Practice Areas
Tax attorney with more than twenty years’ experience advising domestic and international clients on Mexican tax law.
Francisco focuses on structuring and implementing tax-efficient strategies and routinely handles corporate reorganizations—including mergers, spin-offs, and acquisitions—as well as cross-border transactions. His practice centers on ensuring compliance with Mexican tax regulations, mitigating risk, and optimizing clients’ operating structures through a rigorous, results-oriented approach.
He also counsels foreign investors on the tax aspects of investments and acquisitions in Mexico, aligning deal structures with the Mexican regulatory framework and the application of Mexico’s double tax treaties.
Francisco has a strong record representing clients before the Mexican tax authorities during audits and in administrative proceedings, including conclusive agreements (acuerdos conclusivos).
He has advised clients across key sectors of the Mexican economy, including spirits and beverages, energy, capital markets, financial services, fintech, real estate, pension and retirement funds, and retail.
Work Highlights
Francisco Matus has delivered significant results in complex tax matters across a range of industries. Selected representations include:
*Structured and executed the corporate reorganization of the Mexican investments of a foreign pension and retirement fund to preserve eligibility under Mexico’s special income tax regime; transaction value: US$441 million.
*Safeguarded the tax position of a foreign parent and its Mexican subsidiaries in connection with the construction, development, and commissioning of two renewable-energy generation projects in Mexico; devised and implemented a legal strategy that secured US$25 million in VAT refunds from pre-operational periods.
*Designed and implemented an exit strategy for the sale of multiple industrial parks in Mexico owned by non-resident investors; aggregate consideration in excess of US$200 million.
*Advised on the sale of shares of a Mexican subsidiary in the ceramic-manufacturing sector; transaction value: US$293 million, addressing critical tax issues essential to the negotiation and closing.
*Served as tax counsel on the issuance of Investment Project Fiduciary Certificates (Certificados Bursátiles Fiduciarios de Proyectos de Inversión, “CERPIs”) for up to US$150 million on the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV).
*Successfully negotiated a conclusive agreement (acuerdo conclusivo) for a Spanish-owned energy company, reducing a potential tax exposure of US$100 million.
*Advised a financial-system aggregator in Mexico in negotiating a conclusive agreement, reducing its potential tax exposure by US$160 million.
