Background

Maria Virginia Anzola is a consultant to BLG’s Tax group, with responsibility for assisting in the development of the firm’s Latin American practice. She received her law degree from the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (Cum Laude), and was admitted to the Colegio de Abogados del Distrito Federal de Caracas, in 1995. She holds an LL.M Degree from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (1996), and a Tax Masters Degree, from the Universidad Central de Venezuela (2002). Mrs. Anzola is fluent in Spanish, English and French.

Areas of Practice

• Ms. Anzola’s tax practice has focused on corporate finance and financial structuring, particularly in relation to banking, oil and gas, as well as manufacturing clients. Her experience puts her in an excellent position to advise Latin American investors looking to expand their business operations, as well as Canadian investors or businesses with operations in Latin America or seeking business opportunities in that market.

Professional Experience

• Ms. Anzola has assisted Venezuelan and International corporations with regards to the tax implications of doing business in Venezuela, with emphasis in the structuring of debt transactions and investment opportunities. She has also been deeply involved in etate planning activities and reorganizations of family held business corporations.
• Actively participated in the negotiations between the Venezuelan Government and the private owned oil and gas companies for the sale of their interests in the exploitation areas.
• Ms. Anzola was seconded for a period of three years, to ConocoPhillips, where she was in charge of the company’s day to day operations under the terms of the Profit Sharing Agreement, which also included the negotiation of farm-out and unitization agreements, as well as the planning for tax strategies and structures that would minimize the tax exposure of the company in the country.

Professional and Community Activities

• Ms. Anzola is a member of the Colegio de Abogados del Distrito Federal, Republic of Venezuela, active in the American Bar Association, Section of Taxation, where she is a member of the sub-group of the Professional Services Committee which organizes the international co-sponsored programming for the Section.
• Member of the International Bar Association, Legal Practice Division, Taxes Committee.
• Former Tax Professor of the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello, Republic of Venezuela.
• Participated as panellist in various international conferences, and has written various papers on international taxation subjects.