Jorge Arenales

Partner

“Jorge Arenales has a very strong commercial awareness and provides us with excellent legal support on transactional matters in Guatemala.”

Client quoted by Chambers and Partners

Profile

Jorge Arenales is a partner at BLP, with 25 years of experience. He specializes in Business Law, Banking & Finance, and Energy & Infrastructure. Leading teams on multi-jurisdictional transactions in regulated industries such as Oil, Gas, Energy, and Telecommunications. He advises on Mergers & Acquisitions, project financing, and public procurement, with notable results in landmark infrastructure and energy projects in Guatemala. Jorge is the Regional Representative for Europe for Invest in Guatemala, Guatemala Moving Forward Plan. He teaches courses on the Legal and Economic Impact of Business Decisions and M&A Course in the Executive MBA Program at the Business School of the Universidad Francisco Marroquin. From 2021 to 2023, he served as Co-Chair of the Latin American Council, of the International Section of the New York State Bar Association. Before joining BLP in 2023, he was a founding partner at another regional firm.

  • Business Law

  • Banking & Finance
  • Energy & Infrastructure

  • Ranked in

    Band 1

    by

    Chambers & Partners – Global.

  • Recognized in Hall of Fame by Legal 500 – Latin America.
  • Recognized by Latin Lawyer Magazine in the “40 under 40” list in 2003. 
  • Recognized as a Market Leader by the financial publication IFLR. 
  • Selected as a prominent lawyer in the Who’s Who Legal directory.

Education 

  • LL.M. with Honors, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, Chicago, United States, 2009.
  • Business Administration Certificate, Instituto de Empresa (IE), Madrid, Spain, 2008.
  • Program of Instruction for Lawyers Negotiation Workshops, Harvard Law School, 2003.
  • Law degree and Notary Public, Universidad Francisco Marroquín, Guatemala, 1998.

Languages  

  • Spanish  
  • English  
  • Knowledge of French

  • New York State Bar Association:

    Co-Chair of the Latin American Council,

    2021 – 2023

  • Bar Association of Guatemala
  • International Bar Association (IBA): Member

  • BLP Advised on the First Public, Sustainable, and Dematerialized Bond Issued by a Financial Institution in Guatemala. BLP has advised BID Invest, Proparco, and LAGreen (through Finance in Motion) on the issuance of the first sustainable and dematerialized bond by Banco de América Central, S.A. (BAC Guatemala) to promote financial inclusion and environmental sustainability in Guatemala. The bond, valued at up to US$140 million with a term of up to five years, will provide long-term financing to expand BAC Guatemala’s social and green portfolios, creating opportunities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), women-led businesses, and green projects.
  • BLP advised FMO on a loan facility extended to Banco de Antigua, S.A. BLP advised Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (FMO) on a loan facility granted in favor of Banco de Antigua, S.A. in Guatemala, in a principal amount of up to $15 million.
  • BLP advised JCDecaux on the acquisition of a majority stake in IMC. BLP advised JCDecaux on acquiring a 70% majority stake in IMC, a leading out-of-home advertising company operating in Central America, Colombia, and Panama, through its majority-owned subsidiary, JCDecaux Top Media S.A. The transaction involved extensive due diligence, corporate restructuring, and a comprehensive review and negotiation of the Share Purchase and Contribution Agreement (SPCA) and its exhibits.
  • BLP Facilitates Strategic Investment in Global Renewable Energy Leader. BLP provided comprehensive legal counsel to a client investing in a global company with a strong focus on renewable energy, particularly solar and wind power. The target company, with subsidiaries in Guatemala and El Salvador, is a leading player in the production of clean energy, making significant contributions to the global transition to sustainable energy sources.
  • BLP Facilitates MSC’s Full Acquisition of Guatemalan Operations. BLP provided essential legal counsel to MSC, a global shipping giant, as it completed its acquisition of MSC Guatemala. This strategic move allowed MSC to assume full control of its Central American operations, previously operated by MARITIMA TONATICO, S.A. DE C.V.
  • BLP successfully advised Transportes Centroamericanos del Futuro (Tcfcam) in the regional sale of its Central American operation to Ransa. This transaction encompassed the sale of Tcfcam’s Guatemalan entity. Additionally, BLP facilitated the drafting of essential local documents to secure guarantees from the Guatemalan company, crucial for Ransa’s financing from Banco Santander and Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior.
  • BLP advised EVERTEC, a leading full-service transaction processing business in Latin America on the refinancing of its Credit Facilities to acquire Sinqia, a leading player in the market of software for financial services in Brazil. and pay related fees and expenses.