Meet our new partners:  Mariana Guenka and Tiago Figueiró 

In late September, Souto Correa appointed two new partners. Tiago Figueiró, former Vice President of Renewable Power and Transition at Brookfield Asset Management, has joined the firm to lead the Energy team and boost the firm’s M&A practice. Mariana Guenka now heads the Capital Markets team and the brand-new Banking & Fintech area. 

Tiago has a solid background in regulatory and transactional energy matters with a wealth of experience in both in-house and private practice for renewables and energy transition investments. He was also a foreign associate in White & Case’s New York office, where he worked with the project finance team. 

Tiago has a track record of steering high-profile transactions in the power sector, including advising Norsk Hydro’s Alunorte in two joint ventures for self-generation of power, one with Hydro REIN, Equinor and Scatec, and the other with Hydro REIN and Macquarie, both in 2022. 

According to Tiago, “after an intense and fruitful one-and-a-half-year tenure at Brookfield, I made the decision to return to private practice. I am delighted to have found in Souto Correa a firm that has the resources and challenges I was seeking. It’s a vibrant organization with strong governance that, albeit very young, has developed a robust culture and has rapidly established itself as a formidable presence on the national stage.” 

Founding partner Carlos Souto, adds: “I recently had the opportunity to work closely with him once again in two important transactions in which he led Brookfield’s energy team, and I was, not surprisingly, delighted to see him at work. It is wonderful to have Tiago with us once again”. 

The firm has also bolstered its Capital Markets area, as well as its new Banking & Fintech practice, by promoting Mariana Guenka to partnership. She has worked at law firms such as Lefosse, Tozzini Freire, and in-house at Voiter Bank. Over the years, she has assisted Brazilian and foreign clients with debt offerings, financing transactions, and banking regulatory matters, such as advising Tok Stok on restructuring a R$ 350 million debt with a pool of banks and assisting FIDD in the sale of FIDD Group to TMF Group. 

Souto Correa currently has more than 10 professionals dedicated to Capital Markets and Banking & Fintech fields. According to Guilherme Rizzo Amaral, the firm’s managing partner, “we are lucky to be one of the few Brazilian firms that have such well-structured teams with the expertise in these practice areas”, and Mariana “brings with her the experience of someone who knows the challenges of these areas from different perspectives”. 

“I am thrilled to be a part of Souto Correa team and confident that together we will accomplish great achievements, strengthening the practices in the Capital Markets and Banking industry”, affirms Mariana. 

Souto Correa’s decision to strengthen its M&A, Energy, and Capital Markets practices comes a little over a month after the Brazilian Government announced a US$350 billion ‘growth acceleration’ programme – known as PAC – for public and private investments in the infrastructure sector.  “We believe those investments may need specific finance structures and we are absolutely prepared to absorb the demand for both national and international clients,” says Guilherme. 

The firm’s new Banking & Fintech practice comes in response to Brazil’s expansion in this sector. “Half the population has a bank account in this type of institution. Brazilian Fintech market is in consolidation and regulatory matters will be a trend as Banco Central is developing new rules to deal with this disruptive market”, comments the managing partner.   

For more information about Tiago and Mariana, visit their profiles on our website:

https://www.soutocorrea.com.br/profissionais/tiago-figueiro/

https://www.soutocorrea.com.br/profissionais/mariana-amaral-guenka-leme/