Sebastián Pérez-Arteta > Pérez Bustamante & Ponce > Guayaquil, Ecuador > Lawyer Profile
Pérez Bustamante & Ponce Offices

AV FRANCISCO DE ORELLANA Y MIGUEL H ALCÍVAR
CENTRO EMPRESARIAL LAS CÁMARAS, TORRE B, OFICINA 904
GUAYAQUIL
Ecuador
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Sebastián Pérez-Arteta

Work Department
Sebastián Pérez-Arteta has been the Managing Partner of the firm for more than 20 years and has a longstanding commercial, investment and public and private contracts practice, with a focus on energy and projects in Ecuador. Due to his extensive track record, which includes several landmark transactions in the country, he is recognized as a leading figure in these fields. He frequently advises local and foreign investors on complex negotiations and transactions and public bids. In his capacity as Managing Partner, Sebastián has been involved in most of the relevant cases or matters entrusted to the firm.
He provides clients and PBP´s team with strategic advice based on his in-depth knowledge of the Ecuadorian market, his practical approach and business acumen. Clients value his ability to see the big picture and his dispute resolution skills.
Sebastián has had extensive experience in the government, giving him a unique insight into both international and local matters. In his role as Private Secretary and Advisor to the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Integration (1982-1983) he gained a deep understanding of the Ecuadorian public sector and its interaction with private companies. He served as Counselor of the Embassy of Ecuador in Washington (1984-1987), which allowed him to work with multilateral organizations, thoroughly understanding foreign investors’ needs and how they relate to the Ecuadorian system and the country’s interest in attracting investment. He also served as Ecuador’s Deputy Minister of Finance (1992-1993), where he was involved in the preparation of several laws and regulations that organized and clarified the country’s public finances.
Position
Managing Partner
Career
- Pérez Bustamante & Ponce (1978 – present)
- Private Secretary and Advisor to the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Integration, Ecuador (1982 – 1983)
- Counselor, Embassy of Ecuador in Washington (1984 – 1987)
- Deputy Minister of Finance, Ecuador (1992 – July 1993)
- Member, Board of Directors, Pichincha Chamber of Industry, Ecuador (1992 – 1993)
- Member, Board of Directors, Quito Chamber of Commerce, Ecuador (1998 – 2000; 2002 – 2006)
- Arbitrator, Quito Chamber of Commerce, Ecuador (1998 -present)
- Member, Board of Directors, Internal Revenue Service, Ecuador (1998 – 2000)
- Member, National Securities Council, Ecuador (1999 – 2006)
Languages
Spanish, English
Memberships
- International Bar Association
- Ecuador Bar Association
Education
- Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito (Doctor of Jurisprudence, 1983)
- Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain (Degree in Law, 1978)
Lawyer Rankings
Ecuador > Energy and natural resources
‘Distinguished for its comprehensive approach and deep knowledge of the sector’, Pérez Bustamante & Ponce possesses a strong track record in major oil and gas, mining, electricity and renewable projects in Ecuador. A popular destination for hydrocarbon players, the team often advises on tenders for the processing of LNG-to-power projects and the negotiation of contracts with the Ministry of Energy and Mines and national oil company Petroecuador. The practice is also active in environmental, tax, financing and litigation matters in the mining sector, as well as private investments in the power segment. Francisco Roldán-Cobo is a reference for clients from the oil, gas and electricity segments, while Sebastián Pérez-Arteta has a strong track record in landmark transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Jaime Zaldumbide-Serrano is experienced in oil, mining and alternative energy projects; Sebastián Cortez focuses on regulatory matters and renewable energy project development; and María Isabel Aillón advises on investments in the mining and oil and gas spaces. Other noteworthy individuals include Estefania Lopez-Verdu, who assists with energy, infrastructure and public procurement mandates, and Patricio Albuja, who primarily focuses on oil and gas investments but is increasingly seen advising on alternative energy matters. Since publication, López-Verdú has been raised to the partnership; and the firm has significantly boosted it’s environmental law capabilities with the hire of specialist Rafael Pástor Vélez (plus three associates and four technical specialists) from his own boutique (Pástor); effective as of January and April 2025, respectively.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Banking and finance
- Competition and antitrust
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Energy and natural resources
- Labour and employment
- Real estate
- Tax