About

Schneider Electric, which began its activities in Peru in 1999 is leading the digital transformation of energy management and automation in homes, buildings, data centres, infrastructure and industries. With a team of more than 100 professionals, the company’s Peru-based legal team forms a central part of its workforce in the country, and according to team member and senior legal counsel Erika Fernández Posada: ‘The team has been a very important part for the development and the business growth of the company in the Andean cluster integrated by five countries (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Perú and Bolivia) and its work has been recognised by several awards and ranked as one of the top innovated teams in the South America region. As well, Schneider Electric has been proudly recognised as one of the 2018 world´s most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute’. The team is made up of three lawyers, one coordinator and one additional member operating in-house for insurance and policies, the legal department is integrated by one team of six people for South America, excluding Brazil. Paola Valero, legal director of South America Zone (excluding Brazil) leads the team. Valero is responsible for driving the core legal strategy for the business in the region and is part of the directive committee of the company. Two legal counsels report in to her: Astrid Pardo, who is in charge of the operational legal team in Chile, and Erika Fernández Posada, coordinator for the Andean Cluster. Erika Fernández stands out as a notable member of the team, who is responsible for the team of three lawyers (Carolina Espitia, Jorge Forero and Lina Munar) and one indirect report in charge of insurances. ‘As a coordinator, Fernández leads the commercial transactions within the region, with great results accomplished and recognised by the internal team and the company director’ says a nominating source. The legal team has been part of the commercial transaction strategies across the Andean cluster, including significant contracts within the oil and gas sector and specifically in Peru, in the mining sector – achieving relevant contracts for important projects in the Andean cluster. Although working in different countries has been particularly challenging for the legal team, it has managed to work cohesively by maintaining 100% compliance in the local companies in all of the countries in the region. ‘The team has an important role in the training of more than 300 employees on compliance policies in Peru and more than 700 in the region [as well as] an anti-corruption program, principles of responsibility and adapting global compliance policies to local law and local requirements’, explains Posada.