
About Manuel
As a lawyer licensed in Mexico, Manuel Vera represents U.S. financial service institutions, energy companies and investment firms in acquisitions in Mexico and Latin America, also guiding them through cross-border project finance transactions and joint ventures. Manuel has worked with clients on projects in more than a dozen Latin American countries, with a special emphasis on Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Argentina, as well as Spain.
He is well versed in Mexican and international corporate and commercial law, particularly foreign investment, energy, project finance, banking, real estate transactions, labor, tax and regulatory issues affecting Mexican companies. Manuel's current client roster includes global Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 corporations.
Experience
Recent Notable Matters
Global Specialty Chemical Company — acquisition of a Mexican company with offices in Mexico City and an industrial plant in Toluca, Mexico including corporate and regulatory matters
Ion Geophysical Corporation — credit facility refinance, granting of collateral package and regulatory matters in Mexico
Southern Copper Corporation — derivative lawsuit in Delaware; corporate, securities and contract matters
Kinder Morgan, Inc. — corporate restructuring of its subsidiaries in Mexico
ASARCO — advised on all aspects of a ransomware attack response, including international regulatory reporting requirements and associated remediation efforts
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association — as lender, administrative agent and collateral agent in the successfully completed exit financing for Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. and certain affiliates. The exit financing included approximately $400 million in a revolving credit facility, $100 million in a term loan and over $85 million in privately placed notes.
Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank — as agent to the lenders in the $2.44 billion letter of credit facility and approximately $544 million in funded debt for McDermott International, Ltd in the successfully completed emergence from bankruptcy
Crédit Agricole — $2.8 billion financing facility in prepackaged Chapter 11 restructuring transaction for McDermott International, Ltd as agent to revolving debtor-in-possession (DIP) lenders
Eni S.p.A. — assist with the bidding process for the international public tender made by the government of Argentina for the granting of offshore oil exploration and extraction licenses
Cheiron Petroleum Group — The first upstream debt transaction for an independent oil and gas company in the newly deregulated Mexican market. With acquisition financing led by Natixis bank, the transaction closed after the company’s successful bid for a 50 percent operated interest in the onshore Cardenas and Mora fields in partnership with Pemex, the Mexican state oil company
Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank — as lead arranger, in the $4.65 billion financing of McDermott International, Inc.’s all-stock combination with Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V., consisting of a $2.26 billion senior secured term loan facility, a $1.0 billion senior secured revolving credit facility and a $1.39 billion senior secured letter of credit facility
Kinder Morgan, Inc. — cross-border natural gas pipeline and ownership of related assets for the transportation of gas in Mexico, including ongoing corporate work, regulation, tax, finance and labor issues, as well as the execution of several contracts related with its operation in Mexico
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas, LLC — registration, preparation of all bid documents, prequalification and related matters for the First Bid (exploration and extraction oil contracts) and Second Bid (extraction oil contracts) of Round 1 for shallow water blocks, issued by the Mexican government as result of the new Energy regime in Mexico
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas, LLC — corporate structure, formation process, ongoing corporate matters and related activity for the participation of oil exploration and extraction activities under Round 1 for shallow water blocks, issued by the Mexican government
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. — corporate, regulatory and miscellaneous advice to El Paso Marketing de Mexico
Leading U.S. pipeline and midstream company — joint venture and participation in a public bid issued by the Mexican Electricity Commission (CFE) and project finance for the construction and operation of a $2.1 billion underwater natural gas pipeline in Mexico
U.K. upstream oil and gas exploration and production company — general advice on the potential participation for the Fourth Bid for deep water blocks, issued by the Mexican government, as a result of the new Energy regime in Mexico
Company in joint venture formation to operate a gas marketing company in Mexico — formation of a joint venture in Mexico to operate a gas marketing company
Key Energy Services, Inc. — formation of a consortium to participate in a bid with Pemex for an oil field in Chicontepec, Mexico
Calpine Corporation — development, construction and operation of a 525 MW power plant in Mexico for the Comisión Federal de Electricidad and assistance with the sale of Calpine's interest in such power plant arrangements
Kinder Morgan, Inc. — sale of Kinder Morgan to management group and investment partners including Goldman Sachs, The Carlyle Group, AIG, and Riverstone Holdings in order to take Kinder Morgan private
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. — assignment from BNP Paribas to Wells Fargo of five oil and gas reserve based loans secured by companies in Colombia, Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Island, Panama, the U.K., Spain and Peru
Key Energy Services, Inc. — sale of its Argentinean subsidiary
Kinder Morgan, Inc. — installation and operation of certain natural gas compression facilities in Mexico
MatlinPatterson Global Advisers — acquisition of nine Mexican companies
Publications and Speeches
"Mexican Energy Legislation, Investors monitor debate as results may impact after-tax return," Oil & Gas Financial Journal, September 10, 2014.
"Exploration and Production in Mexico, Overhaul of energy sector invites expanded opportunities for private investment," Oil & Gas Financial Journal, September 10, 2014.
"Energy Reform Package to Increase Competition and Private Sector Opportunities in the Mexican Power Industry," Power Engineering, September 2014.
"Important energy reform submitted by Mexico's President," Oil & Gas Financial Journal, August 20, 2013.