About

Number of years practice: 22

Principal practice areas: Leveraged and Acquisition Finance, Mergers, Acquisitions and Joint Ventures, Project Finance, and Infrastructure

Bar admissions: New York

Languages spoken: English, Spanish, French

Chantal Kordula is a go-to lawyer for international business and financing transactions, particularly those involving Latin America; she regularly represents Latin American sovereigns, state-owned entities, and corporations in their M&A and financing activity, as well as multinational businesses on their investments throughout the region. As she noted in her statement to Amherst College on becoming a Trustee of her alma mater: ‘My work involves cross-border transactions, principally for Latin American companies. It requires that I not only appreciate differing positions in any discussion, but also harmonize them. In getting to common ground, I often need to bridge cultural differences, overcome unconscious biases and help reveal what is truly critical to those involved.’

On the Mexico front, Kordula’s past mandates have included advising Coca Cola FEMSA on its $182m acquisition of Uruguayan bottling-company Montevideo Refrescos; assisting Mexico’s largest glass-maker, Vitro, with its $750m acquisition of PPG’s flat glass business and its $310, acquisition of Pittsburgh Glass Works’ automotive OEM glass business; and leading on Mexico-headquartered Grupo Bimbo’s $650m acquisition of global baked-goods company East Balt Bakeries. Indeed her relation with Grupo Bimbo is lengthy, stretching back at least as far as aiding the company with its breakthrough enty into the US market via its $959m acquisition of Sara Lee’s bakery operations back in 2010. More recently, mid-2019 saw Kordula advise Mexican state-owned hydrocarbons giant, Pemex, on obtaining an $8bn loan package; and – together with Jorge Juantorena (also featured here) – co-lead advice to La Bufa Wind, S.A.P.I. de C.V. and sponsor, BlackRock, on a $225m bond issue to refinance a loan for the 130MW La Bufa wind farm.

Kordula joined the firm in 1997 and became partner in 2008. Throughout her career, she has spoken on panels and authored a number of articles on various aspects of her practice. Chantal received her JD, cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1997 and her BA, cum laude, from Amherst College in 1994.

The firm’s distinguished historical prominence in Mexico has facilitated the establishment of excellent relationships with Mexican government offices and financial institutions, including the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit and Banxico. In the private sector the team represents Banorte, Citibanamex, Inbursa, and Santander Mexico, and has represented BlackRock in asset management matters. Moreover, the firm’s transactional capabilities are boosted by the firm’s exceptional reach in Mexico. Over 100 of the firm’s former lawyers work in top positions in the government, in Mexican companies, and at the country’s leading law firms. The team often works together with its network of alumni to collaborate on both multijurisdictional and local Mexican regulatory issues.

The firm has maintained a dominant market position, with over $50bn in closed M&A involving Mexican companies and over $175bn in capital markets offerings by Mexican issuers since 2006. The firm has advised on many of most significant IPOs to come out of Mexico over the past few years, including Vista Oil & Gas, Grupo México Transportes, and IEnova.