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A&O Shearman advises on the establishment of a regulated branch for Banco Votorantim SA (Banco BV) in Luxembourg

Banco BV, one of Brazil's largest private financial institutions, announced the opening of a new branch in Luxembourg (the Branch). It will serve both wholesale and corporate & investment banking clients, providing trade finance, international credit, and investment products. 

The A&O Shearman team pooled a team of experts in financial services regulatory (FSR) law, banking & finance law, employment law, IP data and tech law, corporate and tax law to successfully assist Banco BV in reaching this new milestone. The combined efforts of these expert teams were instrumental in helping the client obtain its license with the Commission de surveillance du secteur financier (CSSF) and for the Branch to launch its operations in Luxembourg.

Baptiste Aubry, FSR partner leading on this project, commented: “This achievement for Banco BV is particularly noteworthy as the opening of new branches of third country institutions is a long and complex process in today's regulatory landscape. Our teams are proud to have successfully supported Banco BV in this endeavor. This project also underscores A&O Shearman’s capability as one of the very few full-service firms in Luxembourg that can advise on complex cross-border matters in the banking and financial sector.”

Founded in 1988, Banco BV is jointly owned by the Brazilian state-owned Banco do Brasil and Votorantim Group, an investment management company active in various industries (building materials, banking, renewable energy, infrastructure, base metals, orange juice, long steel, real estate, investments, environmental services and consumer healthcare).

The A&O Shearman team in Luxembourg was led by the FSR practice comprising of partner Baptiste Aubry, counsel Helena Finn and associate Angeliki Kontodimos. It included partners Catherine di Lorenzo (digital, IP, data and tech), Gilles Dall’Agnol (employment), Andreas Hommel (real estate finance), counsel Marc Tkatcheff (M&A), Lukas Vondrich (real estate finance), as well as senior associates Victor Ferreira (M&A), Barbara Azoulay, Paul Wagner (both digital, IP, data and tech), Nathaël Malanda (employment), and associate Laurence Ludovissy (tax).