Claudia Barrero

Practice Areas

Corporate/M&A, Banking, Finance and Capital Markets

Career

Partner at PPU, her legal practice focuses on Corporate/M&A and Banking, Finance & Capital Markets. Ms. Barrero has ample experience in mergers and acquisitions of listed companies, financial institutions and energy companies. She has advised Colombian blue-chip companies in multiple equity and debt issues, infrastructure projects, corporate governance and complex corporate matters. Among many others, she has represented Bolsa de Valores de Colombia, Grupo Argos, Mutua Madrileña, Celsia, Hocol, Century Energy, Cementos Argos, Banco Santander, Gerdau.  

She was recognized by Euromoney Legal Media Group's Americas Women in Business Law Awards with the award for Best Corporate Lawyer of the Year in Latin America (2014) and was listed as one of the Inspiring Women in Law in Latin America, by Latin Lawyer (2013). The Colombian Stock Exchange recognized her for her continuous support and contribution to the development of the stock market in Colombia (2011) and was included in the list of lawyers "Top 20 under 40" by Latin Lawyer (2004). Ms. Barrero is LACCA approved since 2013 and has been highly ranked by Chambers & Partners (Corporate/M&A and Capital Markets) for the last 16 years.

Professional Memberships

Scholarship Officer of the Women Lawyers Interest Group, IBA (2018-2019).

Member of the Family Firm Institute, United States since 2016.

Member of the board of financial institutions and domestic companies.

Main member of the Board of SCG Legal, United States (2011-2016).

She was the first non-American to chair the Board of SCG Legal, United States (2014).

Publications

"El Régimen de conflicto de intereses en las Operaciones Intra Grupo – Retos Regulatorios" Foro Jurídico, Revista de Derecho N° 19 (2021)

"The Guide to Mergers and Acquisitions", Latin Lawyer Insight (2021)

Latin America’s fourth biggest economy is facing difficult times, but Colombia’s law firms remain optimistic", LACCA (2015)

Personal

Claudia has a Law Degree from Universidad Externado de Colombia (1991), a Postgraduate Degree in Commercial Law from Universidad de Los Andes (1994), an LL.M. in International Business Legal Studies from University of Exeter (UK) (1995) and a diploma on Stock Market Operations, Cesa-Incolda-Bolsa de Valores de Colombia (2003). She was the first non-American to chair the board of directors of SCG Legal, United States (2014), and was a board member of  SCG Legal, United States (2011-2016). She has been a member of the board of directors of financial institutions and domestic companies. She is an officer of the Women Lawyer’s Committee of the IBA and a founding member of the Colombian chapter of Women in the Profession (WIP).

Languages Spoken

Spanish and English

Work Highlights

Counsel to Calleja S.A. de C.V. in its acquisition of 86.84% of the ordinary shares (including ADSs and BDRs) of Almacenes Éxito S.A. through a simultaneous public tender offer (OPA) in Colombia and on the NYSE for US$1,020 million. PPU also advised Grupo Calleja on the signing of a pre-agreement with Casino Group for 47.36% of the ordinary shares of Almacenes Éxito S.A. for US$556 million. "

After 8 public tender offers, Grupo Argos, Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana, and Grupo Nutresa, reached an agreement with Jaime Gilinski Bacal, a renowned entrepreneur, and IHC, an investment company established in Abu Dhabi, to carry out a stock exchange. The purpose of this exchange is to ensure that, once consumated, neither Grupo Sura nor Grupo Argos will have a stake in Grupo Nutresa. In return, they will receive all the shares of Grupo Sura currently owned by Jaime Gilinski and IHC.

Counsel to Bolsa de Valores de Colombia in the integration of the stock exchange markets of Colombia, Chile and Peru. This integration is a matter of the upmost importance since it will derive in the creation of one of the largest stock exchange markets in the continent, which will bring several benefits for our region.

Awards