This article was produced by Olswang LLP, which joined with CMS on 1 May 2017.
Next in our series of interviews, Constructive talks to Miguel Huarte Arregui. Miguel has recently been recruited to Olswang’s Madrid office, specialising in construction and infrastructure work.
1. As a relatively new recruit, can you tell us about your background and why you picked Olswang?
Before joining Olswang, I worked at Ramon & Cajal (the Spanish alliance of Mayer Brown), the Eversheds Madrid office and both the London and New York offices of Greenberg Traurig. I picked Olswang because I felt it was a good platform for developing my practice both in Spain and the rest of the world and because Olswang feels different from a personal perspective: the atmosphere is warm and friendly so that from the moment I joined, I felt as if I’d been here for a long time.
2. What’s the most interesting deal you have been involved with and why?
Well, I think that every project I work on is interesting and I like to focus my enthusiasm on each one equally. However, two particularly memorable deals were:
a) The “Autovía del Camino”. This is a famous motorway in Spain which runs from Pamplonato Logroño and was the first road of its kind to have a ‘shadow toll’ system. I was involved right from the beginning until it was sold and it has been more profitable than even the most optimistic predictions.
b) Secondly, I was also involved in another road project in Houston, Texas, called “Grand Parkway” (also known as the Texas State Highway 99). From a political perspective this was the most complicated project I have worked on. The different counties around the Houston area wanted to take control of the project in their own areas, which was challenging from a management perspective. Harris County actually invoked their primacy rights to manage the project but relinquished their rights to do so after the elections. The Texas Legislature has therefore given the authority to develop Grand Parkway for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Given the scope and nature of this development, I’ve learnt a lot from this project.
3. What type of work are you focussing on here at Olswang?
Basically, any kind of construction and infrastructure projects. I deal with transport, energy, social infrastructure projects (both greenfieldand brownfield sites and privatisations). I act for sponsors, developers and lenders – I consider myself to be an all-rounder!
4. How do you feel the Spanish infrastructure and construction industry is dealing with the current economic downturn?
Spanish infrastructure companies are still very busy but around 70% of their work relates to developments outside Spain. In terms of the Spanish interior market, this has been hit hard. I am hopeful that the new government will help provide some impetus into getting new developments started again.
5. If you were stuck on a desert island and you had one luxury item you could bring with you, what would it be?
One? Not easy. Maybe a book (a very big one) and/or my MP3 full of classical music and some long-life batteries!
6. Tell us something about yourself that your colleagues/clients would be surprised to hear
I practice Pilates every week and I always – and I mean ALWAYS – read a book before going to sleep.
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