Demarest hires new Capital Markets and Listed Companies partner

Cristina Tomiyama brings more than 25 years of experience, with a focus on private and public equity transactions and listed companies

Seeking to expand its operations in the Capital Markets and Listed Companies areas, Demarest Advogados, one of Brazil and Latin America’s most renowned full-service law firms, has announced the hiring of new partner Cristina Tomiyama.

Recognized as one of the most prominent lawyers within the Brazilian capital markets sector, Cristina brings more than 25 years of experience, with an emphasis on private and public equity transactions  and listed companies. She concentrates her practice in a segment that is essential for the financing and growth of companies, as it allows them to raise funds by issuing shares and other financial instruments.

In recent years, she has led major transactions in this market, with a special focus on transactions involving regulated sectors and large issuers, especially those entailing privatization and public offerings involving companies such as Eletrobras and Sabesp. Among her clients are investment banks, listed companies, and investors from multiple industries, such as energy, sanitation, healthcare, aviation, civil construction, pulp and paper, car rental, oil and gas, logistics (road, rail), mining, and others.  

Cristina holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) and served as a foreign associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, New York, from 2006 to 2009.

She has extensive experience in complex transactions and several transactions that involving structuring, coordinating, and implementing initial public offerings (IPOs) and follow-ons. She has also advised issuers – companies seeking to raise capital by issuing shares or other financial instruments –, vendor shareholders, or intermediary institutions, both in Brazil and the USA. Her expertise in structuring, coordinating, and implementing records of listed companies is also worth highlighting, in addition to her experience in advising issuers and intermediary institutions in domestic and international debt transactions.

“The ECM (Equity Capital Markets) sector is of great importance to issuers, shareholders, and investors and is a major alternative to fundraising within the scope of the financial market. In addition to providing greater visibility to issuers and liquidity to shareholders and investors, this segment drives the entire economy,” says the new partner. “I expect to establish partnerships and develop working strategies that can leverage new opportunities and shared experience at Demarest, always aiming to generate value for our clients.”

According to Thiago Giantomassi, M&A and Capital Markets partner at Demarest, Cristina’s arrival bolsters the firm’s team. “Currently, Demarest’s Financial Market and Listed Companies practice areas have more than 40 professionals, of which 8 are partners. As a professional recognized in the ECM sector due to her experience with significant public offerings, such as Eletrobras’s and Sabesp’s, Christina’s hiring advances our investment cycle and conveys a clear message to our clients and partners in terms of quality, added value, and regulated industries.”

Paulo Coelho da Rocha, Demarest’s managing partner, points out that expanding the Capital Markets practice area aligns with the firm’s strategic planning aimed at expanding the business in sustainable terms  to provide more than 1,500 clients with legal excellence. “Cristina’s experience and ability to assist domestic and international clients are widely recognized in the market. She stands out in a segment that allows companies to raise capital for investing in projects and expanding their operations, impacting clients’ business while creating new jobs and triggering economic growth.”