Romano, Francisco

Expertise

With more than 30 years of recognized experience in the Argentina and Latin America energy and financial sector, Francisco Romano joined the firm as Head of the Energy Department in February of 2018, combining the experience of in-house counsel for major oil and gas companies and independents and outside counsel at top-tiered law firms.

Education

Mr. Romano graduated with honors at the University of Buenos Aires School of Law in 1990 and obtained his LLM in Banking and Finance Law With Merit in 2001 at King’s College, London, with a Chevening Award for Higher Studies in the UK.

Academic & Professional Experience

After spending 5 years in well-known law firms in the country, where he specialized in international business transactions and arbitration, Francisco Romano became the legal manager at Argentine independent Bridas, with operations in Latin America, Russia and Central Asia. He then became the Senior Legal Advisor at Pan American Energy, the BP (Amoco) Bridas joint venture in the Southern Cone of South America. In 2005 he became the Law Manager at Chevron Argentina SRL and, before joining PAGBAM, he served for 4 years as the Managing Counsel for the Chevron Latin America Business Unit, based in Caracas, Venezuela, leading a team of 12 legal professionals based in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela.

Among the many achievements in his career, Mr. Romano had a leading role in the legal and regulatory developments that accompanied the unconventional exploration and exploitation boom in the country. He was instrumental in the negotiations, drafting and successful execution of the most important unconventional project in the Vaca Muerta formation, the YPF-Chevron project in Loma Campana, Province of Neuquen, breaking new ground in the development of unconventional resources in the country.

As a transactional lawyer, he is an expert in negotiation, drafting and execution of major transactions such as M&As, international construction projects, LNG agreements, natural gas development projects, midstream projects, joint ventures, unitization agreements, project finance and major financial transactions linked to the energy sector. Francisco J. Romano also holds extensive experience in advising all kinds of clients on civil and commercial law matters. As a litigator, he participated in international investment disputes, international commercial arbitration and complex litigation matters, including international disputes across various jurisdictions and legal systems.

Skilled in designing and developing international negotiation strategies for a wide range of corporate objectives by finding creative and profitable contractual mechanisms, he built fruitful relationships with all stakeholders.

Mr. Romano is the Director of the Universidad Austral Energy Institute. He directs and teaches the Diploma in Hydrocarbons Law and the Diploma in Hydrogen Management at the same university and is a postgraduate teacher at the Executive Legal Education, Universidad Di Tella. He is the author of the reference book “International Energy Contracts - the Common Law and the Civil Law Approach to Joint Ventures and Farmouts” coauthored with Peter Roberts

Admissions & Affiliations

Francisco Romano is a Director at Large of the Association of International Energy Negotiators (AIEN) where he serves as member of the JOA, LNG long term sales agreement and hydrogen contract drafting committees.

In 2022 he was elected by the Legal 500’s GC as one of the strongest oil and gas practitioners in Latin America.