About

Aeroméxico, Mexico’s national flag carrier, is the largest domestic airline group in the country. General counsel David Lamoyi, oversees a diverse, multidisciplinary and responsive legal team that has worked on noteworthy and innovative projects. The legal department has undergone significant change in recent times. Merging with the compliance department and consolidating the department by absorbing the legal labour relations and regulatory matters, the redesigned department was implemented ‘to give better service to the main business divisions within the airline. Guaranteeing the development of long-term relationships with our internal clients’, according to Carlos Hassey, senior vice president legal and deputy general counsel. After also implementing an automated software platform, which automated all agreement workflows, the team was able to reduce the legal department’s response time frames by up to 40% on day-to-day agreements. This was coupled with company-wide seminars and workshops on tackling corruption using the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s e-learning tool, creating a widespread culture of compliance. In 2016, the legal team led the legal and regulatory process on a historic partnership to create the first alliance between a Mexican and a US airline (Delta Air Lines) for the trans-border market, ‘which has been ground-breaking in the airline industry’ according to Hassey. The alliance required the team to push for the legislative approval and diplomatic process of the new Bilateral Air Transportation Agreement between the two countries, as well as the approval of the US Department of Transportation in the US and the Antitrust authorities in Mexico. In addition the team has been actively involved in the regulatory process for Delta Air Lines to invest in up to 49% of Grupo Aeroméxico’s stock through a cash tender offer. ‘The historic investment represents the largest investment in Mexico’s airline industry from an American company’, according to Lamoyi. In yet another significant project, the department closed three JOLCO’s (Japanese Operating Lease with Call Option) in 2016 to finance three new Boeing 787–9 aircraft, resulting in financial benefits for the airline. Part of the team’s success has been the result of implementing an “in-house talent development plan” and “summer associate exchange program” with law firm White & Case in Miami, which have advanced the team’s capabilities. Another notable member of the team is Aldo Miranda, vice president corporate, who drove the talent development and contract management tool initiatives and is ‘on the verge of initiating the corporative and regulatory process of the trans-border alliance with Delta Airlines’.