Valentin Paniagua

Partner
  • Biography

    Valentin Paniagua represents clients in mining and corporate transactions. He has extensive experience in project finance, acquisitions and sales of companies and assets. He advices clients on the different commercial, regulatory, corporate and litigation aspects related to the development of mining activities and natural resources.

    Recognized for his mining expertise, Valentin has been ranked in several leading publications including Chambers Global, Chambers Latin America, IFRL 1000, Legal 500 and Latin Lawyer. He has also been recognized in Who’s Who of Mining Lawyers, for over ten consecutive years.

    Practice focus

    Valentin concentrates primarily on transactions in the mining industry and natural resources. He has worked on Project Finance, corporate structuring, acquisitions, divestments and other related matters for major local and international players in these sectors.

    Valentin is also a lecturer on mining law at Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru.

  • Experience

    Some of the most relevant transactions in which Valentin has participated include:

    • Advised Trevali Mining Corporation obtaining a USD 160 million senior secured term loan and a USD 30 million senior secured revolving working capital loan, from The Bank of Nova Scotia, EDC, HSBC and TD Bank.
    • Advised a privately held Peruvian company in granting Hudbay Minerals Inc. an option to acquire several mining concessions for USD 46 million, plus a 3% NSR capped to USD 125 million and a 1.50% uncapped NSR.
    • Advised the Bank of Nova Scotia, ING Capital and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in the renegotiation of the lending agreement for USD 200 million to finance the copper mine “Constancia” in Peru.
    • Advised BNP Paribas in the arrangement of a USD 1.5 billion financing for the expansion the Cerro Verde copper and molybdenum-mining complex in Peru. The borrower is a subsidiary of Freeport-McMoRan.
    • Advised Minera Aurifera Retamas in the arrangement of a USD 100 million medium-term credit facility with Banco de Credito del Peru. The loan was secured by the project flows from a Gold Bar Sales Contract.
  • Publications

    • "State Property over abandon lands", published on the official gazette El Peruano, Lima, July 2003.
    • "Legal Stability Regime for Private Investment in the Mining Sector" (Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, 2001).
  • Industries

    • Energy, Mining & Infrastructure - EMI
    • Industrials, Manufacturing & Transportation
    • Private Equity

    Education

    • Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, Law Degree, Lima, 1993.
    • Universidad del Pacifico, Economics (First year), Lima, 1982.

    Admission

    • Lima Bar Association, 1993.

    Membership

    • National Society for Mining, Petroleum and Energy - Legal Committee, 2002 – present.
  • Additional Information

    Experience

    • Partner at Estudio Echecopar since 2004.
    • Associate at Estudio Echecopar, 1994 – 2003.
    • Board of Directors of Sudamerica de Seguros, 1997 – 2002.
    • Board of Directors of Banco Santander, 1995 – 1998.
    • General Legal Advisor for Minera Aurifera Retamas S.A. (MARSA), 1992 – 1994.

    Teaching experience

    • Professor of Mining Law – Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru.
    • Professor of Mining Contracts - Universidad Peruana Ciencias Aplicadas – UPC.