David Gutiérrez

Partner

“David Gutiérrez is a world-class lawyer. He is a wonderful practitioner, with an admirable business acumen.”

Client quoted by Chambers and Partners

Profile

David Gutiérrez, co-founder of BLP, has led the office in Madrid since 2017. He specializes in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, and project financing for infrastructure. He is internationally recognized for his excellence and innovative vision. He has played a prominent role in the International Bar Association (IBA), where he has served as President for Latin America and is currently a member of the board of directors of the Law Firm Management Committee, and a member of the advisory board of the Latin American forum. He is currently the Treasurer of the World Services Group (WSG) Board of Directors. A leader in the pro bono and sustainability sector, he was the founder and first President of the BLP Foundation, the first Costa Rican signatory of the Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas of the Cyrus R. Vance Center, as well as the first coordinator of the Pro-Bono Commission of the Costa Rican Bar Association from 2010 to 2011. From 2018 to 2002, he was a founder and member of the board of trustees of the Pro Bono Foundation Spain, the first of its kind in that country. He was President of the CRUSA Foundation, the most relevant NGO in Costa Rica, and a member of the Board of Directors of Deportivo Saprissa, the most successful soccer team in Central America, as well as the Costa Rican Soccer Federation. With more than 25 years of experience, his leadership has left a significant mark on the legal and business community.

  • Business Law
  • Energy & Infrastructure
  • Banking & Finance

  • In 2005, he was selected as one of the

    top 40 corporate lawyers

    under 40 in Central America by

    Latin Lawyer.

  • Awarded the Law Firm Leader of the Year by the prestigious Law Business Research, and Latin Lawyer magazine in 2012.
  • Recognized as an Eminent Practitioner in Corporate/M&A practice by Chambers & Partners.
  • Recognized in the practice of Banking & Finance by Chambers & Partners.
  • Recognized as a Leading Lawyer by The Legal 500.
  • Recognized as a Market Leader by IFLR 1000.
  • Recognized as a Leading Lawyer by Who´s Who Legal.
  • Recognized as a Thought Leader by LACCA.
  • Recognized as LACCA Approved by in-house lawyers consulted by LACCA.

Education 

  • Master of Laws, Fulbright scholar and OAS scholar, with honors, Georgetown University, United States, 1997.

  • Bachelor of Laws, with honors, University of Costa Rica, 1994.

Languages  

  • Spanish  
  • English  

  • International Bar Association: member of the Latin American Regional Forum Advisory Board and the IBA Council, the most relevant entity of the IBA.

  • Aspen Institute: Fellow of the Central America Leadership Initiative and the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
  • World Services Group (WSG): Member of the board of directors.
  • CRUSA Foundation: Honorary President.
  • Omar Dengo Foundation: Honorary founding member.
  • YPO: Member of the Madrid board of directors and member from Costa Rica.
  • Costa Rican Bar Association: Member

  • Reventazón Hydroelectric Project: Central American Energy Business of the Year. BLP represents the lenders of the main hydroelectric project in Central America, the Reventazón Hydroelectric Project (350MV), in all matters related to the refinancing for its construction and operation. The financing involved the first bonds issued for a project in Central America sponsored by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute, including a type A and B loan structure along with the issuance of type “B” bonds. BLP was awarded for this transaction with the “Central American Energy Business of the Year” by IFLR.
  • Strategic acquisition in the life sciences sector in Central America. BLP advised its client, Barentz International, a global distributor of ingredients in the life sciences industry, in the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Distribuciones Industriales Variadas, S.A. (Divsa) in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Dominican Republic, British Virgin Islands, and Mexico.
  • Advisory in the financial deal of the year for the wind sector in Latin America. BLP advised the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Banco Internacional de Costa Rica (BICSA), and FMO (the Dutch government investment agency) in the structuring, negotiation, and formalization of a $100 million loan agreement in favor of Globeleq Mesoamerica Energy (GME) for the construction of the Orosí Wind Project in Costa Rica (50 MV). The project has an approximate cost of $130 million. This transaction was named “Financial Deal of the Year for the Wind Sector in Latin America” by Project Finance Magazine.
  • First bond issuance for infrastructure financing in Costa Rica. The BLP team advised Autopistas del Sol, a subsidiary of Globalvía, on the first bond issuance for infrastructure financing in Costa Rica, comprising a $300 million issuance of secured preference notes in the international markets and a $50.75 million issuance in the local markets. This marks the first operation in the country where an infrastructure company issues both international and local bonds simultaneously.