About

The Brazilian operations of French multinational supermarket and retail chain Carrefour, the world’s second largest retailer by sales, have played an increasingly significant role in the group’s activities over recent years, most recently through the increased stake taken by investor and tycoon Abilio Diniz. In spite of Brazil’s recession, the company’s sales grew by nearly 10% in the country last year. Sandra Gebara, Carrefour’s legal director for Brazil, plays an important strategic role in the company’s local operation and is recognised as one of the leading legal counsel in Latin America. An expert in consumer law, Gebara has done much to ensure that the legal function works as a critical part of the business and her ability to work as trusted counsel and strategic advisor to senior business figures is well-known in the Brazilian legal community. Gebara has been with Carrefour for two years and was previously legal director of Grupo Pão de Açúcar (now known as Companhia Brasileira de Distribuição), Brazil’s largest food distributor and a subsidiary of Groupe Casino, at the time run by Abilio Diniz.