Sebastian Albella

Sebastián Albella

Corporate Partner, Madrid

"I work on countless public and private M&A transactions, mainly in the financial and energy sectors, but also in other industries (retail, entertainment, etc.). I also have special expertise in corporate governance matters and am especially familiar with financial regulation. A trait, I think, that sets me apart is that I combine lengthy experience in major M&A and ECM transactions with having held important public responsibilities, among which between 2016 and 2020 I chaired the Spanish Securities Market Commission (CNMV). I highly value precedents and standardized and consolidated solutions, but I always like to consider possible improvements or alternatives and to think out-of-the-box. Due to my personality and attitude, I am clearly a lawyer who favours reaching and closing agreements."

Overview

Professional experience

Education and qualifications

Published works

Overview

Sebastián Albella has recently re-joined Linklaters, as a partner in the corporate department. 

Between 2016 and 2020, Sebastián served as Chairman of the CNMV (Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores - the Spanish securities regulator).

Sebastián is a Spanish government lawyer (Abogado del Estado) and worked in that role at the Spanish Treasury. He also served as Secretary to the Board and head of legal of the CNMV. For more than 10 years he was a legal advisor to the Spanish Banking Association and a member of the European Securities Markets Expert Group (ESME) and of the Legal Committee of the European Banking Federation. He has more than 20 years’ experience working as a lawyer in the private sector.

Work highlights

Sebastián's most notable deals include advising:

  • Siemens on the merger of its wind power businesses into Gamesa (largest M&A transaction in Spain in 2016)
  • Santander Consumer Finance on the creation of a joint venture with Banque PSA in 11 jurisdictions
  • ACS on the IPO of Saeta Yield
  • Acciona on the creation of a joint venture with KKR in the renewable energy sector
  • Centerbridge on the acquisitions of servicing platform Aktua and a portfolio of NPLs and REOs
  • International Petroleum Investment Co. (IPIC) on its takeover and taking private of Cepsa 
     

Professional experience

Sebastián started his career in 1985 as a Legal Adviser at the Spanish Ministry of Finance. From 1986 to 1988 he was the Head of Legal at the Directorate General of the Treasury and Deputy Director of Legislation and Financial Policy (1988). From 1988 Sebastián was the Secretary to the Board and General Counsel at the CNMV. From 1992 until 2005 he was a member of the Legal Committee at the European Banking Federation. During this period, he was also a Legal Advisor at the Spanish Banking Association. From 1999 until 2001 he carried out the role of Secretary of the Board of Directors at the Spanish company Hidroeléctrica del Cantábrico, S.A. In 2002 he became a member of the Advisory Committee of the CNMV, for four.4 years. In 1994 he founded the law firm Ramón & Cajal, where Sebastián was a partner until 2005 when he joined Linklaters. From 2016 to 2020 Sebastián was the Chairman at the CNMV (Spanish Securities Commission) and a member of the Board of Supervisors and Management Board of ESMA (European Securities and Markets Authority). In 2021 Sebastián was appointed as an Of Counsel at the firm Latham & Watkins.

Education and qualifications

Sebastián studied law at University of Navarra (1980). He has also been a Spanish government lawyer since 1984. 

Published works

Sebastián has authored many articles in the press and academic publications. To cite a few:

  • “La buena dirección” - Expansión, 2022
  • “Ni banca, ni en la sombra” - Expansión 2020
  • “Los accionistas, en el centro” - El Economista, 2019
  • “Por una economía más bursátil” - El País, 2019
  • “La constitución en Alcalá de Henares” - ABC, 2010