Fireside chat: Spanish FDI Screening Regulations Update
The Spanish government updated rules related to foreign direct investment (FDI) at the end of 2022 including the suspension of the liberalisation regime of FDI investments of EU or EFTA countries and the definition of FDI. This panel will review the updates and discuss the effect of these on cross-border M&A.
- How will the suspension of the liberalisation region of FDI investment of EU or EFTA countries affect FDI in Iberia?
- Which future regulations should dealmakers be aware of that might impact cross-border M&A activity?
- Which countries are reviewing Iberian assets in which sectors that might be impacted by FDI regulations?
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Specialist in implementing efficient corporate governance systems, legal risk prevention, regulatory compliance and crisis management.
Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría is an expert in advising companies on the new Spanish regime for foreign investment in strategic sectors approved in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. The regime includes critical infrastructure technology, energy and other essential sectors of activity.
She has been a member of the Spanish Council of State since 2018.
A counsel for the state since 1998, she was chief counsel for the state in León and at the High Court of Justice of Madrid.
She was vice president of the Spanish government and minister of the presidency (2011-2018), as well as minister for regional administrations (2016-2018). She was also spokesperson of the government (2011-2016), and chaired several ministerial commissions, including Spain’s Inter-ministerial Brexit Commission (2016-2018).
She was a parliamentary spokesperson for the Spanish People’s Party during the government’s ninth legislature. Previously, she was the deputy spokesperson in the Constitutional Commission of the Spanish Congress of Deputies.
She also served as technical advisor in the Cabinet of the First Vice President, and of the Minister of the Interior of the Spanish government.
She has held several positions in entities of the state-owned industrial holding company (SEPI) group, as a member of the board of directors of Clínica Castelló and secretary of the INISAS board of directors.
She has been an associate lecturer in EU policies and administrative law at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Degree in Journalism from the University Complutense of Madrid. He also has carried out Law and Business Administration private studies. He was Director of Diario 16 following its acquisition by Grupo Voz, joining the newspaper after 10 years with Tiempo magazine, where he rose from Night Editor to Chief News Editor and Assistant Director. In 1998 he joined Estudio de Comunicación España as a Director, and between 1999 and 2000 he was Director General of Estudio de Comunicación Argentina, based in Buenos Aires. Also, he is Associate Professor at Instituto de Empresa
Strategic Comms advisor, involved in corporate cases regarding delicate processes for companies such as takeover bids, acquisitions, mergers, crisis situations, IPOs and restructurings in countries such as Spain, UK, Argentina, Mexico and Brazil. He has developed Internal and External Communications and Crisis Plans for major financial entities, companies from the energy industry, and other industrial corporations from Spain and Latam.