MartaLahuerta Escolano

Of Counsel

Paris + 33.1.56.59.38.79

Marta Lahuerta Escolano focuses on telecommunications, media, and technology (TMT). She has been involved in numerous international TMT-related matters, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. Marta advises major international telecommunications groups, investors, governments, and regulatory authorities on regulatory and transactional matters.

Marta has experience advising on transactional and corporate-related matters such as the implementation of public-private partnerships (PPPs), particularly relating to submarine cables and backbones, internet exchange points (IXPs), visible light positioning (VLP), M&A of telecommunications operators, TV broadcasters and others, divestitures, privatization of incumbent operators, and TowerCo deals. She also has experience in TMT-related prelitigation and litigation matters held before national regulatory authorities and international arbitration tribunals.

She advises on regulatory matters such as drafting and negotiating strategic contracts, granting and renewal of global system for mobiles (GSM) and satellite licenses, and drafting legal and regulatory frameworks and policies applicable to TMT. Marta also has experience in competition law. She assists private and public entities on the definition and analysis of TMT markets.

Marta is particularly active in e-commerce, electronic money, Internet of Things (IoT), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), data privacy, and cybersecurity issues. She is also involved in the life science and pharmaceutical industry and is part of a multidisciplinary team that is focused on anticipating and responding to new challenges facing the e-health sector.

Marta has advised governments and regulatory authorities around the world on the promotion and liberalization of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. She has extensive experience in international regulation in ICT and advises governments in developing telecommunications projects that are financed by international institutions.

Experience

  • Koch Agronomic & Energy Solutions acquires 50% stake in Jorf Fertilizers Company III from OCPJones Day advised Koch Agronomic & Energy Solutions, LLC (KAES), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc., in its 50/50 joint venture with OCP S.A.
  • Togolese government implements Equiano fiber optic submarine cableJones Day assisted the Togolese Société d'Infrastructures Numériques (SIN) on the roll out and landing in Lomé of a branch of the Equiano fiber optic submarine cable developed by Google.
  • International Finance Corporation coordinates with Ethiopian government to award telecommunications licenseJones Day assisted the International Finance Corporation and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in opening up Ethiopia's electronic communications market to competition, which until now held the world's largest monopoly in the telecommunications sector.
  • Government of the Republic of Togo develops cybersecurity frameworkJones Day assisted the Government of the Republic of Togo in developing a cybersecurity framework.
  • Government of the Republic of Togo privatizes telecommunications companyJones Day advised the Government of the Republic of Togo on an international bidding procedure to privatize TogoCom.
  • Sigfox obtains regulatory advice in international expansion for Internet of ThingsJones Day provided regulatory advice to Sigfox, S.A., the world's leading Internet of Things (IoT) services provider, with its international expansion in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
  • Millicom International Cellular sells and lease back towers to American Tower in Paraguay for approximately Gs700 billion (US$125 million)Jones Day advised Millicom International Cellular S.A. and its subsidiary Telefonica Celular del Paraguay S.A. in the sale of approximately 1,400 wireless communications towers to a subsidiary of American Tower Corporation ("ATC") in Paraguay for approximately Gs700 billion (US$125 million) in cash.
  • Tactis and Jones Day design national broadband policy plan aimed at fostering investment in telecommunications infrastructureJones Day, together with Tactis, assisted the Senegalese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in the design of the national broadband policy plan in order to foster investment in telecommunications infrastructure and develop access to broadband internet access services across the territory of Senegal.
  • Djibouti Telecom negotiates contract for fiber optic cableJones Day assisted Djibouti Telecom in the review and negotiation of a maintenance contract for the Djibouti Africa Regional Express 1 (DARE-1) fiber optic submarine cable between Djibouti and Kenya.
  • Djibouti Telecom negotiates contract for fiber optic cableJones Day assisted Djibouti Telecom in the review and negotiation of a maintenance contract for the Djibouti Africa Regional Express 1 (DARE-1) fiber optic submarine cable between Djibouti and Kenya.
  • Millicom International Cellular subsidiary sells and lease back 1,200 towers to American Tower Corporation for $147 millionJones Day advised Colombia Móvil S.A. E.S.P. ("Tigo"), a subsidiary of Millicom International Cellular S.A., in its $147 million sale of approximately 1,200 wireless communications towers to a subsidiary of American Tower Corporation ("ATC") in Colombia.
  • Benin adopts law creating Digital Code governing all legal aspects of digital activitiesJones Day assisted the authorities of Benin (members of Parliament, Presidential Office, Ministry in charge of telecommunications, Ministry of Justice, Regulatory Authority for Post and Electronic Communications, National Commission for Data Protection, Ministry of Interior Affairs, and the Digital Council) with the drafting of the Digital Code, a new legal framework designed to aid the development of broadband infrastructure and likewise a digital economy.
  • Telecom operator negotiates outsourcing and assets transfer contractJones Day provided legal assistance to a telecom operator regarding the negotiation of an outsourcing and assets transfer contract (including the contracts and employees) with respect to the provision of energy to all of its mobile network sites in Chad.
  • Mobile Telecommunications Company Saudi Arabia implements towers transfer operationJones Day is assisting Mobile Telecommunications Company Saudi Arabia with the implementation of its towers transfer operation.
  • ADD unilaterally terminates contract with EutelsatJones Day is assisting ADD Europe GmbH with the unilateral termination of a contract between ADD and Eutelsat S.A. on the lease of satellite capacity.
  • iAMG assists Senegals' Ministry of Telecommunications with analysis of legal and regulatory frameworkJones Day and ICTs Advisory, Market, Policy & Regulatory Group (iAMG) assisted Senegal's Ministry of Telecommunications with analyzing and revising its legal and regulatory framework.
  • Orange invests in Africa Internet GroupJones Day advised Orange, S.A., a leading global telecommunications company, in connection with its €75 million (US$85.4 million) equity investment in Africa Internet Group, a leading e-commerce platform in Africa.
  • Additional Publications

    • March 13, 2023
      Le paquet «connectivité » de la Commission européenne veut rebattre les cartes des télécoms, Edition Multimédi@, n°295
    • May 16, 2022
      Le statut juridique et le régime applicable aux câbles sous-marins gagnent à être assouplis, Edition Multimédi@, n°277

    Publications Prior to Jones Day

    Janvier 2015
    Le contrat d'édition numérique français résistera-t-il à l'épreuve du droit européen ?, Edition Multimédi@, n°115

    Octobre 2014
    Publication du rapport Pascal Lamy sur les fréquences 470-790 MHz, Newsletter - Actualité juridique, n°2

    Septembre 2014
    Bien que la diffusion audiovisuelle sur le Net explose, les fréquences sont plus que jamais régulées, Edition Multimédi@, n°109

    Juillet 2014
    Données à caractère personnel : de mieux en mieux protégées, Newsletter - Actualité juridique, n°1

    January 2013
    Guide to Social Media Privacy - France


    Additional Speaking Engagements

    • November 9, 2016
      Jones Day Global Life Sciences Conference – 2016 Issues & Trends
    • 16 février 2016
      HEAD : Les premiers pas d'un avocat d'affaires : Que faire après le CAPA ?