John Anderson

Partner, São Paulo

Biography

“John Anderson brings knowledge and commercial skills to the table that truly make negotiations succeed.”
Chambers Latin America – International Firms 2023

Overview

John serves as the Executive Partner of the São Paulo office. His practice focuses on a variety of cross-border transactions in Brazil and Latin America, including project, bank and acquisition finance, restructuring and capital markets transactions and mergers & acquisitions.

His track record includes representing financial institutions, international investors and Brazilian companies in project financings, Rule 144A and Regulation S project bond offerings, large syndicated loans, the structuring and restructuring of export prepayment facilities and other financing transactions and debt restructurings, as well as equity and debt capital markets transactions. He also advises on cross-border equity investments, acquisitions and related financings.

John has advised and represented clients in deals spanning some of Brazil's most important sectors, including power, infrastructure, oil and gas, sugar and ethanol and paper and pulp.

John has also worked in the Firm's New York office and completed a six-month secondment at GE Commercial Finance Capital Solutions (Equipment Finance Division).

Bars and Courts
New York
Education
LLM
Harlan Fisk Stone Scholar
Columbia University School of Law
LLM
with distinction
University of Warwick (Warwick Law School)
BL
Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de São Paulo
Languages
English
Portuguese
Spanish

Experience

IDB Invest's innovative structure financing to SABESP
Representation of the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IDB Invest), as agent acting on behalf of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), IDB Invest, acting on its own behalf, and Société de Promotion et de Participation pour la Coopération Economique S.A. (Proparco) in connection with a BRL 470 million financing provided to Companhia De Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo (SABESP) for the fourth stage of the depollution of the Tietê river in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. IDB Invest provided the financing and was guaranteed by Proparco under an innovative structure, which gives Proparco the option to honor the guarantee or purchase a portion of the guaranteed loans. SABESP is a Brazilian water and waste management company owned by the State of São Paulo and it provides water and sewage services in 363 of the 645 municipalities of the State of São Paulo. It is the largest water and waste management company in Latin America.

Financing for Mendubim solar photovoltaic power plants in Brazil
Representation of IDB Invest in the limited recourse project financing for the Mendubim 531 MWp portfolio of solar photovoltaic power plants, transmission line and associated interconnection facilities located in the municipality of Assú, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil.

São Paulo Metro Line 6
Representation of the senior lenders, including multilateral lenders, development finance institutions and a syndicate of commercial banks, BNDES (Brazil's national development bank) in the project financing of the approximately US$3 billion São Paulo Metro Line 6 in Brazil. This is the first-ever limited recourse financing of an infrastructure PPP project in Brazil by BNDES and is currently the largest PPP project under construction in Latin America. The deal was awarded as "Americas Transport Deal of the Year" by PFI Awards, "Transport Deal of the Year" by IJGlobal,"PPP deal of the Year" by Proximo Awards and "Project Finance Deal of the Year" by IFLR Americas Awards.

Smart City Project in Brazil
Representation of a group of sponsors in the financing for the largest integrated smart city project in Latin America, which is located in the City of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The financing took the form of an issuance of senior secures notes to certain investors in reliance on Rule 144A and Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act. The Notes are guaranteed by the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation ("DFC") and Goldman Sachs acted as global coordinator, sustainability bond structuring agent and initial purchaser. This transaction has been recognized as "Infrastructure Financing of the Year – Brazil" by LatinFinance, "Latin America Social Infrastructure Deal of the Year" by IJGlobal and "Latin America PPP Deal of the Year" by Proximo Awards.

Landmark Social Bond for 4G Project in Colombia
Representation of IDB Invest, as anchor investor, in the US$262 million equivalent social bonds issued by the concessionaire of the Rumichaca-Pasto 4G project, an 83km highway located in the Department of Nariño near the border between Colombia and Ecuador. The transaction has been recognized as "Infrastructure Financing of the Year" by LatinFinance.

Açu Petróleo notes offering
Representation of Goldman Sachs, as global coordinator, initial purchaser and joint bookrunner, and the other joint bookrunners, on Açu Petróleo's US$600 million 7.50% senior secured notes due 2035. The notes were issued by Açu Petróleo Luxembourg, a wholly owned subsidiary of Açu Petróleo, which guaranteed the notes. This deal was named "Refinance Deal of the Year - Oil & Gas" by IJGlobal.

Biosev debt restructuring
Representation of the lenders in connection with the US$1.3 billion financial debt restructuring of Biosev S.A. and Biosev Bioenergia S.A. (the sugar and ethanol unit controlled by Louis Dreyfus Holding).

Petrobras revolving credit facility
Representation of Petrobras in a US$5 billion revolving credit facility contracted with a syndicate of 17 international banks for the refinancing in full of an existing revolving credit facility and for general corporate purposes.

Ultrapar Participações sale
Representation of Ultrapar Participações SA in the US$1.3 billion sale of its specialized chemicals unit, Oxiteno, to Thailand's Indorama Ventures PCL. The transaction included all of Oxiteno's operations in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, United States and Uruguay.

MV24 FPSO
Representation of Citigroup Global Markets, Mizuho Securities USA, Morgan Stanley, and SMBC Nikko Securities America, in their role as initial purchasers, and Barclays Bank and ING Bank, Singapore Branch in their role as co-managers in a Rule 144A/Regulation S offering of US$1.1 billion 6.748 percent senior secured notes due 2034 by MV24 Capital. It is believed to be the first project bond for an FPSO issued under Rule 144A and Regulation S exemptions. The deal was recently recognized as "Offshore Innovation Deal of the Year" by Marine Money.

TAG acquisition financing
Representation of a syndicate of ten international and Brazilian banks on the financing of ENGIE S.A.'s and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec's (CDPQ) approximately US$8.6 billion acquisition of 90 percent of Transportadora Associada de Gás S.A. (TAG), the owner of an approximately 4,500 km natural gas pipeline network in Brazil, from Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras. The sale was the largest in terms of dollar value of the divestments undertaken by Petrobras to date and is believed to be one of the largest project financing deals ever in Latin America in terms of deal value. This transaction has been recognized as "Oil & Gas Deal of the Year" by LatinFinance and "Americas Deal of the Year" by Project Finance International.

CELSE LNG-to-power project
Representation of Goldman Sachs, IDB Invest and IFC in connection with the financing of the 1,516 MW thermoelectric power plant and related LNG receiving and gas transportation infrastructure in the State of Sergipe, Brazil. Goldman served as global coordinator, sole book-running manager and sole initial purchaser in the offering by a Luxembourg special purpose vehicle of R$3.2 million 9.850% senior secured notes due 2032, and as sole syndication agent, sole lead arranger, sole lead bookrunner and lender in connection with a loan of R$168.5 million to the Lux SPV. The Lux SPV used the proceeds from the notes and the loan to purchase R$3.37 zero withholding tax Brazilian debentures, which were issued by CELSE - Centrais Elétricas de Sergipe S.A., which also received committed loans from IDB Invest and IFC. Swiss Export Risk Insurance insured 95% of the payment obligations by CELSE under the Brazilian Debentures. The deal was named "Best Bond" and "Best Infrastructure Financing: Brazil" by LatinFinance.

China Three Gorges Corporation
Representation of the Brazilian subsidiary of China Three Gorges Corporation, a Chinese state owned corporation and one of the world's leading actors in the energy sector, in numerous transactions, including its US$1.2 billion acquisition of Duke Energy Corp.'s Brazilian assets. The deal was awarded "Cross-Border M&A Deal of the Year" by LatinFinance. John also represented China Three Gorges in connection with the simultaneous sale of one-third of the equity interests in Duke Energy Brazil to China Latin America Industrial Cooperation Investment Fund.

Awards and Recognition

Leading Lawyer, Banking & Finance, Chambers Latin America, International Firms 2023

Leading Lawyer, Project Finance, Chambers Latin America, International Firms 2023

Leading Individual, Banking & Finance, The Legal 500 Latin America, International Firms 2023

Leading Lawyer, Banking & Finance, Chambers Brazil, International Firms 2022