Event information
Agenda
16:00 Arrival and Registration
16:30 Welcome Address
16:35 Women in law: addressing persisting gaps
Despite being in 2022, gender equality has not yet been fully addressed. Many are the persisting gaps across societal and work levels. This panel aims at investigating: i) female participation rates in the labour market, ii) the biggest challenges for a female lawyer who wants to access the sector, iii) how both the authorities and the companies address this discrimination iv) gender perspective in the legal sphere, v) the current status of male-dominated industries vi) pay gap and career progression.
17:40 LGTBQI+: how companies support the inclusion
Most of the time, people need to feel comfortable enough to express their identities. The fear of not being accepted, fear of exclusion. When it comes to a professional sphere, it gets even harder. People are afraid to come out as who they are because this might imply they are excluded from accessing certain roles or regarded only in terms of their divergence. The aim of this panel is to: i) discuss what role the authorities should have in terms of LGTBQI+ inclusion, ii) how companies support the inclusion, iii) the kind of no tolerance policy in place iv) how the LGTBI movement and inclusion has evolved in Ecuador, v) what could be done to improve the inclusion.
18:30 Closing Remarks
18:35 Drinks Reception
20:30 Event ends
Speakers
Paola Gachet, partner and member of the Tax, Public Procurement and Immigration practices, Robalino
Paola is involved in cases regarding complex negotiations with the State and public policy advice, as well as in the definition of business strategies. She participates in matters that require a high level of sensitivity and detail at the time of decision making, such as entering into contracts with the State, analyzing a corporate reorganisation or litigation. She has a wide versatility to handle situations in the public and private spheres, both in the attention of specific cases and attending work tables that support the development of regulations for the Government. She leads the Tax and Transfer Pricing teams, but also collaborates with the areas of Public Procurement and Migration. She is founder and head of the Ecuador chapter of the International Fiscal Association (IFA). She participates as a member of the Tax and Government Contracts committees of the International Chamber of Commerce. She also co-directs the Ecuador chapter of the Woman in the Profession program, created by the Vance Center, which seeks to promote women in the practice of law. She actively collaborates with national non-profit entities and international non-governmental organisations, in addition to the firm’s pro bono activities.
Jenny Peñaherrera, legal counsel, Pluspetrol Ecuador
Lawyer with more than 15 years of experience in the area of non-renewable natural resources (Oil & Gas) always working for multinationals which has allowed me to maintain an important professional career within the sector, having knowledge and managing the different types of oil contracts applied throughout the different political moments of the country. As part of my tasks, I have had to handle issues related to relations with government, reports to headquarters, mitigating the possible risks that the company may have in corporate fields, community relations management in Areas of Influence, Contract Administration and negotiation of contracts with the State or other potential partners. I have collaborated in the management of community relations and in the resolution of conflicts of this nature. With knowledge of local and regional regulations related to Compliance, with experience in the training and presentation of Corporate Codes of Ethics and Conduct. I am currently working on the actualisation and practice of renewable resources (clean energy) and in the development of community management projects that take into consideration the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. My training was done at sek International University, IDE Business School and INCAE. I am currently part of several national groups for proper management of urban fauna and defense of animal rights and SOS Galapagos, which seeks to achieve protection for animals, who are subjects of rights according to Ecuadorian legislation.
Cristina Jaramillo, partner, Compliance Ecuador
Lawyer from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. She is specialised in Insurance, Market Exchange and Financial Law at the Universidad Andina Simón BolÃvar where she holds a Master’s degree in International Economic. She is also an ontological coach certified by Newfield Network. Moreover, she has certifications in PNL, Innovation Coaching and Power and Politics Coaching. Co-creator and professor of the Specialisation in Compliance and Anti-Corruption at Hemisferios University. She has been the Legal and compliance manager at Bayer for 14 years. Author of the book ‘La inteligencia que falta al derecho. Habilidades emocionales para abogados’, she is also a lecturer, coach and mentor on Emotional Intelligence for lawyers.
Karla Andrade, judge, Constitutional Court Ecuador
Diego Corral, associate, Robalino
Bernarda Freire, lawyer, activist, PAKTA Foundation
Felipe Ochoa-Mogrovejo, former undersecretary for Diversities of Ecuador
Jorge Gómez Tejada, director, Corporación de Promoción Universitaria - CPU (University Promotion Corporation)
Born in Bogotá in 1975, Jorge grew up and was educated in Quito. His university education began at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito thanks to a scholarship granted by Santiago Gangotena and ended at the University of North Carolina thanks to different scholarships and the financial support of a member of his family. Between 1999 and 2005 he was a professor at the Colegio Menor. That year, Jorge entered Yale University on a full scholarship to study a Master of Religion. In 2007 he was accepted, once again on a full scholarship, for the PhD in Art History, which concluded in 2012 with a thesis on the Codex Mendoza, one of the most important colonial manuscripts of the XVI century. Since 2012, Jorge has been a professor of Art History at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and President of Corporación de Promoción Universitaria (CPU) since 2016. As president of the CPU, Jorge leads a number of companies in the process of consolidation and growth such as the Hospital de los Valles, SIME and the Paseo San Francisco Shopping Center.
