Luis Montes

• Represented Ecopetrol Brasil in the acquisition of a 30% working interest in three offshore exploration blocks from Vanco Brasil, a subsidiary of PanAtlantic Energy Group.
• Advised Banco Votorantim S.A., Banco Itaú BBA S.A., Banco Bradesco S.A. and Banco Bradesco BBI S.A. on the approximately US $104 million project financing of a co-generation power plant that will generate steam and electricity through the use of eucalyptus forests in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
• Advised HSBC and EKN, the Swedish Export Credit Agency, in structuring and financing the acquisition of the vehicles to be used in the Manaus Public Transportation System by certain operators awarded with concessions under a bidding process organized by the Municipality of Manaus.
• Advised Construtora Norberto Odebrecht S.A. in connection with the US$80 million loan provided by Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social - BNDES for the construction of the new airport of Nacala, in Mozambique. The loan has been granted to Aeroportos de Moçambique, the government-owned company responsible for the administration of airports in the Republic of Mozambique.
• Advised Banco Itaú BBA S.A., Banco Bradesco S.A. and Banco Votorantim S.A., as Financial Agents, in connection with a up to R$135,000,000 loan granted by the Financial Agents to Energias Renovaveis do Brazil ("ERB") with funds from the Brazilian Development Bank - BNDES for the construction and operation of a biomass power generation plant in the State of Bahia in northeast Brazil (the "Plant"). The Plant will be integrated to a chemical complex belonging to Dow Chemical Co. located at the Aratu Complex in the State of Bahia and is intended to replace the current natural gas-fired boilers of such chemical facilities.
• Advised Banco Itaú BBA S.A. and Banco Caixa Geral – Brasil S.A., the lenders, with respect to a R$155 million project financing granted to EcoSteel Gestão de Águas Industriais Ltda. (a company from the Odebrecht group) in relation to a water treatment plant integrated to Thyssenkrupp’s steel mill located in the State of Rio de Janeiro.
• Advised Darby Administração de Investimentos Ltda., as manager of BMIF - Brazil Mezzanine Infrastructure Fund – Fundo de Investimento em Participações, in structuring and financing the expansion of port facilities related to handling and storage operations of vegetable solid bulk in the Santos Port, the largest and more important port in Latin America. The investment was made through the subscription by BMIF of certain convertible debentures issued by T-Grão Cargo Terminal de Granéis S.A., the port facilities’ operator.
• Advised Darby Administração de Investimentos Ltda., as manager of BMIF – Fundo de Investimento em Participações, in financing the construction and operation of four wind farms of Bioenergy – Geradora de Energia S.A. located in the Northeast region of Brazil. The investment was made through the subscription by BMIF of certain convertible debentures issued by a holding company of Bioenergy group.
• Advised Martifer in connection with the drafting and negotiation of EPC and O&M agreements related to nine wind farm projects in Brazil.
• Advised Banco BNP Paribas, in its capacity of collateral agent, in connection with a loan to be provided by Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social – BNDES to Construtora Andrade Gutiérrez S.A. - Sucursal del Perú, with the purpose of financing the construction of a water treatment plant in a Steel Mill Complex owned by Compañía Minera Miski Mayo S.A.C., an affiliate of Vale S.A. incorporated under the laws of Perú.
• Advised China Development Bank (“CDB”) in relation to the US$750 million term loan facility that CDB made available to Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social - BNDES for the purpose of financing the construction of GASENE - Gas Pipeline Project (Brazil Southeast - Northeast Gas Pipeline).
• Advised Cerona S.A. - Companhia de Energia Renovável (“Cerona”) in relation to the first fully integrated EPC Management contract in the ethanol/renewable energy sector in Brazil, which was entered into by and between Cerona and Engevix Engenharia S.A.
• Advised Cemig Geração e Transmissão S.A. in a joint venture with Usina Alvorada Açúcar e Álcool Ltda., a Brazilian sugar and ethanol producer, for the construction and operation of a biomass power co-generation plant in Brazil.
• Advised Tractebel Energia S.A., a Brazilian subsidiary of Suez International, in a joint venture with Açúcar Guarani S.A., a Brazilian sugar and ethanol producer, for the construction and operation of a biomass power generation plant in Brazil.
• Advised Tractebel Energia S.A. in a joint venture with Dedini Açúcar e Álcool Ltda., a Brazilian sugar and ethanol producer, for the construction and operation of a biomass power co-generation plant in Brazil.
• Advised International Finance Corporation (“IFC”) in connection to the structuring of a Public Private Partnership (“PPP”) project in relation to BR-116/324 road concession in the State of Bahia, Brazil.
• Advised IFC in connection to the structuring of a PPP project in relation to Pontal irrigation project.
• Advised IFC in connection with a certain Loan Agreement entered into between IFC and Hospital e Maternidade Anália Franco S/A (Hospital São Luiz Group) in the aggregate amount of US$34 million. Luis also advised IFC in connection with the execution and delivery of the security documents in order to secure the full and timely payment and performance of the borrower’s and certain subsidiaries’ obligations under the relevant loan agreement and other transaction documents.
• Advised IFC, as Brazilian counsel, in relation to that certain loan agreement entered into between IFC and Estre Ambiental Group. Luis also advised IFC in connection with the execution and delivery of the security documents in order to secure the full and timely payment and performance of the borrower and certain subsidiaries’ obligations under the relevant loan agreements and other transaction documents

University of São Paulo (USP), Bachelor of Law (JD equivalent)

Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV/SP), LLM, Law

• Brazil