With over 15 years’ experience advising on commercially and politically sensitive disputes, Joana is skilled at gathering evidence, obtaining leverage, and developing strategies in support of complex litigation, arbitration, and high-value asset recovery. Ranked in Chambers as a ‘Spotlight Individual’ for Asset Tracing & Recovery (Investigations) in 2020 and 2021, she has supported enforcement actions against individuals, companies and sovereign states across European, US and Caribbean courts.
Providing a tailored investigative approach to evidence and intelligence gathering, Joana works closely with legal counsel, PR, third-party funders and other disputes specialists. Her work in support of legal processes includes discovery applications, fraud and corruption investigations, sanctions-related actions, and politically motivated extradition requests. Given the multi-disciplinary nature of these disputes, her work is often channelled into targeted PR and government relations campaigns. Joana also advises on highly technical and contentious IP disputes, primarily in the pharmaceutical sector. She has given evidence and provided witness statements in support of her and the team’s findings.
Combining creativity and precision in her approach to the enforcement of judgments and arbitral awards, Joana advises clients on potential targets and pressure points to develop efficient recoverability strategies and enforcement plans. Highly experienced in sovereign enforcement, Joana has helped clients with evidence and solutions addressing veil piercing, commercial purpose, and sovereign immunity considerations.
Recognised in Chambers as “outstanding”, and “adept at getting quick results”, clients praise Joana’s “ability to analyse complex matters” and “her excellence in pursuing alternative investigative strategies”.
Joana is frequently invited to speak on asset recovery, fraud and corruption investigations at leading industry conferences. She is a Founding Committee member of ThoughtLeaders4 FIRE Starters, an industry group for the next generation fraud and asset recovery practitioners.
Prior to co-founding Raedas in 2016, Joana was a partner and co-chair of the dispute consulting group at investigations firm GPW. She was 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.
