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Rubén Kraiem

Senior Counsel

New York +1 212 841 1002

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Rubén Kraiem is a corporate senior counsel who advises clients with business interests in Latin America, as well as companies based in Latin America who are engaged in cross-border acquisitions or financings.  Rubén has been involved in many significant life sciences, banking and insurance-related acquisitions and joint ventures in Latin America, as well as transactions in industries as diverse as telecommunications, media, real estate development, healthcare, and consumer products.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Advised One Equity Partners in connection with the acquisition of a minority interest in Grupo Phoenix, a consumer goods packaging company with operations in Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico and the United States.
    • Advised Grupo P.I. Mabe, the leading producer of hygienic products in Mexico, on its sale to Ontex Group NV, a publicly listed company based in Belgium.
    • Advised Grupo Financiero Banorte, the Mexican financial group, and its affiliate Afore XXI Banorte in the $1.6 billion acquisition of Afore Bancomer from Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), the Spanish bank, to create Mexico’s largest pension fund.  This matter was awarded LatinFinance’s 2013 “Domestic M&A Deal of the Year.”
    • Advised Grupo Sura, the Colombian financial group, and its affiliate AFP Integra S.A. in the $516 million acquisition of 50% of AFP Horizonte S.A., the Peruvian pension fund, from BBVA. This matter received two M&A Atlas Awards: “Cross Border Deal of the Year (Large Markets)” and “South America Deal of the Year (Large Markets).”
    • Advised GlaxoSmithKline in connection with its acquisition of Laboratorios Phoenix S.A. in Argentina in 2010 and in the subsequent sale of the company to Laboratorio ELEA S.A.C.I.F. y A. in 2018.

    • Advised Citigroup in various matters, including in the disposition of its 16% ownership stake in Grupo Aeroméxico SAB; in the sale of its controlling interest in AFP Confía, a pension management company in El Salvador, to Inversiones Atlántida, S.A.; with Grupo Financiero Banamex, in the sale of its merchant acquiring business to an affiliate of EVO Payments International; and the merger of its Chilean operations with Banco de Chile and the acquisition of Banco de Chile’s branches in the United States.
    • Advised Tonon Bioenergia S.A. of Brazil in connection with financing obtained from an international bank syndicate.
    • Advised Brysam Global Partners in the acquisition of a minority equity interest in BCSC, S.A., a consumer finance company in Colombia.
    • Advised AIG-GE Capital Latin American Infrastructure Fund in connection with several investments in (and eventual exit from) companies in Mexico including Axtel S.A. and Cablemás S.A.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • Harvard Law School, J.D., 1981
        • cum laude
        • The Harvard International Law Journal, Articles Editor, 1980-1981
    • Yale University, B.A., 1978
        • summa cum laude
    Bar Admissions
    • New York
    Languages
    • Spanish
    Accolades
    • Latinvex, “Latin America’s Top 100 Lawyers: Corporate/M&A” (2019-2021) 
    • Legal 500, "US/Mexico Private Practice Powerlist" (2017, 2019) 
    • Chambers USA - America's Leading Business Lawyers, Latin American Investment (2013-2018)
    • Chambers USA - America's Leading Business Lawyers, Climate Change (2013)
    • Chambers Global, Corporate M&A (Latin America) (2014-2021)
    • Chambers Latin America, Corporate/M&A (2017-2019) 
    • Global M&A Network, Top 50: Americas M&A Star Dealmakers (2013)
    • Legal 500, Latin American Investment (2014) 
    • Legal 500 Latin America, Corporate and M&A (2012-2015)
    • New York Super Lawyers, International, Business/Corporate, and Energy & Natural Resources (2012-2018)
    Memberships and Affiliations
    • Fordham Law School, Adjunct Professor (Climate Change Law & Policy 2006-2009)
    • New York University Law School, Distinguished Scholar in Residence (2002-2003)
    • Columbia University Business School, Adjunct Professor (1992-1994)
    • Harvard College, Teaching Fellow (1980-1981)
    • Natural Resources Defense Council, Honorary Trustee
    • Resources for the Future, Council Member

    Areas of Expertise

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