Grenfel S. Calheiros is a Partner in the Firm’s Corporate Department. He regularly advises clients in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance transactions, with a primary focus on Latin America and particularly Brazil.
Grenfel has represented clients on a broad range of transactions in Brazil and throughout Latin America, including leading companies, private equity sponsors and investment banks in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings and other complex corporate matters. He has recently participated in leading transactions in Latin America, including BrasilAgro’s listing on the NYSE and the inaugural bond offering of Andrade Gutierrez Construtora S.A. In addition, he was involved in the $4.8 billion acquisition of Sadia by Perdigão and the related $2.4 billion SEC-registered equity offering by BRF-Brasil Foods, the $1.2 billion NYSE-listed IPO by Cosan Limited, the Nasdaq-listed IPO offering by MercadoLibre and several equity and debt offerings by Embraer. Grenfel is active in representing a number of Brazilian issuers, including CPFL Energias Renovaveis, BIOSEV, Diagnósticos da América, Tractebel Energia and OHL Brasil, in their international equity offerings. He also regularly represents major financial institutions, including BTG Pactual, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley in a variety of securities offerings, including for such issuers as Embraer, JBS, RadioShack, Smithfield Foods and Forest Oil.
In mergers and acquisitions, Grenfel has participated in various private equity projects, including representing private equity firms Blackstone Real Estate Partners and Patria Investimentos in the acquisition of Alphaville Urbanismo S.A. and the representation of Polymer Group, Inc., a Blackstone portfolio company, in its acquisition of Brazilian company Companhia Providência Indústria e Comércio. He has also recently represented SBA Communications Corporation in connection with its acquisition of 800 freestanding wireless towers from one of the leading broadband wireless carriers in Brazil–its first transaction in Brazil. Additionally, he was involved with TPG-Axon in its acquisition of a joint-controlling stake in Brazilian Finance & Real Estate Participações. He has represented financial advisors in connection with several cross-border mergers, most recently serving as counsel to J.P. Morgan in connection with UnitedHealth Group’s announced $4.9 billion acquisition of Amil Participações in Brazil.
Grenfel received his law degree in 2000 from Universidade de São Paulo and his LL.M. in 2003 from the University of Chicago Law School. He is fluent in Portuguese and is admitted to practice in New York.
