38th IBA International Financial Law Conference

Mário Centeno is the Governor of Banco de Portugal and member of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank since July 2020.He served as President of the Eurogroup and Chair of the Board of Governors of the European Stability Mechanism, and for over four years he was Finance Minister of Portugal.An experienced economist, Mr Centeno has held several positions in Banco de Portugal, where he started his career in 1993. He has a strong academic background with a PhD in Economics, from Harvard University, and has published several academic papers.

Klaus Löber is the Chair of the CCP Supervisory Committee (CCP SC) at ESMA, which was established in 2020 by the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR). His areas of responsibility encompass in particular ensuring a resilient CCP landscape in the EU and enhanced supervisory convergence towards EU CCPs as well as the monitoring and supervision of CCPs established in third countries, as appropriate, in view of the risks that they may pose to the EU financial system. He is also chairing the ESMA CCP Policy Committee contributing to the EU Single Rule Book in the area of CCPs. Prior to this role, Mr Löber was the Head of Oversight of the European Central Bank in charge of the oversight of financial market infrastructures, payments instruments and schemes. Earlier positions include the Head of Secretariat of the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures, the global standard setting body in the area of payments, clearing and settlement as well as positions in the European Commission, Deutsche Bundesbank and private practice.

Focuses his practice in the areas of capital markets, banking and finance, and mergers and acquisitions, both to local and foreign clients. During 2009 and 2010 he practiced as a foreign associate in the New York offices of Shearman & Sterling. Universidad de los Andes, School of Law, Licentiate in Legal Sciences (2002) Admitted to Chilean Bar (2004) Master of Laws, Duke University (2009)

Francisco Mussnich or Chico Mussnich as he is often referred to, is a senior and founding partner of BMA - Barbosa Müssnich Aragão Advogados (1995) and is active in both national and international M&A transactions and securities offerings. Chico provides strategic advice in hostile takeovers and corporate disputes both domestic and foreign and has represented clients, all leaders in their sectors, in historic transactions in Brazil in recent decades. He holds a JD from the Pontificia Universidade Católica - PUC/Rio, 1976 a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School, 1979 (duly recognized in Brazil) and from Fundação Getulio Vargas - FGV/Rio, 2015. Chico is a PHD candidate at the Goethe Universität Frankfurt with the subject Dual Class Shares. He has acted as legal counsel to the Local Organizing Committee for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil since its bidding process in 2007. Chico is a Professor of Corporate and M&A Law at PUC/RJ since 1981 and FGV/Rio since 2015. He also teaches International Mergers and Acquisitions at the Vanderbilt Law School since 2010 as a Visiting Professor. Chico also acted as an Arbitrator for the ad hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the Games of the XXXI Olympiad - Rio 2016 and at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad - Tokyo 2021. He is the author of Letters to a Young Lawyer in its second edition and Insider Trading in the Brazilian Legal System. In 2020 Chico participated in the Brazilian Stock Exchange [B3] working group that prepared the first draft of the Bill that created super voting shares in Brazil. Law 14.195 was enacted in 2021.

Marco Häusermann is a partner in the NKF banking, finance & regulatory team and a specialist for banking & finance (regulatory and transactional) matters, debt capital markets transactions and restructuring and insolvency law matters. He frequently advises domestic and international financial institutions and corporates on syndicated debt financings, leveraged finance, asset and project finance and other structured finance transactions as well as in work-out and restructuring situations. He has devoted a substantial amount of time in advising arrangers and issuers on debt capital markets transactions, including public offerings and private placements of innovative debt securities, high yield bonds, regulatory capital instruments, hybrid instruments and EMTN programmes. Marco Häusermann is distinguished as a leading Banking & Finance lawyer by Chambers Global and Chambers Europe and as a leading lawyer in Banking, Capital Markets and Financial Services Regulatory by IFLR 1000 as well as other legal directories.

Giorgio Bovenzi is a cross-border specialist who leads Haynes Boone's Global Credit Risk Management practice and advises on commercial, banking, and insolvency law in the context of cross-border financial transactions. He has also represented global financial institutions and multi-national corporations in complex U.S. and non-U.S. plenary and ancillary multi-jurisdictional insolvency matters. As a dual-trained lawyer in civil and common law, his experience spans more than 30 years in credit, banking, regulatory, derivatives, and insolvency matters in multiple jurisdictions around the world, both at Haynes Boone and while at his prior firms (Skadden, Davis Polk, and Dentons). His longstanding work relationships with country counsel from more than 90 jurisdictions worldwide enable him to deliver coordinated results and seamless, uniform counsel across multiple jurisdictions. He has been involved in several international initiatives, including as expert consultant to the United States Delegation in connection with the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) Principles on the Operation of Close-Out Netting Provisions (2013) and as the International Bar Association observer to the development of the UNIDROIT Principles on Digital Assets and Private Law (2023). Giorgio is ranked by the Chambers U.S. and Legal 500 professional directories, where clients have described him as "particularly recommended for his extensive knowledge of global banking laws," "a very focused lawyer who's very highly regarded by financial institutions," "very good to work with and excellent at finding solutions," able to "reconcile common law legal concepts and continental law legal concepts in a practical manner," and "unique in his 'understanding of the regulatory and risk management concerns of banks and ability to produce multi-jurisdictional solutions'." Giorgio is also an adjunct professor of law at Fordham University School of Law in New York City, where he has taught courses on professional responsibility in multinational practice, United States domestic and cross-border insolvency law, and global credit risk management.

Caroline joined Slaughter and May in 2005 and has been a partner in their financing practice since 2015. Caroline advises on a wide range of financing matters, including acquisition loan finance, debt capital markets, securitisation, derivatives and non-bank lending and acts for clients across a broad range of sectors, including insurance, property, chemicals and energy. She has a strong track record in advising FTSE 350 clients, large private companies and mid-market sponsors on acquisition financing. Caroline is the chair of the International Financial Law Reform Subcommittee of the International Bar Association and is also a visiting lecturer on the Financial Law Masters Programme at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam.

Bio can be found here: https://www.schoenherr.eu/people/detail/martin-ebner/

Alyssa Caples is a corporate partner in Cravath's London office. She focuses on international corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. She is the Membership Officer of the Securities Law Committee.

Jan specializes in mergers and acquisitions (of both public and private companies), capital market operations (IPOs, public takeover bids, and public-to-private transactions) and corporate finance relating thereto. Jan is also active in the regulation of activities of domestic and foreign credit institutions, investment firms and insurance companies active in Belgium. Jan graduated in Law from the University of Antwerp in 1986. He also holds a Master of Laws degree from UC Berkeley School of Law (1987). Jan joined the Brussels office of Stibbe in 1987. He was the managing partner of the Brussels office from 2011 to 2018. Jan is Corporate Counsel Forum Liaison Officer of the Securities Law Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA), and Programme Coordinator (Officer) of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA). He is also the author of various publications in his areas of expertise and a regular guest speaker at seminars and conferences.

Cintia Martins Costa’s principal fields of activity are corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, finance and, structured finance, including securitisation.

Jan Willem Hoevers specialises in international corporate finance with a focus on cross-border equity capital markets transactions. He advises corporates and financial institutions close to home and far afield. His regulatory practice ranges from buy-back programs to cross-border clearing and settlement, and from block trades to insider trading issues. Jan Willem is consistently ranked in the highest tier for equity capital markets in Chambers and Legal500, and he is described by clients as "thorough, hands-on and practical". He was named "Best ECM lawyer of the year 2014" (M&A Community). He has practised law as a resident lawyer in New York, Brussels and London.

Trevor Norwitz is a partner in the Corporate Department at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz where he focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and securities law matters. Originally from South Africa, Trevor is a graduate of the University of Cape Town, Oxford University and Columbia University School of Law. He teaches Columbia Law School and is active in the ABA, IBA and New York City Bar Association (where is a former chair of the M&A Committee).

Kee Yeng's practice encompass mergers and acquisitions (both private and public), equity capital markets and corporate advisory work for financial institutions and companies listed on the Singapore Exchange. Kee Yeng serves as secretary on the Securities Law Committee of the IBA.

Trevor Norwitz is a partner in the Corporate Department at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz where he focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and securities law matters. Originally from South Africa, Trevor is a graduate of the University of Cape Town, Oxford University and Columbia University School of Law. He teaches Columbia Law School and is active in the ABA, IBA and New York City Bar Association (where is a former chair of the M&A Committee).

Jerry Koh is Managing Partner of Allen & Gledhill. He has been practising as a corporate lawyer since 1993. His main areas of practice cover capital markets, investment funds, and mergers and acquisition. He heads up the Firm’s Real Estate Investment Trust (REITs) Practice and Investment Funds Practice. Jerry is passionate about helping the poor and needy, and is active in charity and community work.

Sara Vicente is a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley based in London. Sara is Deputy COO for Equities in Europe for Morgan Stanley and holds a variety of strategic roles across EMEA and globally for the division. Sara has >10 years’ experience in Strategy and Business Management and focuses on driving and facilitating strategy, challenging the business through analytics, supporting the business for growth, as well as general management best practices. Earlier in her career, she worked in Global Capital Markets and Investment Banking. Sara has been closely involved in the launch of the EMEA Multicultural Innovation Lab at Morgan Stanley and is part of the MCIL leadership team, focused on reducing the funding gap for women and minority-owned businesses. Additionally, Sara is a Business Mentor and Business Angel to women-owned businesses, focused on supporting women through growth, fundraising and organizational change. Sara is a Social Entrepreneur with the 2 charities she has co-founded in Portugal and the UK for the last 19 years – Um Pequeno Gesto and A Little Gesture UK. She is driving strategy and finances, raising >€400k pa focused on children in Mozambique. She is passionate about development and providing opportunities to break the cycle of poverty. Sara lives between Lisbon and London with her husband and their two children. She is an avid learner, writer and podcaster. She has a degree in Economics from Nova SBE and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Vanda Cascão is a Partner of the Energy & Natural Resources practice at VdA and a Certified ESG Analyst by EFFAS. Vanda assists on the implementation and financing of projects, in particular energy and natural resources, and on energy regulatory and ESG/Sustainability matters, including green and sustainable financing. Vanda holds a Law Degree from the University of Coimbra, Portugal, and a Master of European Legal Studies from the College of Europe, Belgium. Vanda is a member of the Board of the Portuguese Association of Energy Law, member of EFELA.

Head of the Technology, Data and Digital Innovation Practice Area at CS´Associados. Vice-President of ACEPI - Digital Economy Association. Member of the Board of ARBITRARE - Arbitration Centre for Industrial Property, Domain Names, Trade Names and Corporate Names

- President of Instituto New Economy - Co-founder and CTO at Relayz.io (web3 videoconferencing) - Founder and CEO of Privus (secure communications software for governments) - Early crypto evangelist

Joana Torres Ereio joined the Lisbon office of Uría Menéndez as a trainee lawyer in 2007 and become a partner in 2020. In 2011 Joana worked in the firm’s Madrid office. Joana focuses her practice on corporate law and is particularly experienced in advising both national and international clients on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital transactions, commercial agreements, including joint venture arrangements, corporate restructurings and general corporate law and corporate governance matters. Joana graduated in Law from the Faculty of Law of Universidade de Coimbra in 2007. She is a director of the Portuguese Corporate Governance Institute (IPCG) and a member of the board of trustees of the Fundación Profesor Uría. Joana is a teacher at the Finance and Accounting Executive Program at Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics (PCF), is author and co-author of multiple technical articles and is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars.

Matteo Bragantini is Co-Head of the Banking & Finance Department at Gianni & Origoni. He represents and advises banking clients in a wide variety of domestic and international financing transactions, including financings of acquisitions, recapitalizations, mergers and spin-offs, working capital financings and various special-purpose financings. Matteo also advises corporate borrowers negotiating financing arrangements with banks and other financial institutions. He was awarded his law degree in 1997 from the University of Milan. He is a member of the Italian bar. He speaks Italian and English.

Senior partner of Cuatrecasas in Portugal; focusing on banking transactions and acquisitions, regulatory matters, project finance, debt restructuring, structured financing (including securitization structures), corporate finance, and on all kinds of equity and debt capital markets transactions. Maria João Ricou was managing partner of Cuatrecasas in Portugal until 2022 and has been a member of the firm’s board of directors (global) from 2011 to 2022. She has been coordinating the firm’s banking and finance, and capital markets practices since 1993. She was named a partner of the firm 1990. She is a member of the Portuguese Bar Association and of the International Bar Association. She has published several articles in the fields of financial law and capital markets. She speaks at national and international conferences.

Previously counsel in the banking and finance department of an international law firm, Giuliana Durand subsequently worked as transaction manager and senior officer in the Italian branch of an investment bank active in the real estate market, assisting primarily on real estate financings, project finance (particularly in the energy sector) and acquisition and corporate finance. Her practice includes acquisitions and disposals of companies and business units, investments and joint ventures in the industrial (particularly food industry), real estate and energy sectors, assisting both on the corporate / M&A aspects, and on the transactions’ financial structure. She has developed significant experience also in debt restructurings, assisting corporates and financial institutions. Since 2018 she is a member of the board of directors of Beghelli S.p.A., a company operating in the field of security and electronics listed on the Milan Stock Exchange.

With over 20 years of experience as partner at Loyens & Loeff, an international law firm with some 1.500 employees, I now am a seasoned consultant in transformation processes and leadership development, who helps executives and professionals achieve their full potential. As advisor to the firm, I design, implement, and run a development program for the firm's 100 plus equity partners. I also serve as a member of the Management Board of the International Bar Association and as its Chair of the Legal Practice Division. I am passionate about diversity and inclusion, and I have co-founded and chaired the IBA's Diversity & Inclusion Council and the firm's Diversity Council. I have extensive international experience, having lived and worked abroad for many years, in New York, Milan, and Hong Kong. I excel at communication, transformation and leadership development. My mission is to empower and inspire others to achieve their goals and contribute to the success of their organizations. I graduated in law, have several post graduate degrees, including the New Board Program at Nyenrode Business University and a certification in Executive Coaching from VU Amsterdam. I now participate in the Executive Master in Change program at Insead at the Fontainebleau campus.

Helena Soares de Moura has a degree in Law and post-graduate studies in Information Society Studies and Electronic Commerce and Industrial Law from the Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Lisboa and has also undergone several executive training courses at international universities, including INSEAD. With a proven track record of law practice over 20 years, with recognition and distinctions in the most prestigious international directories, Helena Soares de Moura was a member of the Lisbon District Council of the Portuguese Bar Association (2011-2013). Helena Soares de Moura also held management positions in the insurance sector in the Ageas Group, and, from 2018 to 2021, was as member of the Board of Directors of SIBS SGPS and SIBS Forward Payment Solutions. Author of several articles and publications, in matters of Civil, Commercial and Restructuring and Insolvency law, is, since March 2018, a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Caixa Económica Montepio Geral – Banco Montepio.

I am an Associated Partner at Abreu Advogados, working primarily in the areas of banking and finance law. I focus my practice particularly on financial regulatory matters advising national and international regulated entities as well as advising cryptoassets service providers.

Vera Esteves Cardoso joined Morais Leitão in 2023. She is a member of the banking and finance team. Vera began her professional career at Banco de Portugal, in the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing supervision division, having coordinated the market entry team over the last few years, gaining specific experience in the field of authorisations for acquisitions and increases of qualifying holdings, licensing, passporting and registration and supervision of virtual asset service providers. EDUCATION Law Degree (Nova Law School, 2012). Master's Degree in Corporate Legal Sciences (Nova Law School, 2013).

Ángel Pérez López is a partner in the Banking and Finance Practice Area of the Madrid office. Ángel joined Uría Menéndez in 2000 after working as a financial analyst for a leading Spanish corporate finance firm. Ángel focuses his practice on corporate, acquisition and project finance. He has worked on some of the most important financing deals that have taken place in Spain in recent years. He advises lenders and borrowers on transactions in the energy, biofuel, waste treatment and telecommunications sectors. He has also advised creditors and debtors on restructuring the debt of some of Spain’s biggest companies. Since 2011, Ángel has also participated in several sales and acquisitions of non-strategic assets of financial institutions, such as non-performing loans, real estate assets and property management platforms. From September 2007 to March 2008, Ángel was seconded to the New York headquarters of the US firm Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP, where he worked in the Acquisition Finance Group as an international associate. Over the last few years, Ángel’s expertise in banking and finance, project finance and restructuring has been recognised by prestigious legal directories such as Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, IFLR 1000, Who’s Who and Best Lawyers in Spain. In the 2015 edition of Iberian Lawyer he was named one of the top 40 lawyers under the age of 40 in Spain and Portugal.

Maria Soares do Lago joined Morais Leitão in 2004 and became a partner in 2021. She’s a member of the firm’s banking and financing team. She focuses her practice ON the banking and financing sector, particularly banking and financial transactions, in particular credit facilities, project finance and debt restructuring, debt issues (including medium term note programs and covered bonds), issues of hybrid instruments, securitization and derivatives.

Christopher Alam is a partner and leader of Gowling WLG's national Lending Group. He is also the head of the Real Estate and Financial Services Group in the firm's Toronto office. His practice includes corporate commercial and lending transactions. Christopher acts for both creditors, including banks and other major financial institutions, and debtors in secured and unsecured lending transactions that include public and private acquisitions, asset-based loans, and term and revolving facilities in both a domestic and cross border context. He also acts for creditors, debtors and receivers in transactions involving insolvency and related issues; and for U.S.-based lenders carrying on lending businesses in Canada. Christopher acts for public and private corporations in providing legal assistance with general corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, borrowings and commercial transactions. Christopher is a member of the firm's Legal Opinions Committee. He also writes and blogs about the regulation of artificial intelligence at JurisAI or at @aijuris. Christopher is the co-lead of the firm's national artificial intelligence technology sub-group.

Filipe Lowndes Marques is a partner at Morais Leitão, heading the banking and finance department and a member of the board of the firm. Vastly experienced in project finance, he has worked on all kinds of projects since 1995, including bridges, highways, power plants, mini-hydros, wind and solar farms, football stadia, hospitals, LNG terminals, fiber optic networks and natural gas concessions. His practice is also significant in the area of loan and bond finance and in the field of capital markets, having advised on several securitization transactions (including the first securitization transaction under the new law and the first synthetic securitization), covered bonds issuances and worked on several IPOs of state owned companies. Filipe holds a Law Degree from the Católica Lisbon School of Law and a Magister Juris in European and Comparative Law from Oxford University. He is a member of the Portuguese bar and is a non-practising Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales.

António is board member of Portugal Fintech, the main association for the fintech ecosystem in Portugal. António is founder of Fintech Solutions, a advisory firm supporting large corporate in the transformation process in connection to the startup ecosystem. He holds a Masters degree in Strategic Management from the Rotterdam School of Management and a Bachelors in Economics from Nova School of Business and Economics

Giorgio Bovenzi is a cross-border specialist who leads Haynes Boone's Global Credit Risk Management practice and advises on commercial, banking, and insolvency law in the context of cross-border financial transactions. He has also represented global financial institutions and multi-national corporations in complex U.S. and non-U.S. plenary and ancillary multi-jurisdictional insolvency matters. As a dual-trained lawyer in civil and common law, his experience spans more than 30 years in credit, banking, regulatory, derivatives, and insolvency matters in multiple jurisdictions around the world, both at Haynes Boone and while at his prior firms (Skadden, Davis Polk, and Dentons). His longstanding work relationships with country counsel from more than 90 jurisdictions worldwide enable him to deliver coordinated results and seamless, uniform counsel across multiple jurisdictions. He has been involved in several international initiatives, including as expert consultant to the United States Delegation in connection with the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) Principles on the Operation of Close-Out Netting Provisions (2013) and as the International Bar Association observer to the development of the UNIDROIT Principles on Digital Assets and Private Law (2023). Giorgio is ranked by the Chambers U.S. and Legal 500 professional directories, where clients have described him as "particularly recommended for his extensive knowledge of global banking laws," "a very focused lawyer who's very highly regarded by financial institutions," "very good to work with and excellent at finding solutions," able to "reconcile common law legal concepts and continental law legal concepts in a practical manner," and "unique in his 'understanding of the regulatory and risk management concerns of banks and ability to produce multi-jurisdictional solutions'." Giorgio is also an adjunct professor of law at Fordham University School of Law in New York City, where he has taught courses on professional responsibility in multinational practice, United States domestic and cross-border insolvency law, and global credit risk management.

Partner in BMA’s corporate practice with a solid track record on both the sell and buy sides of private and public M&A transactions, divestitures, financial matters, private equity investments, corporate governance and other general corporate and securities law matters. Extensive experience representing national and international companies doing business across a broad range of industries, such as beverage/food, retail, energy, communications and construction.

Marta Graça Rodrigues is a partner in the Corporate Department of Garrigues since 2011, where she practices in the areas of corporate, M&A, capital markets, corporate governance, private equity, financial regulation and commercial contracts. She has extensive experience in all types of corporate transactions, including transactions involving regulated entities, as well as in providing recurring advice to companies, including listed companies. With an extensive experience in M&A and corporate transactions and also in capital markets and corporate governance she has been consistently involved in some of the largest and more complex, sophisticated and innovative M&A, corporate finance and capital markets cross-border transactions executed in the Portuguese market in the recent years. In particular, she has provided advice in some prominent transactions including large M&A transactions, for industrial clients and private equity clients, IPO’s, takeover bids, public offerings and privatizations. She has been consistently recognised by Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, IFLR1000 and Best Lawyers in her areas of practice. In 2021 and 2022, she has been included in the list of IFLR1000 Women Leaders, as one of the most prominent female lawyers in the areas of financial and corporate transactions working in Portugal. Degree in Law from Universidade Católica Portuguesa. Post-graduate degree in Securities Market from the Law School of the University of Lisbon.

Rodrigo Formigal is a Partner at Abreu law firm since 2018 and co-head of the Banking & Finance team.

Ulrike Naumann is a finance lawyer and heads up Bowmans South African Finance Practice. She specialises in secured and syndicated lending, structured finance, preference share funding transactions and mezzanine finance, as well as acquisition, property and leveraged finance. Ulrike advises on various complicated debt restructuring transactions and on private equity related work. She also advises arrangers and issuers on high yield bonds and second bond transactions in the South African and off-shore markets. Ulrike was named as one of IFLR1000’s Women Leaders in 2020, which accolade also recognises her as an IFLR1000 Leading Lawyer and places her among the best transactional specialists within the Banking sector in South Africa. Ulrike’s expertise has also been recognised by Chambers Global for her work in Banking & Finance. She is a committee member of the International Bar Association’s Banking Law Committee. She has B.Com and LLB degrees (both awarded cum laude) from the University of Stellenbosch and a Bachelor of Civil Law from the University of Oxford, UK. She has worked in South Africa, England and Germany and is fluent in English, Afrikaans and German.

Kee Yeng's practice encompass mergers and acquisitions (both private and public), equity capital markets and corporate advisory work for financial institutions and companies listed on the Singapore Exchange. Kee Yeng serves as secretary on the Securities Law Committee of the IBA.