February 11, 2022
Maria-Leticia was featured in a two-part Q&A on the 2022 market outlook with leading Latin America deal attorneys.
Head of Willkie’s Latin America practice Maria-Leticia Ossa Daza was recently featured in Latinvex – Latin America Business News and Analysis discussing the M&A market in Latin America.
She was quoted extensively in a two-part Q&A Special Report with other leading attorneys that focused on recent trends in the Latin America deal market, prospects for the year ahead, and the M&A outlook in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru.
The publication asked the panelists for their 2022 outlook for the region, citing the 114% percent surge in the value of announced mergers and acquisitions in Latin America last year.
“I am optimistic about continued growth of overall investment and M&A activity in the region this year, especially given the record-breaking investment that we saw in 2021,” Maria-Leticia told Latinvex. “This investment allows for increased liquidity that is necessary for M&As.”
Focusing on Brazil’s fast-paced growth this past year, she noted, “Brazil's M&A growth has been impressive and shows that this powerhouse can still maintain its attractiveness despite the inflation we are seeing in the country. Given the opportunity that its massive population and dynamic start-up ecosystem presents, I don't see this growth slowing down in the near future.”
As for the sectors that could drive M&A transactions in Latin America in 2022, Maria-Leticia added, “I think we can expect M&A this year in Latin America to reflect the broader global trends driving M&A, including activity in the technology space, especially for fintech, edtech, healthtech and proptech companies. In addition, there are many opportunities for additional deal activity within the energy and infrastructure sectors.”
She also noted potential issues affecting the market, including greater scrutiny of Environmental, Social, and Governance in dealmaking. “Increased ESG scrutiny will play a large part in the risk analysis associated with any deals in a more substantial way,” Maria-Leticia said. “This is not necessarily a challenge, as it's a welcome advancement for our global business community, but it will create additional pressures for companies looking to be evaluated as targets.”
Read the two-part series below (subscription may be required):
