Bird & Bird incorporates new partner

The international law firm Bird & Bird has incorporated Fernando Gutiérrez Rizaldos as a partner to strengthen the ifnancial law and regulation department in Madrid. Fernando has joined with the associate, Ariadna Sanmartín.

Fernando Gutiérrez has more than 17 years of experience in his field. His practice focuses, on the one hand, on financings of all types (with special focus on refinancings and restructurings, project finance and other new money transactions) – and on the other hand, on financial regulation – credit institutions, investment services companies and insurers, including the structuring of all types of funds (including UCITS funds, AIFM funds and securitization funds). He has also acted as secretary and deputy secretary to companies of all types, including regulated companies, listed companies and public companies.

Bird & Bird’s new partner holds a degree in Law, Economics and Business Administration from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. He also holds a degree in Political Science from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of California, Berkeley.

Prior to joining Bird & Bird, Fernando spent most of his career at the international law firm Dentons, as well as at the law firms Clifford Chance and DLA Piper. He also has experience in the public sector, where he was Secretary General of SEPI Desarrollo Empresarial S.A., S.M.E. and S.M.E., as well as in the international law firm Dentons. S.M.E. and Chairman of the alternative investment fund manager Sepides Gestión, SGEIC, S.A., S.M.E. He is also an associate professor at the Commercial Law Department of the Universidad Pontificia-Comillas (Icade).

Bird & Bird’s managing partner in Spain, Coral Yáñez, explains that Fernando’s hiring “will allow us to strengthen both the Financial Regulatory area and our current financing practice. He is a great addition to the Madrid office, as he brings experience and expertise that complements our current practice.

Fernando Gutiérrez comments that “joining this project is a great opportunity to exploit synergies with other departments and to expand the finance and financial regulation practice. The firm’s focus on technology and innovation will allow me to continue developing my practice, particularly in Fintech”.

Bird & Bird’s finance and financial regulation practice in Spain is now led by two partners, José Luis Lorente and Fernando Gutiérrez, with the support of four lawyers.