Joana has extensive experience providing investigative support in high-stakes disputes. A specialist in global asset tracing involving individuals, commercial entities and sovereign states, Joana has supported multiple enforcement actions across Europe, the Caribbean, US and Latin America. She is fluent in Portuguese, English, French, Spanish and German.
Joana acted as lead investigator in several investor treaty and commercial arbitrations in Latin America, Africa and Europe, advising clients creatively about potential enforcement targets and providing evidence to address veil piercing and commercial purpose considerations and counter sovereign immunity arguments. She has helped identify counterstrategies including ancillary legal actions in support of discovery in the US and Common Law jurisdictions, as well as pressure points to leverage counterparties in settlement negotiations.
Joana also leads investigations on highly technical and contentious IP disputes, primarily in the pharmaceutical sector. She has assisted multinationals and their counsel with assignments in Europe, the Americas, India, Russia and the Middle East by gathering intelligence and evidence to support their claims – to which she has testified in court – and informed business growth strategies.
Prior to co-founding Raedas, Joana co-chaired the dispute consulting group of investigations firm GPW. She was also previously an investigator for Diligence in Brussels and London. She began her career working in international development cooperation at the OECD and the United Nations. In 2015, Joana was voted one of Management Today’s Top 35 Women Under 35, an award celebrating high-achieving women in business.
Litigation and arbitration support
Acted for a pharmaceutical multinational in a dispute with a Contract Manufacturing Organisation which was in breach of the multinational’s IP with respect to a patented molecule. Evidenced the infringement and testified in court in support of the client.
Led an investigation into a Latin American UHNW accused of fraud. Provided evidence supporting disclosure applications and freezing injunctions in the Caribbean and investigated the UHNW’s operations to evidence dissipation of assets.
Acted for counsel to recover funds from a group of South American individuals. Interviewed potential witnesses in multiple jurisdictions, developing evidence of the individuals’ asset profiles. Identified assets in the US, Spain and Panama and provided evidence to support §1782 application in the US.
Acted in a multimillion-dollar construction arbitration for a natural resources firm against a contractor. Identified and interviewed former employees and other contractors across Europe, the Middle East and Russia. Obtained witness statements in support of the client’s argument for negligence helping shape and evidence a more accurate narrative of events.
Acted for counsel on behalf of a natural resources multinational in a multimillion-dollar claim against a Far Eastern business partner. Evidenced relationships in the UK which allowed counsel to establish jurisdiction and initiate ancillary legal proceedings. Identified and supported expert witnesses.
Acted for a client in multimillion-dollar arbitration against an African counterparty seeking to evade proceedings through the use of forged documents. Evidenced the wrongdoing and coordinated with a local expert witness to attest to the forged nature of documents.
Asset tracing and recovery
Acted for counsel in support of a multibillion-dollar claim against a sovereign state. Prepared an enforcement plan and recovery strategy, identified and interviewed key witnesses who provided documentary and testimonial evidence demonstrating the flow of funds between the state and a state-owned company. These funds were used to service debt, pay suppliers and corporate loans, and replenish the sovereign wealth fund. Worked on evidencing the commercial purpose and intended use of the relevant accounts and pierce the state-owned company’s corporate veil.
Prepared recoverability assessments on EU jurisdictions, presenting roadmaps for possible enforcement targets outside the EU.
Acted for counsel in the enforcement of a multimillion-dollar award against a West African service provider. Evidenced the existence of key trading and banking relationships in Europe which supported third party debt orders.
Acted for counsel on behalf of a natural resources company to evidence oil shipments into European locations, providing evidence required for attachment orders. The frozen cargos in turn generated additional financial pressure through accruing chartering fees.
Other contentious situations
Acted for UK counsel on behalf of a European conglomerate alleging breach of contract by a politically powerful joint venture partner in the CIS. Prior to engaging in costly arbitration, client sought to evidence cause of action and misconduct by the counterparty.
Acted for counsel in a multimillion-dollar claim against a Latin American businessman. Strategy focused on putting pressure on the counterparty by openly contacting former employees and individuals from his network in country. One of these individuals provided a detailed schedule of movable and immovable assets which added weight to the client’s settlement negotiations.
Acted for counsel on behalf of a group of investors being investigated by a tax regulator as part of a clampdown on tax efficient investments. Evidenced that the investors had been misled in renewable energy projects and that monies thought to have been invested in land, equipment and staffing were in fact embezzled. The evidence was not exculpatory, but it facilitated negotiations with the regulator.
Acted for a contractor disputing the cancellation of its license in Africa. Rather than take legal action (which may have led to debilitating litigation costs) we helped the client develop a PR and government relations strategy aimed at stirring investor activism.
BA Sociology, Instituto Superior de Ciências do Trabalho e da Empresa and Université Paris X Master in Conflict and Security Studies, Sciences Po Paris
