Argentina : Non-Ferrous Minerals

Alongside local business associates, CORFINA has advised one of Argentina’s leading non-ferrous mining companies -- already a recipient of long-term loan and investment from the Inter-American Investment Corporation. CORFINA identified, analyzed, and ‘short-listed’ prospective international strategic partners. An international effort was mounted by CORFINA to offer a controlling interest in the venture, aimed at progressing the mining property’s existing pilot plant to full-scale, export-oriented commercial operation. CORFINA’s mandate entailed preparation of a comprehensive Business Plan; devising and recommending financing alternatives; presentations and interface with world-class prospective investors/operators, and the drafting and negotiation of Letters of Intent and Memorandums of Understanding -- leading to detailed on-site due diligence by major international companies. The venture is presently becoming one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Argentina ~ U.S.A. : Private Higher Education

A large U.S. Private Equity Fund with expertise in for-profit education, rolled out an ambitious internationalization initiative, aimed at acquiring a portfolio of controlling interests in private universities in Latin America. This Group retained investment banking advisors for each of the targeted countries. CORFINA was selected to assess the regulatory framework for private education in Argentina; to identify risks and opportunities, and to prioritize and engage with the Founders of ‘short-listed’ institutions. CORFINA assisted in due diligence and played a key role in negotiations, leading to the successful closing of a strategic alliance with one of the country’s most forward-looking higher education institutions.

In addition to supporting the development of the local University’s presential education programs, the partnership which CORFINA helped forge, enabled this respected higher learning institution to rapidly attain a leadership position in the fast growing distance learning market, thanks to cutting edge technology and know-how provided by our U.S. client.

Argentina : Agribusiness

CORFINA received a Mandate for the financing of the second growth module of a large-scale integrated poultry company, leading to an offer of term finance from international sources for this project.

CORFINA was also mandated to seek a long-term loan to support the expansion of the processing plant of a leading fresh olive and olive oil producer. CORFINA assisted in the drafting of presentation materials and obtained a firm indication of interest from the International Finance Corporation. The company opted to fund its expansion vía local currency borrowing from the National Bank of Argentina.

Argentina : Telecommunications

CORFINA was co-Advisor to Argentina’s only private satellite operator, whose ownership structure included European investors.

Argentina had been awarded two orbits by the ITU (Geneva). The company owned and operated one satellite, which was reaching the end of its useful life. CORFINA’s assignment entailed cultivating international finance providers for the funding of a replacement satellite. Strong interest was elicited from two institutions. However, at the time, the Argentine government absorbed our client into the State-owned satellite company.

China : Aluminum Smelter

CORFINA was retained by Sponsors of a new aluminum smelter enterprise in Northwestern China. The venture’s location assured good transportation infrastructure and proximity to a new hydroelectric dam. An advantageous long-term power purchase agreement was negotiated, which would contribute to the success of a smelter to be built in China to exacting international standards. Pursuant to a review of the Information Memorandum on this venture, CORFINA engaged in consultations with multilateral and commercial long-term finance providers, and also facilitated Sponsor’s access to several leading aluminum producers (including a large Russian company) who were offered an operator role and a significant equity stake.

Dominican Republic : Agribusiness

CORFINA partnered with a U.S. consultancy to advise the Caribbean’s largest integrated dairy and juice producer -- a family-owned company -- to bring-in a multinational partner with the aim of accelerating this profitable company’s growth and exports penetration in selected markets, including the United States. The company’s regional stature had been enhanced following approval of a long-term loan from the International Finance Corporation. Subsequent to familiarization with client operations and preparation of a detailed Business Overview, CORFINA ‘brought to the table’ two multinational/European dairy firms, and elicited interest from a leading U.S. private equity firm.

‘Frontier Market’ / Kurdistan Autonomous Region (Northern Irak)

An experienced private American real estate firm, with large properties in major U.S. urban centers -- including certain large undertakings for the Federal Government --, also has a successful trajectory in ‘frontier markets’. In Kurdistan, this company was the first to develop a gated apartment complex, with most of the units ‘pre-sold’ during the construction period.

Leveraging on its local know-how, the company is building the first U.S.-branded hotels in Kurdistan, a prosperous region which is acutely underserved in the hospitality sector. The company tasked CORFINA to cultivate potential local or regional equity partners, and similarly, to canvass prospective international sources of term finance.

CORFINA introduced the client to one of Kurdistan’s leading merchant family groups, and to senior representatives of a diversified Jordanian holding.

Germany : Specialized Real Estate Investment Vehicle

The aging of Germany’s population is causing a deficit in the availability of senior care facilities. The providers of retirement and assisted living communities are generally fragmented, local, medium-scale operations.

A sponsoring group consisting of a Swiss Bank, a Geneva-based asset manager, and a German company with expertise in this niche real estate segment, successfully raised a first Fund to acquire a portfolio of retirement properties, which is full deployed.

CORFINA was retained to assist in eliciting investment interest from institutions, Family Offices, and pension funds, for a successor Fund

Honduras : Tourism & Bottled Spring Water

CORFINA is retained by a European investment group, owner of a beach-front property on the Caribbean coast of Honduras, for the structuring of term-finance for the development of a major resort hotel. Two natural springs are located on an adjacent tropical rainforest tract, and the investment group has also entrusted CORFINA the task of preparing offering materials and of identifying and seeking out prospective international or Central American investors with beverage and distribution wherewithal to exploit the springs as a bottled mineral water joint venture.

India : Wood Substitute Products

CORFINA was mandated to identify prospective partners for India’ s leading medium density fiberboard (‘MDF’) manufacturer. The company was burdened with excessive debt, but has intrinsic strengths derived form wide brand-name recognition and an effective distribution network. The company’s Offering Document was thoroughly revised, and CORFINA provided strategic advice and roadmaps towards attainment of a healthier balance sheet. CORFINA’s successful canvassing of interest from several international MDF producers led to the planning of a European ‘road show’ for the client.

MERCOSUR : Agribusiness

CORFINA is executing a Placement Mandate for a successful non-bank provider of structured working capital solutions for value-adding agribusiness exporters in Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay). Among other sources of finance, CORFINA has been tasked to capitalize on its relationships with major regional and multilateral institutions, with a view to attracting one or more of these official agencies as providers of term finance and investment to our client’s specialized Funds.

Mexico : Aluminum Containers

One of CORFINA’s Southern Cone clients – the world’s third most important producer of aluminum packaging solutions (shaving cream containers, deodorant sprays, etc.) – was keen to initiate manufacturing activities to serve it’s large multinational customers from Mexico, due to closer proximity to the U.S. market.

CORFINA was hired to review and complete the Information Memorandum on this ‘bi-national’, “South-South” manufacturing venture – the first such endeavor to be undertaken by our client. CORFINA’s deliverables included advising on financing alternatives best suited to our client’s circumstances.

CORFINA canvassed prospective financing sources, and was successful in obtaining term-finance commitments, under advantageous conditions, from European and Latin American sources.

Paraguay : Media/Publishing

CORFINA was retained by one of Paraguay’s larger diversified business groups (livestock, insurance, hotel, television, and one of the country’s largest print newspapers) to seek finance to modernize their publishing operations. CORFINA developed a comprehensive Information Memorandum, and assisted the company in the several phases of the process required to apply for a long-term loan from a multilateral agency.

Paraguay : Large Scale Commercial Farming

A South American merchant banking boutique and a group of local investors partnered in the development and successful operation of a large scale farming enterprise in ‘new frontier’ agricultural zones of Paraguay -- the world’s fourth largest producer of soybeans.

CORFINA was mandated to assist in international solicitation for a medium-term loan for the venture. A firm offer of term finance was obtained for the client.

‘Regional’ (Europe) : Private Equity Funds

CORFINA advised a U.S. Fund Manager in the placement of a Fund for diversified investments in Central Europe; a Paris-based Fund-of-Funds wishing to attract U.S. investors, and a U.K. Group, for the marketing of a Fund for medium-scale infrastructure investments in Eastern Europe.

Russia : Aluminum Smelter

CORFINA was contracted to join in the initial evaluation phase of a greenfield aluminum smelter in Russia, which was to be located on the Baltic coast, with access to abundant energy. This venture would have advantageously complemented/substituted for obsolescent smelter facilities, which under the Soviet Union had been located by central planning fiat in the Eastern confines of the country, and entailed costly transportation to aluminum users in industrialized areas West of the Urals.

Spain : Alternative Energy

CORFINA was retained by a consortium of large Canadian and U.S. energy companies to canvass interest from prospective partners to co-invest in a waste-to-energy plant in Southern Spain. CORFINA researched, ‘short-listed’, and initiated substantive discussions with a number of prospective European firms.

Spain / Portugal : Business Development

Following success in bringing to fruition the acquisition of a controlling stake in a South American university, CORFINA was retained by its U.S. client to undertake two prospection/business development missions to Spain and Portugal. The first was aimed at analyzing the regulatory environment and assessing the potential for expanding the Group’s reach into the Iberian Peninsula, which was deemed synergistic with the Group’s portfolio of universities in Spanish-speaking Latin America, and in Brazil. CORFINA engaged with the heads of leading private universities in Barcelona, Madrid, Valladolid, Lisbon and Porto, and subsequently presented a detailed Report to the client. The second on-site trip which CORFINA arranged and coordinated, involved participation of senior executives of our U.S.-based client in several meetings with ‘short-listed’ institutions. The effort helped place CORFINA’s client – hitherto unknown in Spain and Portugal – as a ‘high visibility’ player in the higher education market. Several bilateral academic and partnering initiatives have ensued from CORFINA’s endeavors. Closer ties are expected in future between our U.S. client and the Iberian higher education institutions cultivated by CORFINA.

United States : Packaging

CORFINA was retained by an innovative company which aims to go to market with a unique container with a patented self-sealing valve, capable of dispensing preservative-free multidose pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and nutrition products. CORFINA identified two prospective sources of funding for one of this company’s financing rounds.

Uruguay : Consumer Credit / Microfinance

CORFINA was tasked by one of Uruguay’s largest consumer credit finance company to assist in the preparation of Offering Documents geared to soliciting medium-term finance from international sources to bolster the lending capacity of the institution, and, in particular, to assist in the growth of the company’s expansion into microfinance lending. Micro-loans represented a relatively recent expansion of our client’s financial products. CORFINA was also responsible for garnering interest from specialized international institutions to support this endeavor. CORFINA organized a round of presentations, some of which included participation of our client’s senior management. Follow-up, due diligence and assistance in negotiations led to approval of a loan to our client.