Diego Pérez-Ordoñez > Pérez Bustamante & Ponce > Quito, Ecuador > Lawyer Profile

Pérez Bustamante & Ponce continues to demonstrate its wide-ranging capabilities in competition and antitrust matters, assisting regional and global clients in their navigation of cases before the Competition Authority regarding merger control, cartels, abuse of dominance, unfair competition, state aid and litigation proceedings. The highly specialised team, which is led by cross-border specialist Diego Pérez Ordoñez, recently acted on behalf of Telxius and Telefónica, notifying the authority of the sale of approximately 10% of its submarine cable business to Pontegadea. Supporting Pérez Ordoñez in this matter and active on the full spectrum of antitrust issues is director Mario Navarrete Serrano – promoted in October 2022 – with the duo also advising Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes and Avianca on their combining into Abra Group, now one of the largest airlines in Latin America. Senior associate Andrés Rubio Puente is another standout for merger filings and investigations. Karla Barona joined in December 2022 from AB Inbev to strengthen the practice.

Pérez Bustamante & Ponce offers a full-service approach to clients seeking advice on large-scale regional and international projects, benefiting from a deep bench with considerable knowledge of infrastructure, leases, energy-related projects, concessions and public permit matters. Within these fields of expertise, the group handles matters pertaining to land and plot acquisitions as well as connected planning and tax issues. Sandra Reed, who has a 20-year track record in navigating project finance and public-private partnerships mandates, leads the team alongside Diego Pérez Ordoñez and Juan Manuel Marchán, names to note for the implementation of lease and concession agreements and the management of PPPs, respectively. The team, which also features director of the Guayaquil office Nicolás Maldonado, offers continuous support to Corporación Quiport, acting as a trusted advisor in all matters related to the construction and operation of the new Quito International Airport.

Diego Pérez Ordoñez and Juan Manuel Marchán head the team at Pérez Bustamante & Ponce, which ‘stands out for its prompt responses and its ability to provide useful and practical solutions’. Marchán is described by one client as ‘always available to resolve concerns and provide quality advice‘, and Ordóñez stands out for his track record in M&A, having been involved in many of Ecuador’s landmark transactions. The group adopts a cross-practice approach and collaborates with the firm’s antitrust, tax, labour and litigation teams. At associate level, Andrés Brown-Pérez is the name to note; his previous stint at an international firm’s M&A department is an asset to the firm when handling cross-border transactions. Since publication, Brown-Pérez has been raised to the partnership – effective as of January 2024.