of our track record and expertise in the wind sector we also hope to be well positioned in the still incipient solar market and, to that end, the joining of Ricardo Assaf and the strengthening of our M&A practice is of upmost importance.”