Gabriela Sakamoto

Project Finance

• Represented OPIC in connection with three direct loans totaling US$33.6 million to finance the construction and operation of three solar projects in Panama.
• Represented arranger and lender in connection with a US$42 million refinancing of a geothermal project in Guatemala owned and operated by Ortitlan Limitada.
• Represented initial purchasers in connection with Rule 144A/Reg S issuance of US$220 million secured guaranteed notes by ACI Airport SudAmérica, S.A., the owner of the operator of Carrasco International Airport in Montevideo, Uruguay.
• Represented OPIC in connection with the US$155 million COPs funded project financing of the 70 MW PV Salvador SpA solar plant in the Atacama region in Chile.
• Represented the administrative agent and lenders in connection with a US$160 million refinancing of a sugar cane plantation, ethanol plant and 37 MW power plant in northern Peru owned and operated by Maple Etanol S.R.L. and Maple Biocombustibles.
• Represented the initial purchaser in connection with the US$550 million Rule 144A/Reg S secured bond issuance by Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI. S.A., the operator of several airports in the Dominican Republic.
• Represented the arranger, placement agent and lenders in connection with the approximately US$520 million local currency bond and bank financing of the Linea Amarilla toll road in Lima, Peru. Approximately US$82 million was in the form of bank financing, with the remaining US$445 million in the form of two Reg S variable funding note series, one of which was inflation-adjusted.
• Represented the arranger and lenders in connection with a US$460 million multi-tranche project financing to Abengoa Cogeneración Tabasco, S. de R.L. de C.V. for the construction, operation and maintenance of the Nuevo Pemex 300 MW co-generation project in Tabasco, Mexico. Named Project Finance Latin American Power Deal of the Year.
• Represented the arrangers, lenders and letter of credit issuing bank in connection with a US$74.6 million multi-tranche syndicated project financing to Abengoa Transmisión Norte S.A. for the construction of electric transmission lines and related substations in northern Peru.
• Represented the initial purchaser in connection with the US$164.8 million Rule 144A/Regulations S bond refinancing of Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru.
• Represented arrangers and initial purchasers in two Rule 144A/Reg S bond issuances totaling over US$1.3 billion backed by payments from Certificados de Reconocimento de Pago Annual de Obras (CRPAOs) issued by the Government of Peru to finance the construction, operation and maintenance of the IIRSA Sur Toll road in Peru.
• Represented the administrative agent and lenders in three separate multi-tranche project financings totaling more than US$350 million for the construction, operation and maintenance of proton therapy cancer treatment centers in Illinois, New Jersey and Washington State by ProCure Treatment Centers, Inc.

Financial Institution Financing

• Represented the arranger and lender in connection with the initial US$100 million loan secured by credit card merchant voucher receivables originated by Banco del Pacifico, S.A. in Ecuador.
• Represented arrangers, placement agents and investors, in connection with three separate issuances of notes and loans totaling US$500 million secured by diversified payment rights originated by Banco Industrial, S.A.
• Represented the arranger and lenders, including FMO, in connection with US$150 million in loans secured by diversified payments rights originated by Banco Davivienda Salvadoreño.
• Represented the arranger and lender in connection with a US$75 million loan secured by diversified payment rights originated by Banco G&T Continental S.A.
• Represented originator, servicer, arrangers, placement agent, and initial purchasers in connection with three Rule 144A/Reg S note issuances totaling over US$550 million secured by diversified payment rights originated by Banco de Credito de Peru, S.A.
• Represented originator, servicer, arranger and placement agent in connection with the initial US$121 million issuance of Reg S floating rate notes secured by diversified payment right originated by Internacional del Perú S.A.A. (Interbank).
• Represented the arranger and initial purchaser in connection with the initial US$175 million issuance of Rule 144A/Reg S fixed and floating rate notes secured by diversified payments rights originated by Scotiabank Peru S.A.A.
• Represented arranger and initial purchaser in connection with the exchange of US$394.3 million Rule 144A/Reg S floating rate notes secured by diversified payment rights originated by Turkiye Vakiflar Bankasi T.A.O. (Vakifbank).
• Represented BRAC, a Bangladeshi bank focused on small and medium enterprises, in connection with a US$62 million syndicated credit facility, the proceeds of which were intended to support BRAC’s microfinance operations in Tanzania, Uganda and Southern Sudan.
• Represented initial purchaser in connection with the issuance of US$175 million of subordinated Tier II debt by First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

Other Lending Transactions

• Advised Southwire on $1 billion sustainability-linked asset based loan facility.
• Represented the arrangers, lenders and administrative agent in connection with a $223 million loan to finance the acquisition by Promerica Financial Corporation of Citibank’s Guatemalan banking operations and secured by assets in Ecuador, Honduras, Panama, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.
• Represented the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) in connection with a US$5 million secured loan to Telconet, S.A., an Ecuadorian telecommunications company.
• Represented Corporacion Andina de Fomento (CAF), as lender, and Rabobank, as participant, collateral agent and account bank, in connection with the US$100 million A/B Loan pre-export financing to Aceitera General Deheza S.A., an Argentine agribusiness company.
• Represented the arranger, administrative agent and lenders in connection with a US$110 million syndicated, secured credit facility to finance the acquisition by Tapebicua LLC, an Argentine paper company, of Fanapel Celulosa Argentina S.A.
• Represented the administrative agent and lenders in connection with a US$220 million secured credit facility to finance the operations of, and acquisitions by, Tuscany International Drilling Ltd. in Latin America and Africa.
• Represented the administrative agent and lenders in connection with a US$80 million secured credit facility to finance the operations of, and acquisitions by, Estrella International Energy Services Ltd. in Latin America, including Argentina, Chile and Colombia.

• New York University School of Law, JD
• Columbia University, BA, summa cum laude

• Illinois
• District of Columbia

• Spanish
• French