
Matías Zegers
Managing PartnerUS-LatAm Practice Group Regional Co-Leader, Emerging Growth and Venture Capital
US-Iberian Initiative Co-Leader
Matías Zegers focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and venture capital. He is considered one of the most experienced lawyers in corporate governance and venture capital in Chile and in the region, having been consistently recognized as such by multiple rankings and publications.
In M&A, Matías has advised clients in several purchase and sale operations of public and private companies, both domestic and foreign. He has also participated in tender offers, privatization of electric and sanitary companies in Latin America, debt and equity issuances in the local and international markets, both registered and unregistered.
In venture capital and entrepreneurship matters, Matías has advised clients in landmark transactions, many of them the first to be closed in Chile. Also, he has significant experience in investment funds and designing innovative solutions to fund venture capital, structuring financing products, and applying for public funds, among others. As one of the leading Chilean attorneys in venture capital and entrepreneurship, Matías has been a pioneer assisting multiple tech and biotech companies in almost all the relevant verticals of the industry, both start-ups and scale-ups.
Matías is a reference at the regional level of good corporate governance practices, advising leading national and regional companies in matters such as boards and committees, directors' responsibilities and their evaluation, manuals and policies, among others.
EXPERIENCE
Mergers & Acquisitions
- Modyo: Advised the client, a Chilean SaaS company specializing in providing frontend digital solutions to financial, banking, and insurance companies, on the sale of 100% of its equity interest to Harris Holdings Chile SpA. The buyer is a subsidiary of Constellation Software Inc. (TSX: CSU), a market-leading Canadian software and services company labeled by The Economist as "tech's Berkshire Hathaway"
- Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.: Advised in the divestiture of the business of operating pharmacies and health and beauty stores under the trade name Farmacias Ahumada, an essential chain of drugstores in Chile, founded in 1968 and with more than 300 stores throughout the country. The advice included assisting the client and the company in the due diligence process, as well as in the negotiation and closing of a share purchase agreement, transition services agreements and other ancillary documents to the transaction
- Fruit export company: Advised on selling 100% of the shares owned by shareholders to a well-known global company based in California, USA, engaged in the agricultural industry, fruit export, and related services
- Capitalizarme.com: Advised the client, a company that develops and operates a marketplace for real estate assets, in the acquisition of 51% of the ownership of Brokers Digitales
- Vestuá: Advised the client, a Chilean startup that allows people to buy and sell secondhand clothes through the internet, in its share acquisition by H&M Fashion AB, one of the largest clothes companies in the fashion industry
- Talana (Linq SpA): Advised the client, a Chilean start-up that developed and commercializes a software for software to digitize and automate the processes related to employee management within companies, in the acquisition of 100% ownership of Key Clouding (Tescloud SpA), a Chilean company that offers software solutions to streamline and simplify the selection of talent, improving recruitment processes within companies
- The Bridge Social: Advised the client on negotiating and closing a share purchase agreement and other ancillary agreements to materialize the sale of 100% of its ownership to GI Group
- Zyght: Advised the client in the sale and transfer of the commercial operations of Zyght, including all its technology, assets, certain liabilities, and business, to the company Datamine Chile S.A., a Chilean subsidiary of Vela Software International, Inc., a well-known global company in software development, marketing, and related services
- Beetrack: Advised the client, a Chilean start-up that developed a SaaS (Software as a Service) for fleet management and parcel tracking for shipping and delivery companies, on the sale of their 100% ownership to DispatchTrack, LLC. and DispatchTrack Intermediate, LLC., a US group of companies dedicated to last-mile delivery and route optimization
- Uber - Cornershop: Advised both clients, as joint counsel, in acquiring a majority stake in Cornershop by Uber Technologies, Inc. This deal was awarded as Deal of the Year in Private M&A by Latin Lawyer 2021
- Odd Industries: Advised the client, a technology startup, in the sale of a majority stake to Maderas Arauco S.A., one of the largest companies in Chile
- Cornershop – Cencosud: Advised on a long-term Framework Agreement for Commercial Collaboration, in which the parties agreed on a strategic alliance that will allow consumers to access, through the platform developed by Cornershop, a substantial variety of products offered by Cencosud S.A. in the different countries in which it operates
- The Coca-Cola Company - Andina - Embonor (USA - Chile): Advised on the purchase of 100% of Comercializadora Novaverde S.A.- "Guallarauco" (US$80 million)
Venture Capital
- SQM S.A.: Advised on a US$3 million equity investment in Altilium Metals Limited, which included a warrant to invest an additional US$9 million by December 31, 2023, in a Series A investment round. We provided advice in the negotiation, conducting due diligence, and drafting relevant investment documentation
- SQM S.A.: Advised on the negotiation and review of investment documentation for an equity investment in Electric Era Technologies of US$3 million as part of a US$13 million Series A round led by HSBC Climate Tech Venture Capital Fund SCSp
- Fen Ventures III Fund LP: Advised on the negotiation and preparation of an equity investment in Human Forest, a UK-based company, as part of their £17,000,000 (US$21,300,000) Series A round
- Kombuchacha: Advised the client, a leading producer of beverages based in Kombucha, in a bridge financing round with Asesorías e Inversiones Kunstamnn Limitada, the investing vehicle of the owner of one of the leading beer producers in the country
- SQM Industrial S.A.: Advised on reviewing the Limited Partnership Agreement and preparation of a report regarding the risks of specific provisions and their adjustment to market standards for investment in The Yield Lab Latam Opportunity Fund, L.P., a private investment fund incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands
- Go Feels: Advised on the negotiation and preparation of a convertible note for investment by Fondo de Inversion Privado Parque País, a private investment fund managed by Sudamerik, for a total investment of US$300 thousand
- Pawer Chile SpA: Advised on the preparation, negotiation, and drafting of investment documentation for an aggregate investment of US$100 thousand in a bridge round through convertible notes, which included several investors
- Fracttal: Advised on preparing and negotiating to close a US$10 million Series B financing round led by Kayyak Ventures and also underwritten by GoHub and Amador Holdings
- VICA (Conserje Virtual SpA): Advised on negotiating and preparing the investment documents for an equity investment round of approximately US$480 thousand from several investors
- Voltera: Advised on the preparation and negotiation of a Master Agreement and corresponding exhibits with Ameris regarding the structuring of a venture debt deal of US$50 million through which Ameris would finance the acquisition of electric vehicles to be utilized in Chile through a commercial relationship with TuCar and Uber
- Fen Ventures II: Advised the client on negotiating and preparing the investment documentation for converting two convertible notes in Praxis Biotech LLC
- Devlabs - Snap Compliance: Advised both Snap Compliance and FIP Chile Outlier Seed Fund I (Devlabs) on the negotiation and closing of a convertible note for US$50 thousand
- Fen Ventures III Fund LP: Advised the client on the negotiation and review of investment documentation for an equity investment in Michroma
- Fen Ventures – Vita Wallet: Advised both clients on closing a financing round in the latter company for a total of US$750 thousand through convertible notes, in which the corporate venture capital area of ABC Din also participated. Vita Wallet is a company that, through its virtual wallet, allows people to send payments to multiple destinations worldwide
- The Live Green Co.: Advised on the US$7 million investment in their Pre-Series A round, a Chilean company dedicated to developing clean and vegan food formulas
Corporate Governance
- Cámara Nacional de Comercio: Advised the client, the most important national trade federation that brings together companies and guilds in the areas of commerce, services, and tourism throughout Chile, in the process of reviewing, updating, and modernizing its corporate governance practices through the preparation and drafting of a new proposal of bylaws
- Aguas Andinas and Inversiones Aguas Metropolitana (IAM): Advised on corporate governance structure, policies, and framework
- Chilean company in the oil industry: Advised on creating its corporate governance structure and policies. Our advice also includes an assessment of the functioning of its entire corporate governance framework
- Parque Arauco S.A.: Advised on creating its corporate governance structure, policies, and framework, including drafting a Corporate Governance Manual
- Asociación Gremial de Generadoras de Chile: Advised on evaluating the functioning of its corporate governance framework
- English
- Spanish
LL.M., The University of Michigan Law School, 2002
Law Degree, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, 1994
Awards
Chambers Global
- Band 3, Chile Corporate/M&A, (2024-2025)
- Band 4, Chile Corporate/M&A, (2021-2023)
- Band 5, Chile Corporate/M&A, (2019-2020)
Chambers Latin America
- Band 1, Chile Venture Capital, (2022, 2024-2025)
- Band 3, Chile Corporate/M&A, (2024-2025)
- Band 4, Chile Corporate/M&A, (2021-2023)
- Band 5, Chile Corporate/M&A, (2018-2020)
Chambers FinTech
- Band 1, Chile FinTech Legal, (2022-2024)
Legal 500 Latin America
- Hall of Fame, Chile Corporate and M&A, (2025)
- Recommended, Chile Data Privacy, (2024)
- Hall of Fame, Chile Venture Capital, (2023-2025)
- Recommended, Chile Banking and Finance, (2019, 2021-2022, 2024)
- Recommended, Chile Capital Markets, (2021-2022, 2024)
- Leading Lawyer, Chile Corporate and M&A, (2021-2024)
- Leading Lawyer, Chile Venture Capital, (2021-2022)
- Recommended, Chile Corporate and M&A, (including Compliance) (2017-2019)
- Recommended, Latin America: International Firms Corporate and M&A, (2019)
Additional Recognitions
- Capital Markets, IFLR1000, (2019-2023)
- Private Equity,IFLR1000, (2019-2023)
- M&A, IFLR1000, (2019-2023)
- Corporate and M&A, Best Lawyers, (2019-2022)
- Corporate Governance and Compliance, Best Lawyers, (2019-2021)
- Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers, (2020-2022)
- Private Equity, Best Lawyers, (2020-2022)
- Venture Capital Best Lawyers, (2019)
- Corporate and M&A, Latin Lawyer 250, (2019-2024)
- Highly Recommended, Latin Lawyer 250, (2021-2022)
- Anticorruption Investigation and Compliance, Latin Lawyer 250, (2019-2024)
- Banking and Finance, Latin Lawyer 250, (2019-2024)
- Corporate Governance, Latin Lawyer 250, (2019-2020)
- Excellent, Private Equity, Startups & Innovation, Leaders League, (2020)
- Leading, Startups & Venture Capital, Leaders League, (2022)
- Excellent, Startups & Venture Capital, Leaders League, (2021)
- Recommended, Banking and Finance, Leaders League, (2020-2022)
- Highly Recommended, Corporate and M&A, Leaders League, (2020-2022)
- Highly Recommended, Innovation, Technology and Telecoms: Telecommunications, Leaders League, (2021)
- Excellent, Intellectual Property: FinTech, Leaders League, (2022)
- Highly Recommended, Intellectual Property: Technology, Leaders League, (2021)
- Corporate and M&A, Latin Lawyer National, (2019-2020)
- Anticorruption Investigations and Compliance, Latin Lawyer National, (2019-2020)
- Corporate Governance, Latin Lawyer National, (2019-2020)
- Banking and Finance, Latin Lawyer National, (2019-2020)
- "The professional who knows best" in Venture Capital, Leading Lawyers, Idealis, (2022)
- The "most knowledgeable" in Corporate Governance, Leading Lawyers, Idealis, (2020)
- Approved, Capital Markets, Latin American Corporate Counsel Association, (2019-2021)
Pro Bono
- Director, Carlos Vial Espantoso Foundation
Publications
- "Legal Alert: Chile's Bill on personal data protection: what comes ahead?," May 2023
- "Market Talk: 2022, Outlook, Loans" Latin Finance Magazine - Q1, 2022
- Co-author, "Handbook on Company Law", UC Edition, Second Edition, 2022
- Co-author, "Notes on the evolution of corporate law in Chile," 2019
- Co-author, "Analysis of the First Attempt to Impose Self-Regulation on Corporate Governance in Chile: The Result of an Oxymoron," Chilean Law Journal
- "Business Groups and Information: Is it a Privilege of the Controller's Directors?" Business Law Studies, Thomson Reuter, 2018
- "There is a Particular Duty of Care for Independent Directors," Business Law Studies, UC Editions, 2017
- "Principle of Reliance on Information Presented by the Company in Light of the Directors' Duty of Care" Business Law Studies, Thomson Reuters, 2014
- Co-author, "Handbook on Company Law", UC Edition, First Edition, 2014
- Co-author, "Corporate Governance in Latin America: A Comparative Analysis Between Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico," The Institute of Business, Madrid, Spain, December 2013
- Co-author, "Corporate Interest, Directors' Duty of Loyalty and Conflicts of Interest in Multinational Companies: A Comparative Analysis with the Legislation of the United States of America," Chilean Law Gazette, Vol.31 N°2, 2004
Media Mentions
- Interviewed, "DLA Piper: Interview With Partners Matías Zegers and Charles Torres About Their Roles At The Firm", Pulse 2.0, January 8, 2025
Prior Experience
- Other Major Chilean Firms, (1993 -2001, 2003-2006)
- American Multinational Law Firm, New York, (2002-2003)
Teaching Experience
- Professor of Corporate and Securities Law, School of Law, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, (1997-present)
- Professor of Mergers and Acquisitions in postgraduate programs, School of Law, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
- Professor of Corporate Governance in postgraduate programs, School of Law and Business School, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
- Chair, Corporate, Economic and Tax Department, School of Law, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, (2009-2019)
- Executive Chairman of the Corporate Governance Center UC, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, (2009-present)
- Visiting Scholar, Rock Center for Corporate Governance, School of Law, Stanford University (2016-2017)
Memberships And Affiliations
- Chilean Bar Association
- International Bar Association (IBA)
- Member, Latin American Roundtable in Corporate Governance, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Member, Task Force for Related Party Transactions, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development