About

Minera Panamá, formerly owned by Inmet Mining Corporation and a current subsidiary of First Quantum Minerals, holds the rights to exploit mineral resources in the District of Donoso, Colon Province in Panama. The company currently manages the largest foreign direct investment project ever undertaken in Panama, “Cobre Panama”, which is even larger than the Panama Canal expansion project. With prior experience in the field of mergers and acquisitions, real estate and corporate law attained at a prominent law firm in Panama, Manuel Aizpurua was invited to manage legal affairs at Minera Panamá in 2009. The company’s horizontal organisational structure means a small in-house legal operation, but with great responsibility and management of a wide range of issues. Aizpurua’s legal function has a role that is much more than just supervising and mitigating legal risk associated with the company’s landmark project, it has also evolved to assume other responsibilities, mainly in the areas of public and government relations, as well as being part of the group’s strategic planning team. In addition to being able to provide sound legal advice and effectively coordinating all external legal services, Aizpurua has been able to supply practical advice as well as local knowledge on matters that are specific to his jurisdiction. This level of involvement and advice has facilitated the company’s adaptation to a set of customs and practices that are unique to Panama, therefore avoiding unnecessary delays and smoothing project execution. In particular, Aizpurua has been praised for leading the legal strategy and being part of the negotiating team that achieved a transaction that enhanced the development of company’s $5.5bn Cobre Panama project. He has also worked in an ad hoc committee for an updated and improved infrastructure development tax regime, which now attracts private investment and improves project execution in that particular region. This was achieved in addition to the implementation of a legal strategy and successful management of complex litigations of administrative and environmental matters to enhance the project development schedule.