Pilar Castillo has been selected as a Finance Monthly Deal Maker of the Year Awards 2014 winner for her work on Grupo México's US$227.5 million financing to purchase the platform drilling unit Tabasco.

About the transaction

Arias, Fábrega & Fábrega​ represented Grupo México in connection with a financing granted to its subsidiary Tabasco Jackup S.A. de C.V., by HSBC Bank USA, National Association, to purchase the platform drilling unit "Tabasco" to be registered with the Panamanian flag. 

As security for the financing, Tabasco Jackup S.A. de C.V. granted a first Panamanian naval mortgage over "Tabasco" and the group's subsidiary, Compañía Perforadora México, granted a first Panamanian naval mortgage over its platform drilling unit "Sonora".

Grupo Mexico, through its subsidiary Perforadora Mexico (PEMSA) became the pioneer in exploratory sea drilling in Mexico and has led the industry as the first Mexican company providing complete drilling services.  It currently has, perhaps the largest sea drilling operation in Mexico. With the purchase of "TABASCO" through its subsidiary Tabasco Jackup S.A. de C.V., Grupo Mexico/PEMSA are expanding and innovating on the sea drilling operations in Mexico.

About the awards

The Finance Monthly Deal Maker of the Year Awards for 2014 celebrate the most impressive transactions in mergers & acquisitions, capital raising, corporate bonds, infrastructure and project finance, loans, structured finance, equities, restructuring and Islamic finance. Reflecting wider transaction trends, the emerging economies excelled, though there was still a lot of noteworthy business being done in the much-maligned Western markets.

The awards recognise financial, legal, tax, due diligence, risk, management and strategic advisory expertise in multiple jurisdictions in Europe, the Middle East & Africa, North and Latin America, Asia and Australasia as well as excellence for global corporate and private equity advisory.