About

ERG Power Generation is a manufacturer of electricity from clean, renewable sustainable sources, with a history spanning over eighty years. In the recent past the company has completed a radical transformation process, going from being the primarily a private Italian oil operator to a primary independent operator in electricity from renewable sources. As a result of this change the legal team has had to adapt to the different structure and business strategies in order to transition smoothly in a short time frame. The legal function has been behind extraordinary sales and acquisitions, contributing to the energy provider’s consistently excellent reputation. Most recently the team was at the forefront of an €8.5bn M&A transaction which general counsel Andrea Navarra admits ‘involved a huge amount of work, without the work performed through the legal department would’ve been impossible’. Amongst their most substantial deals, the group went to acquire hydroelectric plants from E.ON Terni, an international player within the Hydropower sector in Italy for a $1bn price. With plans to expand across Europe, the team has spearheaded transactions which involved the group acquiring six wind farms in Germany for an equity value of €14.4m. Navarra admits that dealing with a number of jurisdictions can be challenging with the high levels of details and regulations to understand in the energy sector. He admits to overcome this the legal function have evolved to see themselves as collectors of the needs of the company and the understanding of the legal function. The legal team had to change the structure of the function, making it more agile and able to complete transactions with the ability to approach situations with creativity and a better understanding of financial dynamics. The team has therefore strengthened its value to the business, Navarro commenting that these internal changes have acted as a ‘revolution’ within the department.