Brigard Urrutia

Banking and Financial Services

Senior Associate

Attorney and Economist from Universidad de los Andes, with a master’s degree (LL.M.) in Corporate Law from The Ohio State University, United States. Santiago is member of the firm’s Banking and Financial Services team and regularly advises lenders, sponsors, and project companies in project finance and cross-border transactions. Santiago has experience working in Colombia and the United States of America, and has provided advice to local and international clients, including Bancolombia, Scotiabank, Davivienda, Citibank Grupo Ortiz, Export Development Canada, Celsia, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Ashmore Group, Banco Santander, AES Corporation, Solarpack Corporation, Matrix Renewables, TotalEnergies, among others. Santiago was recognized by The Legal 500 (Legalease) as Rising Star in Banking & Finance in Colombia in 2023.

Furthermore, his experience includes: (2020) the financing of USD 57 million and COP 108,000 million granted by IFC and Banco Davivienda S.A., as advisor to Elecnorte S.A.S. E.S.P. and Ashmore Group to finance the construction, operation and maintenance of a total of 138 km of 110kV regional transmission lines in the department of La Guajira, Colombia. In addition to this, in 2021, we supported the mentioned clients in the refinancing of the initial loans with Banco Davivienda S.A. and Itaú Corpbanca; (2020) the financing of USD 340 million granted by Scotiabank and Export Development Canada to Caoba Inversiones S.A.S., which includes operational assets in Tolima and the Caribbean region, with approximately 1,500 km of transmission lines and 85 substations located in Colombia; (2020) the financing of USD 189 million granted to Grupo Decameron, as local advisor to Itaú Corpbanca (Chile); (2021) the refinancing of the 4G road project, Montes de María, through the issuance of bonds for USD 203 million, as advisor to the agency U.S. International Development Finance Corporation; (2021) the financing of USD 170 million granted to Metro Línea 1 S.A.S. for the development of the first line of Metro de Bogotá as advisor to BBVA and Bancolombia; (2021) the financing granted to certain affiliates of Matrix Renewables by Bancolombia and the Inter-American Development Bank for the operation of solar photovoltaic energy projects in Puerto Gaitán, Meta; (2021) the financing granted to Energía de Colombia STR S.A.S. E.S.P. and Ortiz Construcciones y Proyectos S.A. in connection with loans certain loans in COP and USD for the construction and operation of several electrical substations located in the department of Atlántico in Colombia; (2022) the financing of USD 674 million for the construction and operation of Puerto Bahía Colombia de Urabá - Puerto Antioquia, as local advisor to Citigroup Inc.; (2022) the financing of USD 170 million for the construction and operation of Termoeléctrica Tesorito, a gas-fired power plant with a capacity of 200 MW located in Córdoba, Colombia, as local advisor to Banco Santander and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation; (2022) the financing granted to affiliates of Solarpack Corporation, in connection with two solar plants located in Montería, Córdoba, with a total installed capacity of 99. 9MW and La Gloria, Cesar, with a total installed capacity of 80MW; (2022) the financing of COP $1 billion granted by Bancolombia and BBVA in Colombia to AES Colombia for general corporate purposes; (2024) USD 330 million financing granted by Citi, Scotiabank, Banco Popular Dominicano and Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior S.A. (Bladex), for INICIA Oficial's acquisition of Diaco and the Dominican company Gerdau Metaldom; and (2024) USD 500 million club deal financing in favor of Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana S.A. with Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, BBVA (New York Branch), Itaú Chile (New York Branch), Banco General, Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior S.A. (Bladex), and Citibank, to finance the Public Tender Offer (OPA) launched by Grupo Sura for the acquisition of the remaining shares of Grupo Nutresa; among other transactions.

Spanish, English

Master of Laws (LL.M) in Corporate Law, the Ohio State University Bachelor of Economics, Universidad de Los Andes Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), Universidad de Los Andes