What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

The most important transaction in which the legal department has recently involved in, is the joint venture between Arcor and Ingredion Argentina, a subsidiary of Ingredion Incorporated, where Arcor controls 51.0% and manages the 1,200 employees assigned to the facilities involved in the operation. The joint venture operates the production of wet corn milling and involves a strategic alliance that enhances operations in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, with five industrial plants located in Argentina. The challenge of setting up a joint venture during the pandemic and confinement involved a great effort for the legal department, which implied working on due diligence and in the drafting of more than 50 legal documents related to the transaction.

Another important operation in which the legal team have been worked in the last two years, is the negotiation and preparation of legal documents related to the construction of an industrial plant in Luanda, Angola, to manufacture candies, gummies and cookies.

What will be the main focus for the company in the next 12 months and how do you intend to assist with this?

The company’s focus for the next twelve months will be to continue growing in each of its businesses, both locally and globally, especially in Latin America, where Arcor has a strong presence, with industrial plants established in Chile, Brazil, Peru and Mexico. In addition, with the start of operations of the plant in Angola, we will try to increase production and sales volumes for sub-Saharan countries.

As usual, the legal team will assist, by working on the prevention of adverse legal and economic contingencies for the company, maintaining the ability to react to unforeseeable legal scenarios, and operating as a partner of both the business and the external law firms.

How much influence do you, as a general counsel, have on the diversity and inclusions policies of your organisation?

The company has a very important focus on diversity and inclusion policies. In this sense, the legal team works permanently guiding the corresponding internal areas in the preparation and drafting of the mentioned policies. On the other hand, and in my capacity as chief compliance officer, I ensure compliance of those policies.