Jorge Asensio Aguirre

Jorge Asensio is Founding Partner at Lex Atlas.

Jorge focuses his professional practice on Corporate with Energy (electricity and oil) and Mines emphasis. He also belongs to the Tax Practice. Jorge was a Foreign Associate at the law firm of Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C., for two and a half years (1974-1976). Throughout his career, he has provided legal advice to companies such as Chiquita Brands International, Inc., Grupo Numar de Centro América, Getty Oil, Compañía Bananera Guatemalteca Independiente, S.A. (COBIGUA) entity that obtained the reconstruction and operation of Puerto Barrios on the Atlantic coast, Helmerich & Payne, Geoevaluaciones de México, S.A. de CV, Bawden Drilling Company, Union Oil and Cities Services Inc., Goldcorp Inc., Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, S.A. and Exmingua, S.A., BellSouth Inc. with the introduction of cellular telephony and AEI Energy, in the first private electricity generation project in Guatemala; City Peten S. de R.L. in the most promising natural gas contract in the country.

With over 40 years of professional experience, his practice specializes in transactional, corporate, commercial, tax, regulatory matters, and administrative and contentious litigation aimed at national and international clients in the electric power, mining, oil and gas, agribusiness, automotive, manufacturing and cosmetics.

He has participated in the structuring, negotiation, contracts and closing of syndicated loans for energy finance, mining, telecommunications and industrial projects.

Mr Asensio has more than 15 years of teaching experience, being a professor of Tax Law at Rafael Landívar University and Francisco Marroquín University, two of the most prestigious universities in Guatemala.

Likewise, he has provided legal services for external financing of projects with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Maritime Development Department (MARAD), Banco Cuscatlán, S.A. de CV and Inter-American Investment Corporation (CIFI). He served as Director of Compañía Numar de Guatemala S.A., Compañía Bananera Guatemalteca Independiente, S.A. (COBIGUA), Aseguradora La Ceiba, Compañía Nacional Productora de Cemento, S.A. (CHANNEL) Nicaragua and Fabrigas Belize.

Practice Areas

  • Energy and Natural Resources
  • Corporate and M&A Law
  • Tax Law
  • Public and Regulatory Law
  • Litigation and Arbitration

Outstanding Experience

  • Jorge participated in the first private power generation project and the largest finance project for a power project in Guatemala in 2009.
  • Jorge participated in the most extensive energy distribution company privatization in Guatemala.
    Becoming the first private energy project in Central America in 1992.
  • Legal advice for a 12-megawatt power generation project by Gas Natural.
  • Advice on litigation on recoverable costs of a contract with an oil operator.

Education

  • Master in Business Administration, (Instituto Latinoamericano de Administración de Empresas – INCAE) | 1974.
  • Graduated in Law, Attorney and Notary, (Universidad Rafael Landívar) | 1973.

Languages

  • Spanish
  • English