Giovanni Biscardi

Giovanni Biscardi focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, and corporate matters, including commercial and financing agreements. He assists U.S. clients in structuring their investments throughout Latin America and has a long track record of handling complex cross-border transactions for Fortune 500 companies and private equity funds. He also assists foreign individuals and entities with their investments in the United States.

Giovanni has deep experience handling legal work related to business transactions in numerous international jurisdictions, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, Italy, and Spain. He has served as a partner at law firms both in the United States and Brazil.

Concentrations

• Business transactions

• International contracts

• Mergers & acquisitions

• Corporate law and governance

Experience

Representative Transactions

• Represented a state-owned oil company in a $68.2 billion public offering (NYSE and São Paulo Stock Exchange), the largest to date in the world.°

• Assisted a mining and steel business in a $400 million acquisition of equity participation in a mining venture and structuring of related off-take iron ore arrangement.°

• Assisted a mining company in €865 million investment in a steel plant and negotiation of related investment and shareholders’ agreement.°

• Assisted a global data center and a technology-focused U.S. private equity fund in its $127 million acquisition of a top data center in Brazil.°

• Assisted a mining company in its $375 million acquisition of participation in a mining venture from certain Japanese shareholders, consolidating a 100% interest in the company.°

• Assisted a Brazilian fertilizer company in the $234 million sale of a Brazilian fertilizer plant.°

• Structured the consolidation of $2 billion in power and energy assets (plants, projects, and concessions) of a mining company and a power and energy company into a joint venture.°

Other Tech and Financial Services Deals

• Assisted a Canadian risk analysis technology company in structuring a joint venture with the Mexican Stock Exchange.°

• Assisted a technology-focused U.S. private equity fund in its $52 million acquisition of a Brazilian information technology company.°

• Assisted founding shareholders in $33 million sale of a Brazilian information technology business to an Israeli security technology company.°

• Assisted a technology-focused U.S. private equity fund in its acquisition of a medical systems business.°

• Assisted a technology-focused U.S. private equity fund in its acquisition of equity participation in an eCommerce platform.°

• Assisted a technology-focused U.S. private equity fund in its $23.5 million acquisition of a Brazilian information technology company.°

• Assisted a Brazilian information technology company in the subscription of participation by a technology-focused U.S. private equity fund.°

• Assisted Brazilian individuals in the sale a cosmetics eCommerce business to a retail chain.°

• Assisted Brazilian individual in sale of a payment gateway to a secure payment services company.°

• Assisted the number one provider of customer relationship management and business process outsourcing solutions in Latin America in acquisition of participation and restructuring of an Argentine automated customer experience management business.°

• Assisted a Brazilian food delivery business in acquisition of online platform in the United States.°

Other Infrastructure Deals

• Assisted Spanish advertising company with government RFP and public concessions in the cities of Miami, New York, and San Antonio.°

• Assisted several foreign contractors in negotiations and execution of engineering, procurement, and construction agreements with a Brazilian thermoelectric plant.°

• Assisted the largest pension fund in Latin America and another pension fund in several investment divestitures in the steel sector, including the sale of their participation in a Brazilian steel venture.°

• Assisted a mining company in its $160 million acquisition of equity participation in a venture with a French business, and subsequent sale of the company’s participation to the French business.°

• Assisted a Chinese company with a construction agreement to build coking plant for a Brazilian steel plant.°

• Assisted a Canadian oil drilling services business in $220 million acquisition of a French oil drilling services company, a transaction involving multiple jurisdictions (Europe, Africa, and South America).°

• Assisted a Canadian oil drilling services company in its $52 million acquisition of Brazilian/Ecuadorian oil drilling services company).°

• Assisted a Brazilian construction company in negotiations with the government of Nicarágua associated with the construction of two hydroelectric plants in such country (Tumarín and Boboke).°

• Assisted a Brazilian mining company in its $80 million acquisition of a Brazilian hydroelectric project.°

• Assisted a Brazilian waste management company in corporate restructuring and reorganization, including issuance of debentures and the negotiation of financing facilities with financial institutions and investment agreements among shareholders.°

• Assisted a Brazilian mining company in its acquisition of a Brazilian energy project.°

Other Pharma and Retail Deals

• Assisted a German pharmaceutical company in its world-wide divestiture of insecticide and cleaning business unit (responsible for Brazil).°

• Assisted a Dutch investment company in its acquisition of participation in a Dutch eCommerce venture, listing of such company’s shares (NYSE and Paris Stock Exchange), and subsequent €40 million sale of such participation through a tender offer (NYSE and Paris Stock Exchange).°

• Assisted a top Brazilian direct sales group in establishing a subsidiary to launch its business in the United States.°

• Assisted Brazilian online retail shopping experience provider in negotiations and formation of a joint venture with the top pet store chain in Brazil.°

°The above representations were handled by Mr. Biscardi prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, P.A.

Previous Experience

• Formerly managing partner of the Rio de Janeiro office of a major Brazilian law firm.

Recognition & Leadership

Professional & Community Involvement

• Member, Brazilian Bar Association, 1995-Present

• Member, New York Bar Association, 2001-Present

• CEO, Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission, 2012-2014