Diego Brandao

Counsel
Norton Rose Fulbright US Consultores em Direito Estrangeiro

Diego Brandao

Diego Brandao

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Biography

Diego Brandão has been based in NRF's Sao Paulo office since 2011. Before then, Diego was an in-house counsel for one of Brazil's largest investment banks. His practice focuses primarily on structured trade finance deals, corporate financings, derivatives and financial restructuring work. Diego advises clients mainly in Brazil, but also across wider Latin America. Diego is ranked as a rising star by Legal 500 and IFLR for his Banking and Finance work.


Professional experience

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MBA, Finance, Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa (INSPER), 2018
LL.M, Duke University School of Law, 2011
LL.B, Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, 2006

  • New York State Bar
  • Acted for numerous Brookfield investees in Brazil in relation to secured and unsecured loans from Export Development Canada totaling more than US$550 million since Q3 2022.
  • Acted for Suzano S.A. (Suzano) in its recent US$800 million credit facility arranged by HSBC which is guaranteed by the Finnish export credit agency, Finnvera. The facility, which will be provided by Finnish Export Credit (FEC), will be used to pay for equipment and services in connection with one of Brazil’s current largest private investments, Suzano’s Cerrado Project.
  • Acted for Grupo Simpar (Movida, Vamos, CS and JSL) in connection with a $250 million financing from IDB to support the group’s investment program and promote decarbonization in the transportation industry in Brazil.
  • Acted for Suzano International Finance B.V. in its recent US$780 million sustainability-linked credit facility with a syndicate comprised of 10 lenders.
  • Acted for one of Brazil’s largest sugar and ethanol producers in connection with a $300 million syndicated revolving credit facility.
  • Represented a large Japanese chemical company on its agreement to purchase of an ASX-listed Australian agricultural chemical company’s crop protection business in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile. The deal was valued AUD$1.1 billion and included a two-year supply agreement and a transitional services agreement.
  • Acted for the sponsor in relation to the combined US$300 million+ project financings for two parallel wind farm projects in Peru in relation to which financing was provided by three European developments agencies, US- Exim, CAF and various commercial lenders.
  • Acted for the lead arranger in relation to a US$100 million syndicated L/C issuance facility, which won the GTR Best Deal of 2013 by Global Trade Review.
  • Acted for a Brazilian petrochemicals company in relation to a US$350 million syndicated standby credit facility.
  • Acted for the lead arranger in connection with a secured US$61 million financing for an Argentine energy company, for the construction of a 75 MW power generation plant in Argentina.
  • Acted for the lenders in relation to a US$30 million pre-export finance facility for a Brazilian agricultural producer.
  • Acted for the sponsor in connection to the hedging agreements related to the acquisition and financing of a solar power project in California.
  • Acted for the issuer in connection with an offer and issuance of US$610 million in new Rule 144A/Regulation S notes for a Colombian electricity and natural gas sector operator.
  • Acted for Compañía Minera Milpo S.A.A., a Peruvian mining company, as borrower in a $130 million corporate financing arranged by Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. New York branch.
  • Acted, as internal counsel for Banco Votorantim S.A., as lead arranger and lender, in connection with the debt restructuring of Grupo Schahin S.A., one of Brazil's largest engineering and construction companies, in an amount of US$475 million involving 13 financial institutions.
  • Acted, as internal counsel, in the negotiation procedures for recovering collateral held by Lehman Brothers (International) Europe with respect to several derivatives transactions.
  • Legal 500 Latin America, Leading Associate, International Firms: Banking and Finance, The Legal 500, 2024-2025
  • The Best Lawyers in Brazil, Corporate and M&A law, Best Lawyers, 2020 – 2023
  • Rising Star, Banking and M&A - Brazil, IFLR1000, Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC, 2016 – 2023
  • English
  • Portuguese
  • Spanish