Mexico Teams 2017
| Diageo
Diageo
| Diageo Ireland
| Diageo
Can you briefly explain how the legal team is structured, highlighting key individuals and their role within the department? Aside from general counsel Central America and the Caribbean Zamira Zapata...
Led by New York-based general counsel Timothy Chow, Diageo’s Latin America and Caribbean legal team is a brand protection powerhouse. Given the huge range of products Diageo produces, with a...
| Diageo
In the last year, Diageo’s Mexico legal team has consulted on the US$400m acquisition of Tequila Don Julio as part of the firm’s larger investment plans in the country. The...
| Diageo Colombia
One of the premier alcoholic distillers in the world, and until April 2017 the largest alcoholic beverage company globally by market capitalisation, UK-headquartered Diageo boasts an enviable range of brands....
| Diageo
Diageo produces some of the world’s most iconic drink brands and Africa makes up 12% of the multinational’s net global sales, a sizeable proportion which its legal team in the...
With some of the world’s best known brands in its portfolio including Guinness, Smirnoff and Ciroc, global alcoholic drinks producer Diageo has a worldwide presence including notable operations in Central...
| Diageo Colombia
Diageo is the number one premier alcoholic distiller in the world boasting an enviable range of brands with more than 180 different products. The company’s operation in Colombia is one...
| Diageo
Diageo’s ownership of major Irish brands Guinness and Baileys Irish Cream means it occupies a special place in the Irish business landscape. Indeed, regional counsel, Richard Kindred mentions that perhaps...
The in-house legal team at drinks multinational Diageo has a sprawling global mandate: the company’s 140 lawyers cover the 180 countries it does business in, all from 40 countries where...
Guinness in Cameroon has a history dating back to the 19th century, when European traders first brought stout to the African continent. The traditional Irish alcoholic beverage has since become...
British-headquartered multinational beverages company Diageo owns some of the most famous alcoholic brands in the world. Heading the legal team of Diageo’s Mexican subsidiary is Zamira Zapata who, within five years, has ‘successfully developed a strong function and team aligned behind a clear strategy to support the growth of this market in a very complex regulatory environment’, according to one source. As the company has moved from being a distributor to a producer of tequila that exports to 60 markets in the rest of the world, the team has grown to 9 members who cover both legal and corporate security matters. In addition to growing in size, the team has developed a soon-to-be implemented “new way of working” scheme. As part of this productivity agenda, being led by corporate legal manager Fabiana Cavazos, the team are embedding a new contract policy and procedure for different agreement types, simplifying contracts and implementing a smart approval system for marketing campaigns and materials. Their work has smoothed the process on commercial agreements relating to trade investment and many other contracts generating value for the business. The recent execution of a collaboration agreement between Diageo, INVEA and Consejo Ciudadano regarding legal advertising and the filing and follow up requirements with the regulatory authority on illegal out-of-home advertising practices has been crucial to generate a change in Mexico City. On advertising laws, the team is currently ‘engaged deeply’ in working in partnership with health authorities to create a change and impact on responsible drinking, according to Zapata. Diageo’s legal team have also been active in a number of negotiations and deals including the acquisition of two Don Julio brands (Tequila Don Julio and Tres Magueyes), assets including La Primavera distillery in Mexico and the producer’s agave production. The team earned credit for their role on the integration of the complex deal which involved the early termination of an agreement that had previously seen Casa Cuervo produce and distribute Diageo’s Smirnoff vodka brand in Mexico. Luis Mendoza, who covers corporate matters and contracts, including legal advice for the new Tequila Don Julio business, is credited for positively impacting the company since the acquisition has brought new operations for the manufacturing and production of tequila in Mexico. In giving marketing and sales legal advice, Rodolfo Vejar, has also been commended by Zapata for helping the business to understand the value of further involving the legal team, as he has contributed to the launch of successful marketing campaigns. Zapata says, ‘[Rodolfo] has also had a big role in changing the perception of the legal team… he has a role that directly impacts the business (sales) and has been involved in tons of important front office deals and transactions where the business has recognised value brought to the table’.
Counsel, Latin America and the Caribbean, IP and innovation
Diageo
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Regional director of legal, brand protection, privacy and corporate security
Diageo
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