Expertise

In over 20 years of activity, Gabriela has gained an impressive level of experience and deep understanding of various industries. She co-heads the Energy and Natural Resources practice of the firm together with Ruxandra Bologa and the Corporate/M&A practice with Ruxandra Bologa, Adina Chilim-Dumitriu and Adriana Gaspar.

Always focused on understanding each business and adapting to the client’s profile, she has represented international and local corporations and private equity funds, as well as public institutions in structuring, negotiating and achieving the successful completion of their projects, being involved in a significant number of high profile M&A transactions and privatisations.

Gabriela’s practice focuses on:

  • corporate and commercial law
  • corporate fraud
  • corporate reorganisations
  • domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions
  • greenfield and brown-field projects
  • joint ventures and minority investments
  • private equity
  • privatizations (capital markets or strategic investors transactions)
  • IPOs
  • contract negotiations
  • distressed assets and insolvency
  • outsourcing
  • project structuring/ development
  • regulatory advice and specific contracts in energy field
  • investments in conventional and renewable energy projects
  • regulatory advice and specific contracts in insurance and private pensions

Industry Focus

Representative Cases and Transactions

Mergers and Acquisitions

  • advice to a leading online classifieds business in Europe with operations world-wide in the transfer of its general classified site in Romania to a South African multinational mass media corporation
  • team coordination in assisting one of the leaders in the Central European gaming market in the acquisition of one of the top gaming company in Romania and in connection with the related financing
  • advice to one of the most experienced real estate investment and development companies in Romania in the sale of 3 of its SPVs to a Group leader in private equity, real estate investment and development, and venture capital
  • team coordination in advising one of Europe’s leading cinema groups in the direct/ indirect acquisition of participation in 3 Romanian entities (some of them active in the cinema business) from one of the largest European cinema operators
  • assistance provided to one of the European leading Out of Home advertising company in relation to subsequent restructuring and transfer of share operations in its 10 Companies as part of its Exit from Romanian jurisdiction
  • advice to one of the leading financial groups in Central and Eastern Europe in relation to the acquisition of full control over a Romanian non-banking financial institution
  • assistance provided to one of the European leading Out of Home advertising company in relation to re-acquiring full control over Romanian companies and settling of shareholders disputes
  • advice to a leading global multinational telecommunication company in relation to a global transaction worth approximately 1.2 billion USD (world-wide), specifically with respect to the divestment of a part of the cellular networks business and its transfer to a multinational data networking and telecommunications equipment company
  • advice to one of the largest international operating European based media company in one of the most important recent transactions in the internet field, acquired through the acquisition of the majority stake in the first online recruitment service in Romania and South-Eastern Europe
  • team coordination in advising a global multinational consumer goods company in the acquisition of the ice-cream division of one of the world’s biggest dairy multinationals

Energy and Natural Resources

  • advice to one of the leading European integrated energy group involved in the renewable energy generation, in relation to the possibility of challenging the changes to the green certificates support scheme imposed by the Romanian State in the context of a blooming energy industry which was forced to suspend and in some cases terminate certain investments
  • advice to a large Italian electricity trader in relation to electricity trading regulatory matters and in connection with a contentious procedure with one of its customers
  • advice to a large German full-service project developer in relation to the development of wind and solar energy projects in Romania and in relation to its joint venture established in cooperation with Romanian entrepreneurs
  • advice to one of the first electricity cogeneration from wood biomass in Romania in connection with the support schemes for renewable and high efficiency cogeneration
  • advice to a major Romanian Bank on a project finance for a co-generation plant based on biogas
  • advice to a global technological leader, as well as project developer in the wind industry in relation to their business in Romania (both regulatory and acquisition projects)
  • advice to a U.S. management fund in the potential acquisition of a 300 MW wind project and interconnection thereof to the grid
  • advice to the Intermediation Syndicate in the secondary public offering of 15% of the shares of the sole electricity transmission operator in Romania, owned by the Romanian state, in the first successful privatization in many years of an energy company through the stock exchange
  • advice in the IPO of the sole gas transmission operator in Romania
  • advice in the successful privatization of four out of five privatized electricity distribution and supply companies in Romania

Insurance

  • team coordination in advising an American multinational insurance corporation in restructuring its business in Romania within the context of compliance with the Solvency II Directive
  • team coordination in advising one of the largest global providers of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs in relation to the sale of one of its private pensions funds
  • team coordination in advising one of the largest global providers of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs in relation to the direct and indirect change of control at the level of two Romanian life insurance undertakings in view of preparing for the implementation of the requirements under Solvency II Directive
  • advice to one of the largest global providers of insurance in the structuring of its bank assurance cooperation with one of the largest Romanian banks
  • advice to the leading global provider of risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage in relation to regulatory matters related to subsequent re-structuring operations at the level of the group and impact on its local insurance and reinsurance brokerage company
  • advice to one of the largest European banking and financial services corporation in relation to regulatory matters having impact on the restructuring of the Group by means of IPO at the level of its European and Japanese insurance and investment management arm
  • advice to one of the world’s leading reinsurers in two acquisition operations involving Romanian insurance companies
  • general regulatory and corporate governance assistance to an American multinational insurance corporation in relation to its business in Romania
  • advice to one of the top ten Romanian insurance companies in the tentative acquisition of the Romanian company of one of the largest European insurance companies
  • team coordination in assisting a leading French insurance company, in its attempt to acquire controlling interests in two privately owned insurance carriers in Romania through competitive tender proceedings

Accolades

Included in international rankings since 2009; most recently:

  • Recommended (WWL Energy, 2024)
  • Included in the Women Leaders category (IFLR 1000, 2023)
  • Highly Regarded, M&A (IFLR 1000, 2023)
  • Leading Individual, Corporate and M&A (Legal 500, 2023)
  • Leading Individual, Energy and Natural Resources (Legal 500, 2023)
  • Recommended, TMT: Gambling Law (Legal 500, 2023)
  • Ranked, Corporate/M&A (Chambers and Partners, 2023)
  • Ranked, Energy and Natural Resources (Chambers and Partners, 2023)
  • Ranked, Corporate/M&A (Chambers and Partners, 2022)
  • Ranked, Energy and Natural Resources (Chambers and Partners, 2022)
  • Leading Individual, Corporate and M&A (Legal 500, 2022)
  • Recommended, Energy and Natural Resources (Legal 500, 2022)
  • Highly Regarded, M&A (IFLR 1000, 2022)
  • Included in Who’s Who Legal: Energy (2021)

”Gabriela Cacerea is one of the most exceptional lawyers I have worked with. She is incredibly knowledgeable in the energy and natural resources field, with great tactical sense and leadership skills, and a good instinct on how to approach challenging situations. Her work and advice have been gold standard.”
(Legal 500, 2023)

”Gabriela is one of the best lawyers in the Energy sector. She knows not only M&A but also the whole aspect of energy. She can cover complex and sensitive aspects.”
(Chambers and Partners, 2023)

Gabriela Cacerea [is praised] for her “client-oriented, proactive and very sophisticated legal skills,” as well as her ability to “provide quick and comprehensive opinions.”
(Chambers and Partners, 2022)

A client states that she is “responsive, likes to innovate and listens to all ideas.”
(Chambers and Partners, 2021)

One source praises her “negotiating and persuasive skills”, adding that she is “very well prepared and prompt in the response to any request”.
(Chambers and Partners, 2020)

Education

  • University of Bucharest Law School, Law Degree
  • Negotiation program – Negotiating Across Borders and Cultures, American Institute for Legal Education, University of Michigan
  • ERA – Academy of European Law Training Courses on European Law

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Bucharest Bar
  • The Energy Law Group
  • Lex Mundi energy practice group
  • Lex Mundi cross-border transactions practice group
  • Lex Mundi insurance practice group
  • World Services Group corporate, business and antitrust group

Notable Contributions

Corporate/ M&A

  • contributor to NNDKP – COVID-19 Legal & Tax Resource Center
  • speaker at ZF Power Summit 2023, organized by Ziarul Financiar (2023)
  • speaker at NNDKP Legal & Tax Conference 7th edition (2022)
  • speaker and moderator – “Your Business in OnLine – How to respond to the challenges of a business activity in the virtual space?” webinar series, organized by NNDKP and Business Mark (2020)
  • “Professional Secrecy of Lawyers in Europe – Romania chapter” (Cambridge University Press, 2013)
  • “Treasury Shares Guide – Romania Chapter” (IBA Corporate and M&A Law Committee, 2012)
  • “Treasury Shares Guide – Romania Chapter” (Cambridge University Press)
  • “Cross Border Mergers in Europe – Romania Chapter” (Law Practitioners Series – Cambridge, 2010)
  • “Implementation of Companies Second Directive – Romania Chapter”  (Cambridge University Press)
  • “Guide on Restructuring and Insolvency in SEE – Romania Chapter” (SEE Legal)
  • speaker at NNDKP Lex Atelier Conferences – “S.A. or S.R.L.? Traps of various company incorporation forms” (2011)
  • speaker at NNDKP Lex Atelier Conferences – “Corporate Restructuring” (2010)

Energy

  • contributor to NNDKP – COVID-19 Legal & Tax Resource Center
  • speaker at ZF Power Summit, organized by Ziarul Financiar (2023)
  • speaker at ZF Power Summit, organized by Ziarul Financiar (2022)
  • speaker at ZF Power Summit, organized by Ziarul Financiar (2021)
  • “Prosumers – the Legal Framework for Operating Properly” (legalmarketing.ro, 2020) (co-author)
  • speaker at ZF Power Summit, organized by Ziarul Financiar (2020)
  • speaker at ZF Power Summit, organized by Ziarul Financiar (2019)
  • Energy Investment Risk Assessment 2018 report” (Energy Charter Secretariat, 2018) (co-author)
  • “SEE Energy Handbook – Romania Chapter” (SEE Legal, 2014)
  • “Getting the Deal Through: Electricity Regulation – Romania Chapter” (Law Business Research, 2007 – 2013)
  • “Renewable Energy: An Update on the Implementation of Directive 2001/77 – Romania Chapter” (International Energy Law Review, 2010)
  • speaker at NNDKP Lex Atelier Conferences – “Financing of Wind Energy Projects” (2009)