Event Report
The Legal 500 welcomed 150 of Colombia’s leading in-house lawyers and private practice advisors to the Bogota Grand Hyatt’s plush El Dorado conference space for our 2025 GC Summit Colombia. From top to bottom the agenda provided excellent takeaways on a range of issues for the GCs in attendance, and thanks go to Legal 500 editor Margherita Birri and our event sponsors for putting together such an engaging program of discussions.
The opening panel explored the complexities of corporate taxation in Colombia, emphasising the latest reforms and their implications for businesses. Jairo Higuita Naranjo, managing partner at Esguerra JHR and Andersen, and his colleagues Carlos Giovanni RodrÃguez and Bibiana Buitrago Duarte provided an in-depth analysis of key taxes, including Corporate Income Tax, VAT, and Wealth Tax. They addressed fiscal incentives and strategies to navigate evolving compliance requirements.
Adding a corporate perspective, Carlos Felipe Payan Rodriguez, senior corporate legal counsel and compliance officer at Avaya, and Mario Gómez, vice president of legal affairs for Alianza Fiduciaria, shared real-world insights into the challenges companies face in adapting to these tax changes. The panel emphasised the importance of proactive tax planning and robust compliance frameworks to mitigate risks and take advantage of incentives.
In the second session, a focus on corporate criminal liability within Colombian legislation revealed the increasing importance of compliance as both a legal necessity and a strategic advantage. Andrés Francisco Sintura Sánchez and Francisco José Sintura Varela, both of Francisco Sintura, highlighted key aspects of Colombian corporate criminal law and the ethical responsibilities tied to liability.
Jorge Adrián Rincón Plata, chief legal officer at Grupo Aval, expanded the discussion with examples of how large organisations manage these risks. Juliana Hoyos, general counsel at SierraCol, concluded with practical steps for building resilient compliance programs, emphasising ethical leadership as a foundation for success.
Following a brief coffee break, the conference resumed with a panel on the transformative impact of Law No. 2387 of 2024, which introduces personal liability for corporate officers regarding administrative environmental fines. Erika Serrano of Posse Herrera Ruiz opened the session by outlining the legal framework and its implications for general counsel.
Lina MarÃa Betancourth Betancur, legal manager of Colombina, and Jorge Mario Castillo, senior general counsel of Automotores Toyota Colombia, shared their perspectives on balancing corporate compliance with personal accountability. Santiago Lizarralde-Méndez, director of legal at Alianza Team, provided insights into mitigating risks through enhanced internal processes and legal safeguards. Together, the panel underscored the need for proactive strategies to adapt to this significant shift in legal responsibilities.
The conference concluded with an engaging discussion on ethical dilemmas in Colombia’s legal market. Executive partner Enrique Gómez-Pinzón of Holland & Knight introduced the critical issue of conflicts of interest, highlighting the interplay between business conflicts and ethical safeguards such as informational barriers. Partner Jose Vicente Zapata, also of Holland & Knight, elaborated on practical measures to address these challenges. Fabiola Margarita Martinez, regional legal vice president at Cemex, brought the discussion to life with examples from her experience managing conflicts in complex corporate settings. The session emphasised transparency and ethical vigilance as essential components of professional integrity.
Following our final panel session, guests moved to the extremely well-attended drinks reception, where conversations continued on the topics brought up at the event as well as all manner of other topics as old friends, colleagues, mentors and mentees re-connected over a glass of wine. We look forward to the 2026 edition of the GC Summit Colombia, where we will continue to raise the bar.
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