Robert W. Leung
Robert brings more than 30 years of experience navigating complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions to his work strategizing, structuring and negotiating deals that align with his clients’ operational and business objectives, risk tolerance and strategic mandates.
For clients in the energy, mining and infrastructure sectors, where large-scale investment, operational complexity and regulatory constraints dominate, Robert crafts risk-calibrated transactions that safeguard client interests and capture full commercial and strategic value. He has deep experience in Latin America, where his understanding of regulatory and legal frameworks, operating climate and market forces enables him to anticipate roadblocks before they arise, giving clients a competitive advantage.
Robert’s ability to guide clients in market-leading transactions has been recognized by leading industry publications across the Americas. His representation of SD Biosensor and SJL Partners in the $1.53 billion all-cash acquisition of Meridian Bioscience, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed global provider of diagnostic testing solutions and life science raw Materials was named 2023 M&A Deal of the Year (Over $1B) by M&A Advisor.
In Latin America, he is listed by Legal 500 as a Leading Partner in Corporate and M&A, recognized by Chambers Latin America for Corporate/M&A, and named a Top 100 Lawyer by Latinvex. In the US market, he is designated by IFLR1000 as a Notable Practitioner and recognized by Legal 500 USA for large M&A deals (deals surpassing $1B+) and Project Finance.
Experience & capabilities
Selected matters
- Representative Energy Experience
Javelin Global Commodities, together with Energy Capital Partners, in the acquisition of the General James M Gavin Power Plant in Cheshire, Ohio, from Blackstone and ArcLight Capital Partners*
Glenfarne Group in various transactions, including*:
the acquisition by Partners Group of a 50% interest in EnfraGen, LLC, a developer, owner and operator of sustainable and renewable power- generation assets throughout Latin America
the acquisition of Termonorte SAS ESP, a subsidiary and public utilities company in Colombia, that operates the thermal generation plant Termonorte, located in Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia
the $865 million acquisition of a portfolio of solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) assets in Chile from Metlen Energy & Metals
EnfraGen in various transactions, including:*
the acquisition of the Termoflores 610 MW gas-fired power plant in Colombia
the acquisition of the Termovalle 241 MW gas-fired power plant in Colombia
the $194 million acquisition of six assets in Panama and Costa Rica with a combined capacity of 188 MW of renewable energy from Grupo Argos subsidiary, Celsia SA, a Colombian electricity company focused on renewable energies and energy efficiency
Luz del Sur in the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Sojitz Arcu Investments, indirect owners of the Majes Arcus and Reparticion power plants located in Peru’s Arequipa*
AES in the sale of a 50% stake in its renewable energy portfolio in the Dominican Republic to TotalEnergies*
YPF SA in the sale of a 24.99% stake in YPF Energía Eléctrica SA, its electricity generation unit, to affiliates of GE Energy Financial Services*
Goldman Sachs in the sale of two hydroelectric power plants and five development licenses in Turkey to a local power company*
(*Indicates work done prior to joining the firm.)
- Representative Mining Experience
Javelin Global Commodities in various transactions including:*
its initial formation as a joint venture between former Goldman Sachs commodities executives, Murray Energy Corporation and Uniper (formerly E.ON) and the establishment of related coal marketing arrangements and hedging lines of credit
the acquisition, with joint venture partner Murray Energy Corporation, of the Oak Grove, Seminole Alabama and Maple Eagle mining complexes from bankrupt coal producer Mission Coal
the acquisition of certain mining operational assets (wash plant and other assets) from Peabody Energy and subsequent option agreements with New Emerald Energy Pty Ltd., an Australian mining company
the repurchase of Uniper’s equity interests in Javelin
the purchase by certain Javelin executives of equity interests in Javelin from American Consolidated Natural Resources (formerly Murray Energy Corporation) following ACNR’s emergence from bankruptcy
through its subsidiary Clintwood Marketing and Sales LP, providing working capital financing for the mining operations of Clintwood JOD, LLC, in Kentucky and Virginia
through its subsidiary Bluegrass Natural Resources LLC, providing prepaid commodity sales financing and working capital financing for the Darby Fork mining operations of Inmet Mining LLC in Kentucky
through its subsidiary Bluegrass Natural Resources LLC, providing prepaid commodity sales financing and working capital financing for the Black Mountain and Lone Mountain mining operations of Inmet Mining LLC in Kentucky and Virginia
providing startup financing, bridge loan financing, equipment financing and a working capital facility to fund startup costs and working capital for Investment Management Group in connection with certain mining operations in Virginia
a receivables financing facility backed by commodity inventory and commodity sales receivables from Bank Leumi
providing secured promissory note and working capital financing for the mining operations of B&W Resources Inc. in Kentucky
a receivables financing facility backed by commodity inventory and commodity sales receivables from RWE AG
providing structured asset-backed financing to be syndicated to other lenders for the producer in certain mining operations in Australia
in connection with an asset-backed term loan financing backed by commodity sales confirmations from a potential lender
a secured margin facility backed by commodity sales confirmations for hedging arrangements from a hedging counterparty
convertible bond financing from ITOCHU Corporation, which involved joint marketing and sales of commodities, a margin facility for hedging commodity sales and an eventual conversion into equity interests and preparation of shareholding arrangements
securing customer hedging obligations under various third-party credit agreements, with customers including Murray Energy Corporation, Murray Metallurgical Coal Holdings, LLC, American Consolidated Natural Resources and Foresight Energy LP
as a commodity purchaser and marketing agent in various commodity producer bankruptcies, including Murray Energy Corporation, Murray Metallurgical Coal Holdings, LLC, and Foresight Energy LP
Uniper and Javelin Global Commodities in a joint venture to form Blackjewel Marketing and Sales, LLC, to purchase the U.S. coal marketing and trading business of Noble Energy*
A coal marketing and sales platform in various transactions including:*
providing various prepaid commodity sales financings and working capital financing for mining operations of a US coal mining company in Wyoming, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky
as a commodity purchaser and marketing agent in the bankruptcy of a US coal mining company
Goldman Sachs in various transactions including:*
the acquisition of coal mining assets and related logistics assets in Colombia for $200 million from Coalcorp Mining Inc., a publicly listed Canadian company
the acquisition of mining assets in Colombia for $407 million from Vale, a publicly traded Brazilian mining company
the sale of its mining assets in Colombia which consisted of two developed surface mines, three undeveloped mines, an Atlantic port loading facility, interests in an Atlantic railway route and related assets to Murray Energy Corporation
Barclays Natural Resource Investments in its sponsorship of Southern Peaks to acquire, own, and operate mining assets in Peru*
Uxlam Assets Corp. in the acquisition of Murray Energy Corporation’s Colombian coal production business by the purchase of the group of companies that are part of Colombian Natural Resources*
Compañía Minera Antamina SA, owner and operator of one of the world's largest copper/zinc mines in Peru, in the refinancing of its $1.32 billion project financing*
Metals Acquisition Limited (successor by merger to Metals Acquisition Corp, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company) in the acquisition of the CSA copper mine in New South Wales, Australia from Glencore*
Erdenes Talvan Talgoi JSC, the state owned Mongolian coal company, in connection with a potential project financing and international joint venture to develop the Talvan Talgoi coal deposit, the largest untapped coking and thermal coal reserve in the world*
(*Indicates work done prior to joining the firm.)
- Representative Infrastructure Experience
South Alliance in its sale of the Port of Barranquilla in Colombia to Southern Cross, a Chilean private equity fund*
Infraestructura Energética Nova, SAB de CV, a subsidiary of Sempra Energy, in the long-term purchase and joint venture agreements entered into with commodities trader, Trafigura, to develop a marine terminal for the receipt, storage, and delivery of refined products in Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico*
Gala Global Assets Corporation in the sale of operational and development-stage power generation assets in Mexico to Arroyo Energy*
Goldman Sachs in the acquisition of port and railway assets in Colombia.*
Central Agroindustrial Guatemalteca, a Guatemalan agribusiness, in the acquisition of a power station and related assets in Guatemala from U.S. coal producer Teco Energy in a deal valued at $215 million*
Javelin Global Commodities in the conversion of properties previously used for coal mining operations into potential renewable development projects*
(*Indicates work done prior to joining the firm.)
- Other Representative Experience
SD Biosensor and SJL Partners in a $1.53 billion all-cash transaction to acquire Meridian Bioscience, Inc., a Nasdaq listed global provider of diagnostic testing solutions and life sciences raw materials*
Quicorp, parent company of Quimica Suiza and one of the largest pharmacy retail chains in Perú, in its acquisition by InRetail Perú through an international auction process*
Alfa Partners Limited and Coban Holdings, Inc. in various transactions including:*
the disposition by Alfa and Coban’s joint venture partner Royal Ahold of its interest in Central American Retail Holding Company to Walmart Stores, Inc., negotiation of shareholder arrangements between Alfa, Coban, and Walmart and Alfa and Coban’s subsequent disposition of interests in CARHCO to Walmart
the sale of their interests in Walmart Centroamerica to Walmart de Mexico in a transaction valued at $2.7 billion
Inversiones e Inmobiliaria GHC Ltda (d/b/a Grupo Prize), a leading exporter of superfruits based in Chile, in its definitive business combination agreement with Rose Hill Acquisition Corporation, a publicly traded SPAC*
Transtech Glass Investment Limited, a Peruvian headquartered marker of specialty high-end automotive glass, in multiple rounds of private equity investments totaling over $1 billion from a variety of international sources including BDT Capital and others*
Inka Farma, the largest retail pharmacy chain in Peru, in its sale to an affiliate of the Interbank Group*
A Peruvian billionaire business executive with holdings in financial services, real estate, education and retail as sponsor of a SPAC in Peru*
SiriusPoint Ltd., a Bermuda-based a global specialty insurer and reinsurer, on its agreement to sell ArmadaCorp Capital LLC, the holding company of ArmadaCare, SiriusPoint’s wholly owned supplemental health insurance program manager, to a subsidiary of Ambac Financial Group Inc. for $250 million*
(*Indicates work done prior to joining the firm.)
Sectors
Background
Education
- J.D., Yale Law School, 1994
- B.A., Cornell University, 1991
Bar Admissions
Professional Affiliations
- Co-chair, Career Placement Committee and Judiciary Committee, Asian American Bar Association of New York (Current)
- Member, Board of Directors, Asian American Bar Association of New York (2006-2016)
- President, Asian American Bar Association of New York (2010-2011)
Recognition
Chambers and Partners’ Chambers Latin America
Legalease's Legal 500 Latin America
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Leading Partner: Corporate, M&A |
Latinvex: Corporate/M&A Top 100 Lawyer
IFLR1000
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Notable Practitioner |
Legalease's Legal 500 US