Simmons & Simmons continues its commitment to growth in the Spanish market with the hire of new partner, Francisco de León to the Madrid office. Francisco is an M&A expert who specialises in insurance, reinsurance and pension funds and plans.
Francisco joins from Ashurst Spain, where he was a counsel in the Corporate practice in Madrid
Francisco de León has 25 years of experience in the legal area of insurance and pensions across both Clifford Chance and Ashurst. During his time with Ashurst he led the Insurance and Pension Funds and Plans practice in the Madrid office, coordinating commercial and corporate, tax, labour, litigation and personal data protection and providing legal advice to European, Spanish and non- EEA insurance and reinsurance companies, insurance intermediaries, pension fund managers and pension fund administrators.
He has participated in numerous different projects such as bancassurance projects and advising insurance undertakings, as well as insurance intermediaries and pension fund management companies on corporate and regulatory matters. Francisco also advises companies on varying matters in relation to the credit sector, collective investment institutions and investments, amongst others, on; (i) the eligibility of derivatives and other financial assets as the investments of collective investment institutions, insurance undertakings and pension funds; (ii) regulatory advice to insurance companies on the right of establishment and the freedom to provide services; (iii) protection of financial services clients and regulations on the mortgage market.
Commenting on Francisco’s arrival, Alfonso Fernández-Puebla, head of corporate and
commercial in the firm’s Spanish office said: : “Having already covered the regulatory, litigation and labour areas of the insurance sector in the firm, the incorporation of Francisco for the development of our Spanish M&A practice will guarantee our clients in the sector a complete and excellent service. With his experience and reputation in the market, Francisco is perfectly poised to further develop a practice in which Simmons has a strong and competitive reputation.”
On joining the firm, Francisco commented: “I am pleased to be joining Simmons & Simmons at this exciting time of growth for the firm’s Spanish office. With Simmons’ international network, I intend to provide the best service to clients across the M&A sector and thus contribute to the success of Simmons in Spain, whose expansion in recent years is a reflection of how it places the client and their needs front and centre.”
With this new hire, Simmons & Simmons continues to build on a year full of growth in Spain, following the signing of employment expert Juan Calvente and the appointment of Eduardo Peñacoba as managing partner at the beginning of the year.
