About

With a long history of leading legal departments in some of the most important companies in Brazil, Fernando Merino can point to a distinguished career across the banking, mining and retail industries in addition to solid private practice experience. Particularly noted for his knowledge in M&A, cross-border transactions, corporate law and corporate governance, these skills all combine with his career path to ensure Grupo Pão de Açucar (GPA) is given wise, dependable and business-savvy counsel across all group functions. GPA is Brazil’s largest retail and distribution group, with 2,113 stores across 21 Brazilian states and federal districts, and employing 137,000 people making it Brazil’s largest private employer in the retail industry. Operating a variety of different retail operations including several well-known supermarket brand names in both physical and e-commerce stores, the flexibility and specialism needed to counsel the group are evident. After stints as an associate in various top law firms in London and New York, Merino’s in-house career started in 1997 at CSFB Garantia (Credit Suisse), after which he took roles as Brazil General Counsel at JPMorgan and then Merrill Lynch. He then left the banking sector to become group General Counsel of mining and metals company Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN), staying there for almost six years before moving to GPA in April 2014. Providing the bedrock for his vast subsequent corporate and law firm experience, Merino is a graduate of Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro and achieved an LL.M. in Law from Columbia University School of Law in 1994.