Jose Vicente Zapata

Partner, for many years counsel in corporate and commercial law matters, Mr Zapata is recognised as a leader in environmental matters, providing legal services in these areas toassociations, the government and companies from the electric, oil and gas, mining, agrochemical and industrial sectors. He has undertaken some of the most relevant transactions in mining and oil &gas sectors, in addition to assisting numerous companies in obtaining mining and oil & gas concessions. He has participated in multiple negotiations related to the structuring of mining andoil & gas divestures and acquisitions in Colombia. He is an expert in contract negotiations in the mining and hydrocarbon sector, including exploration and exploitation contracts, jointoperating agreements and farm-outs, among others.
Mr Zapata has been legal counsel in the structuring of foreign investment transactions, mergers and acquisitions, as well as reorganisation ofcorporations in Colombia.

Mr Zapata has been member of various boards of directors of multinational corporations in the automotive, energy, telecommunications, industrial and foodsectors. He has also acted as of counsel to various ministries in Colombia. He is a member of the American Society of International Law, the Institute for Energy Law (of the Center for AmericanInternational Law), founder and general secretary of the Instituto Colombiano de Derecho Ambiental and member of the Colegio de Abogados de Minas y Petróleos, the Institute for Energy Lawof the Center for American and International Law, the International Bar Association, the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN), the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation,the European Society of International Law, and member and counsellor with the Gerson Lehrman Group. He is also author of various articles and publications relative to mining, and oil & gas.