Competitors drew attention to Prieto y Cía's active presence in the Chilean bond markets, noting that the full-service firm has been busy with "a lot of local bond issuance, and works quite a bit with local investment banks". Another reports that the firm specialises in the competitive Chilean energy markets....
[more]
Competitors drew attention to Prieto y Cía's active presence in the Chilean bond markets, noting that the full-service firm has been busy with "a lot of local bond issuance, and works quite a bit with local investment banks". Another reports that the firm specialises in the competitive Chilean energy markets. "In banking and finance, they are related to energy work done for two or three very good clients," says a source. "It's a traditional, conservative firm. They are good."
This past year, the firm acted as counsel in a $126 million bond issuance, advising placement agents LarrainVial, BBVA, and Santiago's water utility and sewage concessionaire Aguas Andianas, in the deal. In a transaction typical of the firm's cross-border agility, it also guided E-CL in an international bond placement of $400 million, carried out under Rule 144A/Reg S of the US Securities Act.
The firm's M&A practice has had an eventful twelve months, led by a couple of active clients. "They developed recently a much stronger practice," says one attorney. "They have an important client, he's built a retail conglomerate with the help of Prieto." Referring to SMU Group, a firm ran by famed Chilean economist Alvaro Saieh, Prieto helped the group acquire OK market, a convenience store, and Construmart, a do-it-yourself chain store over the past year.
The firm's outstanding service led one competitor to conclude that the firm's "work quality is excellent."
[hide]