JUAN CARLOS LUNA IS COUNSEL AT CREEL, GARCÍA-CUÉLLAR, AIZA Y ENRÍQUEZ WHERE HE SPECIALIZES IN PROJECT FINANCE, ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSACTIONS.
Juan Carlos is a project finance, energy and infrastructure lawyer with 14-plus years of experience advising sponsors, financial institutions and governments in the development of a wide range of projects, including renewables, oil & gas, transport infrastructure and water projects. He continually advises Mexican and transnational participants within the public and private sectors in the oil & gas industry, particularly, in the upstream and midstream activities, as well as in the renewables sector, supporting project developers, lenders and investors, both in complex transactional and regulatory matters. In addition, he has extensive experience in local and cross-border financings, securities, mergers and acquisitions as well as in private equity transactions.
Likewise, he also has a seasoned experience in the legal design and instrumentation of public-private partnerships and has also represented lenders and sponsors in connection with public biddings related to government procurement and public works, concession titles, permits, engineering, procurement and construction contracts, operation and maintenance contracts and investments in infrastructure projects, including toll roads, water and health projects. He also has a relevant experience in State and Municipal financing and public debt.
Prior to joining Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C., Juan Carlos worked as associate at a reputable international law firm. From 2014 to 2016, Juan Carlos served as chief of staff of a Commissioner at the National Hydrocarbons Commission, during the implementation of the Mexican energy reform, particularly, in the design of the actual E&P contracts, of their bidding process, of the Pemex´s entitlements, as well as the elaboration of multiple regulations regarding such activities.
Most recently, Juan Carlos has advised most of the strategic partnerships in natural gas pipelines carried out so far by Comisión Federal de Electricidad in Mexico, including the Puerta al Sureste and Centauro del Norte pipelines with TC Energy and Carso Energy, respectively. He has also represented multiple international upstream companies in the acquisition of E&P Contract´s interests arising from the Mexican energy reform; as well as, participated in the first-ever reserve-based lending transaction in respect of upstream oil & gas assets located in Mexico, representing a syndicate of lenders. Moreover, Juan Carlos recently advised Banco Nacional de Obras y Servicios Públicos (Banobras) as lender, in connection with the restructuring of some credit agreements for the development and operation of two prison facilities under a scheme of public-private partnership. Also, he represented Ministry of Finance (Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público) of the Federal Government in the structuring of financing of the Mexico City-Toluca Interurban Train.
Likewise, among other relevant transactions, Juan Carlos has participated in the representation of the Ministry of Finance (Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público) of the Federal Government in the potentiation of the Stabilization Fund for the Revenues of Federal Entities for a $4bn structured financing of local governments (Award: “Financing Innovation of the Year 2021” by Latin Finance); State of Sonora in the 2020 State of Sonora’s Public Financing for an amount of US$70 million dollars, including the structuring of a public bidding process, and preparation and negotiation of the resulting loan agreements, as well as an irrevocable trust fund as vehicle of repayment; Altán Redes in the development and financing of its Wholesale Telecommunications Network “Red Compartida” in Mexico; BlackRock Inc. and First Reserve Energy Infrastructure GP II Limited in their acquisition of (i) 45% of TAG Pipelines Sur to develop the Ramones Phase II South Natural Gas Transportation System; and (ii) 45% of TAG Norte Holding to develop the Ramones Phase II North Natural Gas Transportation System; Cadena Tres I, S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of the Mexican conglomerate Grupo Empresarial Ángeles, in Mexico’s first public bidding process for a concession for nation-wide public digital TV broadcasting chain; Sistema Operador de los Servicios de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado del Municipio de Puebla (SOAPAP) in the award of the first-ever public service concession for the rendering of potable water and waste water treatment services in several Municipalities of the State of Puebla; State of Puebla in the award of a concession title for the operation, exploitation and maintenance of three toll roads located in the State of Puebla, and Braskem Idesa, S.A.P.I. as owner in the financing for the development, construction and financing of Etileno XXI polyethylene project located in the State of Veracruz. (Awards: “Americas Deal of the Year 2012”: Project Finance Awards; and Petrochemical “Deal of the Year”: Project Finance magazine).
Juan Carlos obtained his law degree (JD) from the Universidad Panamericana (UP) in 2010 and later obtained a Master´s degree in Administrative Law from the same institution in 2012. In 2019, he obtained his LL.M degree specialized in Energy and Natural Resources from Queen Mary University of London. Also, he obtained a specialization degree in Investment Project Valuation from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México in 2016 and has worked as foreign lawyer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, LLP and Gómez-Acebo & Pombo. His native language is Spanish, and he is fluent in English.