Roger A. Rippy

Roger Rippy brings more than two decades of sophisticated transactional experience, advising clients on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, technology and licensing agreements, and complex energy project development and finance. His practice spans the full spectrum of corporate transactions — from early-stage company formation and fundraising to large-scale international project financings and strategic asset dispositions — with particular depth in the energy, fintech, and digital media sectors.

Roger's energy credentials are extensive. Over the course of his career, he has served as lead project counsel on the development and project financing of power generation assets across Latin America, Asia, and Africa, representing a combined investment value of well over $1 billion. His transactional experience encompasses natural gas, coal, renewable, hydroelectric, and geothermal power projects, including work on EPC agreements with international construction contractors, long-term power purchase agreements, multilateral lender credit facilities, and complex government concession and permitting processes. His Latin America practice was conducted in both English and Spanish, reflecting his highly proficient bilingual capabilities.

In addition to his project finance work, Roger has extensive in-house corporate counsel experience, having served as General Counsel or Chief Legal Officer for multiple companies across the energy, technology, and investment management sectors. This in-house perspective informs his practical, business-oriented approach to representing clients — he understands the legal and operational pressures his clients face and is skilled at delivering efficient, commercially focused counsel. Most recently, he served as Senior Director and General Counsel for a single-family office investment company, where he led the acquisition of over $100 million in fintech, digital media, and blockchain technology companies and managed cross-border IP licensing, SaaS agreements, and technology services contracting.

Roger also brings meaningful entrepreneurial experience, having founded YogaOne Studios, which he grew into the largest yoga studio chain in Houston before selling to a publicly traded company in 2017.

Energy Project Development & Finance

• Served as lead project counsel on the development and project financing of the 520MW Fenix Power Project, a combined cycle natural gas-fired power plant near Lima, Peru, including sole negotiation of the EPCM contract, long-term services agreement, and power purchase agreement with the Peruvian national distribution company
• Served as lead project counsel on the 300MW Jaguar Power Project, a coal and petcoke-fired power plant in Guatemala, which was named Latin Finance Magazine's Project Finance Deal of the Year for 2010; transaction involved a public bid tender, turnkey EPC with a Chinese contractor, vendor financing, and multilateral lender participation
• Served as lead project counsel on the $450 million Monte Esperanza Power Project in Panama and the $400 million GECA greenfield power project in Guatemala, both involving EPC contracts with Chinese construction contractors
• Served as lead project counsel on the $130 million development and project financing of the Kallpa natural gas-fired power project near Lima, Peru — Globeleq's first-ever greenfield project — including negotiation of a Citibank credit facility, gas supply agreement, and EPC contract with Siemens
• Led development and financing of a 50MW wind farm in Inner Mongolia, China (Baicheng I Project), the first IPP project-financed wind farm developed in China; achieved commercial operation in Q1 2011
• Led greenfield development of a 100MW wind farm in Chile in partnership with a U.S. joint venture partner; project was subsequently sold to the joint venture partner

Mergers, Acquisitions & Dispositions

• Led the in-house acquisition of more than $100 million in fintech, digital media, and blockchain technology companies for a Houston-based single-family office investment company
• Served as lead counsel on the $110 million acquisition by Globeleq of El Paso Corporation's Central American power portfolio, with assets in Panama, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Nicaragua
• Served as lead counsel on the $65 million acquisition by Globeleq from NRG of COBEE, the largest electric generating company in Bolivia
• Served as lead counsel on the World Bank and MIGA-backed financing of Globeleq's acquisition of a privatized Ugandan electric distribution company, including the first-ever World Bank Partial Risk Guaranty in connection with the Ugandan privatization process
• Worked on negotiation and documentation of over $2.5 billion in energy generation asset sales for Enron North America and El Paso Energy Corporation

Technology, Privacy & Commercial Contracting

• Drafted and negotiated numerous technology development services agreements and SaaS agreements for fintech subsidiaries
• Drafted global privacy playbooks and privacy policies for technology and e-commerce clients across fintech and B2B/B2C services sectors
• Advised a business services and software start-up as Chief Legal Officer, including leading fundraising, establishing employee stock option incentive plans, and drafting all commercial contracting templates