Dentons Jiménez de Aréchaga

Banking, Dispute Resolution and Fintech

Mariela Ruanova is a partner in the Montevideo office and leader of the Banking and Dispute Resolution teams in Uruguay.

Mariela is the lead external counsel for Banco Santander, the largest private bank in Uruguay, as well as regular counsel for the Corporación Nacional para el Desarrollo, the governmental agency in charge of structuring infrastructure projects. As co-head of the litigation group in Montevideo, she leads various judicial cases promoted by companies such as Mondelez, Pepsi, McDonald’s, Fox, American Express and Banco Santander.

Mariela is a director and counsel of Santander Group’s financial entities in Uruguay (Creditel and Créditos de la Casa) and is also focused in complementary areas of the banking practice, such as electronical governance, data protection and technology.

Experience Getnet Uruguay: assisted in the acquisition of the company in Uruguay (owned by Spanish technology company PagoNxt), providing day-to-day advice on the technology contracts that the acquirer enters into with its counterparties in the market. It also provides regulatory advice on the BCU and URSEC perimeter. FirstCaribbean International Bank, CaixaBank and Banco de Sabadell S.A. Miami Branch: advising the Banks in their capacity as borrowers, in the financing of more than US$ 230,000,000 granted to Tortuga UK in the acquisition of a hotel group in Jamaica. Corporación Nacional Financiera Administradora de Fondos de Inversión S.A. and Corporación Vial del Uruguay S.A.: advising on the structuring of a Guarantee Trust comprising future loans to the Uruguayan Ministry of Transport and Public Works ("MTOP") for up to approximately US$ 645 million to be collected in the period 2024-2033. The Trust would act as a guarantee for the contracts known as "CREMAFs". Corporación Nacional Financiera Administradora de Fondos de Inversión S.A.: advising on the structuring of the "Fideicomiso de Administración del Fondo de Estabilización Energética". Ebital S.A.: advising on the structuring of the "Fideicomiso Torres Nuevo Centro", the first real estate financing trust in Uruguay. Banco Santander: daily advice on highly complex corporate contracts, including advice on the loan granted to the Trust created for the financing of ANTEL ARENA. Google: daily advice on technology platforms and on the legal proceedings in Uruguay claiming the so-called "right to be forgotten". Bow Power: Representing the client in its capacity as landlord of the wind farm "Vientos de Pastorale" (50MW), in a claim brought by a landlord alleging breach of contract and seeking termination of the lease and damages for US $ 3,000,000. American Express: Advising on legal proceedings against Bank of America relating to promissory notes traded under an ALADI regulation. Banco Santander: Representing the client in a claim by Abiworld S.A., a former client who alleged negligence by the bank in its role as intermediary in the investment of "Fondo Rembrandt" market funds during the 2002 financial crisis in Uruguay. After complex legal proceedings, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Bank. Fox Entertainment: Advised in a judicial process related to the broadcasting of content in Uruguay. Grupo Cobra: Provided assistance on the financial aspects of a loan granted by Credit Agricole to Grupo Cobra for the construction, installation and operational management of a wind farm.

Spanish and English

World Bank Group contributor Director, Santander Group's Financial Entities in Uruguay Lead the Uruguayan team who collaborated with the Pro Bono Project coordinated between the Vance Center Cyrus of Justice of NY and the organization named Transparancy International, in order to strengthen asset recovery in Venezuela

University of Montevideo (Uruguay), 2005 University of Montevideo (Uruguay), Master of Economic Administrative Law (c)