Mr Nicolas de Crombrugghe > NautaDutilh > Brussels, Belgium > Lawyer Profile

NautaDutilh‘s energy and utilities practice is noted by clients for its ‘good teamwork, knowledge and experience‘. Corporate partner Nicolas de Crombrugghe, who advises on major joint ventures and transactions in connection with renewable energy projects co-leads the practice with regulatory specialist Jens Mosselmans. Maxime Vanderstraeten is a key adviser on contentious matters concerning public, administrative, energy and environmental law, while Stef Feyen, who has niche expertise in hydrogen law, is also sought after for his advice on capacity mechanisms and electricity market design.

NautaDutilh‘s corporate practice is active across the Benelux region, with regional clients frequently instructing the team to advise on strategic transactions, private equity and venture capital deals, and restructuring projects that span across the three Benelux jurisdictions. In addition to its Benelux-based work, which also encompasses complex joint ventures, corporate governance, and corporate litigation matters, the team is regularly instructed by international clients to handle the Belgian aspects of global transactions. The team is co-led by Nicolas de Crombrugghe, who excels at handling M&A in regulated sectors such as energy and financial services, private equity expert Philippe Remels, and Dirk Van Gerven, whose ‘legal excellence‘ encompasses a wide range of M&A and restructuring matters.

NautaDutilh’s private equity team primarily works with Benelux-based funds and target companies across the lifecycle of investments, handling domestic acquisitions, sell-offs and exits as well as advising on the Belgian aspects of global deals. The team is also well-versed in acting for start-ups and scale-ups in connection with fundraising and financing matters. Philippe Remels, who is noted for advising on transactions in regulated sectors such as life sciences and energy, jointly leads the practice with Nicolas de Crombrugghe, who primarily advises funds on acquisitions in the financial services sector. M&A and restructuring expert Christophe Wathion is a further name to note.

NautaDutilh is not only noted for its acquisition finance expertise, which allows the team to advise leading private equity funds as well as financial institutions on cross-border leveraged acquisitions, but also for its ability to assist infrastructure and real estate clients with the financing of significant PPP projects. Advice to underwriters and issuers in the context of equity offerings represents a further key area of focus for the practice, which is jointly led by project finance expert Thibaut Willems and capital markets specialist Nicolas de Crombrugghe. Nathalie Van Landuyt, who has syndicated and non-syndicated lending experience, is also recommended.