SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan

Leah C. Abutan is a senior associate at SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. She is a member of the firm's Special Projects, Banking, Finance & Securities and Corporate Services practice groups. Her practice areas include investments, mergers and acquisitions, corporate services and business transactions, securities and construction and infrastructure. She is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Ms. Abutan has participated in a number of projects involving acquisition of interests in various industries, including advertising, manufacturing, mining, financial services, transportation and communications, real estate, energy and power, and oil and gas. She has vast experience in conducting legal due diligence on corporate acquisitions and other forms of investments; investment structuring; drafting and reviewing transaction documents; contract negotiations; rendering advisory opinions on day-to-day corporate matters; and corporate secretarial duties.

Ms. Abutan regularly advises financial institutions on the regulatory requirements governing products and services to be distributed in the Philippine market.

Her representative projects include:
◦re-bidding for the Manila LRT1 Extension, Operations and Maintenance Project by the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Light Rail Transit Authority,
◦acquisition by Coca-Cola FEMSA of a controlling interest in Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. (now Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines, Inc.),
◦MERALCO PowerGen's acquisition of 20% interest in Global Business Power Corporation,
◦sale of Kingdom Hotel Investments' interest in the developer and operator of the Fairmont Hotel and Raffles Suites & Residences Makati,
◦sale by Wyeth LLC of its interest in Wyeth Philippines, Inc. to Nestle S.A.,
◦acquisition by the Dairy Farm Group of a 50% interest in Rustan Supercenters, Inc., one of the largest retail chains in the Philippines, and
◦Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company's acquisition of Digital Telecommunications Philippines, Inc., a listed telecoms company.

Bar Admissions

2010, Philippines

Education

Ms. Abutan obtained her Juris Doctor (2nd honors, class valedictorian) from Ateneo de Manila University in 2009.