Francesca leads the Italian energy and infrastructure practice at Herbert Smith Freehills.
Her extensive knowledge of the energy and infrastructure sector is based on nearly 20 years of experience advising Italian and multinational energy companies, international sponsors, project developers, private equity funds and leading investment banks on some of the most innovative and complex transactions in the renewables space, conventional power, oil and gas (including LNG), energy efficiency, electric mobility and various types of infrastructure projects.
Her practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, the development of projects and infrastructures, industry contracts and regulatory matters, including ESG, MiFID, EMIR, MAR, REMIT, TPA exemptions. She also advises on competition, foreign direct investment and consumer protection issues.
Recognised as one of Italy's energy & infra experts by the main legal directories, Francesca is a frequent speaker on various energy-related topics and a contributor to legal publications. She also lectures on energy and competition law.
Accolades
- "Lawyer of the Year Antitrust – Public Enforcement," 2024 Litigation Awards by Legalcommunity
- "Lawyer of the Year – Energy Efficiency," 2024 Energy Awards by Legalcommunity
- "Lawyer of the Year – LNG", 2023 Energy Awards by Legalcommunity
- "Lawyer of the Year – Energy" 2021 and 2020, Forty under 40 Awards by Legalcommunity
- "Lawyer of the Year – Oil & Gas," 2021 Top Legal Industry Awards
- "Lawyer of the Year – Renewables," 2020 Top Legal Industry Awards.
Background
Francesca graduated from the University of Napoli – Federico II (magna cum laude) and holds an LL.M. from the King's College London (in competition law). Prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills, she worked for other leading international law firms.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- CEBF in the joint venture with Clio and Fibra Salento for the development of a pipeline of projects to design, build, finance and operate FttH open access networks in Italy
- The consortium Interconnector Energy Italia, formed by the so-called major "energy-intensive companies" in Italy, on:
- the acquisition, project contracts and financings relating to the Interconnector Passo Resia, between Austria and Italy;
- the acquisition and project financing of Monita Interconnector, an SPV that owns the power interconnection line between Italy and Montenegro;
- the acquisition and project financing of the Pi.SA Interconnector, SPV owning the power interconnection line between Italy and France (2017 PFI Power Deal of the Year)
- ERG on their first CPPA with Luxottica for a term of 12 years in relation to a wind farm in Sicily
- the receiver of Suntech in the sale to a consortium of investors controlled by York Capital Management and Marseglia Amaranto Energia e Sviluppo (MAES) of Global Solar Fund S.C.A., a Lux company the subsidiaries of which own both a portfolio of 174 photovoltaic plants with a total capacity of more than 135MW and a service company
- Pacifico Energy Partners on a joint venture with Eiffel Investment Group for the development of a portfolio of photovoltaic projects in Italy with a total capacity of approx. 300MW
- Edison in the acquisition of Gas Natural Vendita Italia and of a long-term GSA for the import of 11 TWh of gas from Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijian
- TrailStone in the first ever 10 years PPA in Italy for the offtake of power from a non-subsidized PV plant
- Dolomiti and Alperia in the antitrust aspects of the creation of Neogy, a joint venture active in the smart mobility sector.
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