Diane Sénéchal's practice is focused on banking and finance. She has advised on acquisition financing for more than 20 years on behalf of lenders (debt funds and banks), borrowers, and sponsors. She has deep knowledge of the infrastructure sector in the context of brownfield projects. She is also experienced in advising on the financing of emerging growth companies in the venture capital and growth sectors.
Diane has significant experience in acquisition financing on behalf of borrowers and lenders in leveraged buyouts and corporate transactions (investment-grade and cross-over) as well as in debt restructuring having acted on behalf of borrowers and lenders in major restructurings, including takeovers by lenders.
Prior to joining Jones Day in 2015, Diane practiced for 14 years at an international law firm in Paris.
Diane is a member of the AFTE's (Association Française des Trésoriers d'Entreprise [French Association of Corporate Treasurers) legal committee as well as the contract law working group within the Haut Comité Juridique de la Place Financière de Paris (Legal High Committee for Financial Markets of Paris). In 2017, she coauthored this group's report on contract law and the general system of obligations, along with Guy Canivet and Alain Pietrancosta.
Experiencia
The following represents experience acquired prior to joining Jones Day.
Advised Barclays and CADIF in connection with the refinancing of Gras Savoye.
Advised BNP Paribas and HSBC in connection with investment-grade bridge-to-bonds.
Advised LBO France with the debt aspects of the acquisition of Alvest International.
Advised Charterhouse Capital Partners and Webhelp SAS with several significant acquisitions (debt aspects) and with the refinancing of Webhelp SAS (followed by a recapitalization).
Advised CBP group with certain aspects of its financing.
Advised all senior lenders to WHA Holding SAS (Winoa Group), including KKR, Davidson Kempner, and Sankaty, in connection with the restructuring of the debt of the Winoa group (lenders' led).
Advised all senior lenders to the JOA Group in connection with the restructuring of its indebtedness, including Alchemy and Davidson Kempner (lenders' led).
Advised Charterhouse Capital Partners on the debt aspects of the sale of Nocibé.
Advised a major U.S. bank in connection with a significant margin loan.
Advised Crédit Agricole CIB on the financing of the sale of the Sermeta Group (ex-Giannoni) to Mr. Le Mer.
Advised The Royal Bank of Scotland on several significant investment-grade bilateral facilities.
Advised JC Flowers and CHG Participations in connection with the auction process for the sale of Siaci Saint Honoré (debt aspects).
- 27 juin 2016
Séminaire AFTE relatif à la réforme du droit des obligations : « Réforme du droit français des contrats - Impacts sur vos opérations d’investissement, de cash management, de financement et de couverture des risques » Jones Day Paris - 7 janvier 2016
Le private equity : quelles opportunités pour 2016 ? - 2 juin 2015
IIR’s Annual Private Debt & Mezzanine Finance Conference
An impressed source describes Diane Sénéchal as "technically impeccable and a true expert."Chambers Europe
- University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne (DEA [postgraduate degree] in Business Law 1991); University of Paris II-Panthéon Assas (Maîtrise in Business and Tax Law 1990)
- Paris
Listed yearly in Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, and The Legal 500 EMEA
An impressed source describes Diane Sénéchal as "technically impeccable and a true expert" (Chambers Europe 2022)
"She is an extremely dedicated partner who is always available to assist in complex situations"(Chambers Global 2023)
- English, French