Mexico: GC acted as legal counsel to Banca Nazionale del Lavoro S.P.A., as agent, and a group of Lenders in the EUR€437 million (approx.) syndicated financing to F.I.L.A.

Client or Matter Name

Banca Nazionale del Lavoro S.P.A., as agent, and a group of Lenders.

Deal Description

We acted as legal counsel to Banca Nazionale del Lavoro S.P.A., as agent, and a group of Lenders in the EUR€437 million (approx.) syndicated financing to F.I.L.A. – Fabbrica Italiana Lapis ed Affini S.p.A. (“FILA”) - an Italian company and leader in the art and writing materials industry, listed on the “Borsa Italiana” (the Italian stock exchange).

Innovation & Additional Comments

The transaction involved, among others, the accession of the Mexican subsidiary of FILA – Grupo Fila-Dixon, S.A. de C.V. – to the syndicated loan agreement, as guarantor.

Therefore, it was necessary to review and negotiate the foreign documents in order to ensure their legal validity in Mexico.

Finally, the deal was particularly challenging given that it involved two separate jurisdictions (Mexico and Italy). As such, the structure was negotiated at-length and required to conform different concepts from foreign law into a Mexican-law governed transaction.

Jurisdiction

• Mexico
• Italy
• Germany
• France

Governing Law

• Italy

Deal Value

• EUR €437 million (approx.)

Deal Duration, Date of Closing / Signing

• Closing: October 24, 2022

Practice Area

• Corporate Finance

Team GC

• Leading Partner: José Ignacio Rivero Andere
• Managing Associate: Jacinto Ávalos Capín
• Associate: Luis Ernesto Brieño Jiménez
• Law clerk: Maite Robledo Saldívar

Otras Firmas Involucradas

• Sainz Abogados, as Mexican counsel to FILA
• Bonelli Erede, as Italian counsel to FILA
• Linklaters, as Italian counsel to the Agent and the group of Lenders