First, can you please give us an idea of the sort of work your team has done recently?

During 2021, I led the legal aspects of the project that formalized the Strategic Alliance with the Santiago Chile Stock Exchange, in which BCS incorporated as a shareholder and strategic partner of the BVRD, in a transaction that included the acquisition by BVRD of the right of use of its technological platform, a transcendental milestone not only for the Dominican capital market, but for the capital markets of Latin America and the Caribbean, since past alliance experiences between Stock Exchanges in the region have unleashed an important value generation of all the participants that are part of said markets.

This transaction represents a technological and institutional strengthening of the company that includes a joint planning process focused on corporate development strategies, the implementation of best market practices towards generating the capabilities and conditions to offer value-adding services to BVRD’s counterparties and affiliates.

During years 2020 and 2021, our department concentrated on successfully completing a corporate transformation in compliance with the current new regulatory framework of the dominican stock market. These transformations allow BVRD to offer new businesses and trading environments that result in our growth figures.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

Currently, technology has completely transformed the dynamic of working, facilitating its expansion and growth, as well as allowing newer and quicker way to make things happen.

These technological advances in the legal field have accelerated is pace after the effects produced by the pandemic resulting from Covid-19. This reality requires the implementation of new analysis instruments and agile conceptual frameworks aimed to adapt to the new standards and demands of modern society.

Now more than ever it is required to apply robust legal framework in terms of information security, with the objective of preserving accessibility, confidentiality and integrity of the information, since information has become a critical asset for institutions across all industries.

How do you suggest in-house lawyers build strong relationships with business partners?

The most direct way to build solid relationships with business partners is promoting a more direct approach with counterparties in order to develop strategies that allows better customer insights.

These efforts could position legal departments as allies for each of their clients, providing conditions and opportunistic services that creates a more transactional environment. It is very important to incorporate best practices into the decision-making processes, to provide a better understanding of the inherent risks and liabilities of the business.

Last but not least, the development of various work dynamics with the objective of guaranteeing well-being for internal and external clients. The end goal is to provide an institutional framework that promotes stability and trust to all surrounding counterparties.