Event information
The GC Summit Colombia 2025, hosted by Legal 500, will gather legal professionals for discussions on critical industry topics. Set for January 21, 2025, the event promises to be a key networking opportunity. While the full agenda is yet to be revealed, it has been confirmed that there will be a focus on tax law. The summit will provide insights into current legal trends, regulatory challenges, and opportunities within Colombia’s legal landscape. Further event details will be announced in the upcoming weeks.
Agenda
1.00pm – 1.45pm Registration
1.45pm – 1.50pm Opening remarks
1.50pm – 2.40pm Navigating Corporate Taxation in Colombia: Challenges, Reforms, and Strategic Insights
This panel will offer a detailed analysis of corporate taxation in Colombia, focusing on the key taxes that impact businesses, including Corporate Income Tax, VAT, Wealth Tax, and other corporate obligations. The discussion will cover the latest tax reforms and their implications for companies, with a focus on changes in tax rates, fiscal incentives, and evolving compliance requirements. In-house counsel will gain valuable insights on how to effectively manage corporate tax obligations, mitigate tax risks, and navigate the complexities of the Colombian tax system. Additionally, the panel will explore the impact of international tax standards, particularly those set by the OECD, and how Colombia’s alignment with global tax practices, such as Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), is shaping the corporate tax landscape. This session will equip legal professionals with the tools to optimise fiscal strategy, manage compliance efficiently, and understand the risks and opportunities within Colombia’s dynamic tax environment.
- Jairo Higuita Naranjo, managing partner, Esguerra JHR and Andersen in Colombia
- Carlos Giovanni Rodríguez, partner, Esguerra JHR and Andersen in Colombia
- Bibiana Buitrago Duarte, partner, Esguerra JHR and Andersen in Colombia
2.40pm – 3.30pm From Risk to Resilience: Mastering Corporate Criminal Law and Compliance
This panel will explore the topic of corporate criminal law and compliance, examining the legal and ethical implications of corporate criminal liability within the framework of Colombian legislation. Experts in criminal law and compliance will discuss with renowned in-house lawyers how organizations can prevent, detect, and manage the legal risks associated with illicit activities in the corporate sector. Additionally, the panelists will address current discussions in corporate criminal law and defense mechanisms in light of new responsibilities for managers and board members, considering lessons learned from from recent cases in Colombia and internationally.
- Andrés Francisco Sintura Sánchez, partner
- Francisco Sintura, Managing partner
3.30pm 3.45pm Coffee break
3.45pm – 4.35pm New Challenges for General Counsel: Potential Personal Liability of Corporate Officers for Administrative Environmental Fines Under Law No. 2387 of 2024
4.35pm – 5.25pm Panel 4 in association with Holland & Knight
- Enrique Gómez-Pinzón, executive partner, Holland & Knight
5.25pm – 6.15pm Panel 5
6.15pm – 6.20pm Closing remarks
6.20pm – 7.20pm Drinks and canapes
Speakers
Jairo Higuita Naranjo, managing partner, Esguerra JHR and Andersen in Colombia
Managing Partner at Esguerra JHR and Andersen in Colombia. A lawyer specialising in Tax Law, with over 20 years of experience in fiscal matters and wealth management, he is recognised as a leading expert in national and international tax advisory services, particularly in the financial sector and capital markets.
Throughout his professional career, he has held positions at the National Directorate of Taxes and Customs (DIAN) and has worked with multinational firms in the fields of taxation and legal services. His dedication to academia has led him to serve as a professor in the Specialisation in Tax Law and the Master’s in Economic Law programmes at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, as well as in the Specialisation in International Tax Management at Universidad EAFIT and in specialised courses at ColCapital.
Carlos Giovanni Rodríguez, partner, Esguerra JHR and Andersen in Colombia
Partner at Esguerra JHR and Andersen in Colombia. A lawyer and accountant, he holds a specialisation and a master’s degree in State Law with a focus on Taxation. He has a solid track record advising companies across various sectors, excelling in infrastructure, finance, automotive, and healthcare within the practice of Tax Law.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of the ICDT and a participant in the Academic Technical, Accounting, and Economic Commission of this institute. Additionally, he has lectured at renowned universities such as Universidad de los Andes, Externado de Colombia, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, and Universidad Central, further consolidating his passion for teaching.
Bibiana Buitrago Duarte, partner, Esguerra JHR and Andersen in Colombia
Partner at Esguerra JHR and Andersen in Colombia. With over 20 years of experience in both the public and private sectors, Bibiana is an expert in Tax, Customs, and Foreign Exchange Law, Wealth Management, and Transfer Pricing, with a particular focus on sectors such as capital markets, trust companies, non-profit organisations, and service providers.
She is a member of the Women’s Directory of ColCapital Women in Alternative Investments and a researcher at the Externadista Centre for Fiscal Studies. A regular speaker at forums and seminars, she has also published articles in specialised media and lectures in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at various universities.
Andrés Francisco Sintura Sánchez, partner
Lawyer and psychologist from the Universidad de los Andes, with a specialisation in criminal law from the Universidad del Rosario, in financial legislation from the Universidad de los Andes, and in anti-money laundering prevention from ACAMS. He is a litigator in high-profile corporate criminal law cases. He also advises companies on criminal risk prevention, leads compliance programme assessments, and provides consultancy on the implications of convictions against former executives and agreements with entities such as the DOJ and SEC (USA) in Colombia. He stands out as a professor and trainer in criminal procedure, litigation techniques, and regulatory compliance. He maintains an interdisciplinary approach, combining his expertise in criminal and financial law with psychology to offer comprehensive and innovative legal solutions.
Francisco Sintura, managing partner
Lawyer graduated from the Universidad del Rosario, with a specialisation in criminal sciences and criminology from the Universidad Externado de Colombia and in financial law from the Universidad de los Andes. He also holds a master’s degree in law with a specialisation in oral litigation from California Western School of Law (San Diego, California) and in cybersecurity and compliance from the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (Spain). He is the director of the criminal law department at the Universidad del Rosario and a substitute judge (Conjuez) of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice.
He has held important positions such as head of the division of foreign trade at the banking superintendency, head of the control division at the Central Bank of Colombia, legal advisor to the Presidency of the Republic, and deputy attorney general of the Nation. He has also participated in consultancies for UNDP, UNODC, and the governments of Colombia, Peru, and Honduras
Enrique Gómez-Pinzón, executive partner, Holland & Knight
Enrique Gómez-Pinzón is the executive partner of Holland & Knight’s Bogotá office and specialises in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), cross-border investment and financing, corporate compliance, international arbitration, and project financing. He has been involved in some of the most significant M&A transactions in Colombia over the last 30 years, including in sectors such as logistics, pharmaceuticals, banking, energy, and petroleum. Mr Gómez-Pinzón has also represented clients in M&A deals across Latin America and the United States.
With extensive experience in corporate matters, he advises companies on compliance programmes, internal investigations, and minimising legal exposure. He has represented contractors before the World Bank Sanctions Committee and served as an arbitrator in international investment cases with various organisations, including ICSID, ICC, and PCA.
A former founder and director of one of Colombia’s largest law firms, he co-founded the Colombian-Japanese Chamber of Commerce and served on several boards, including the Bogotá Stock Exchange. He also represented Colombia as the director of its Trade Bureau in Washington, D.C., and participated in important international trade conferences, including WTO and FTAA meetings.
