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

The legal department’s performance contributed strongly to Diageo’s turnaround, which more than doubled in revenue in recent years, with initiatives and ideas on financial charges, contributing significantly to the company’s results. We implemented digital transformation and e-commerce, implementing a business to customer channel called The Bar, through partnerships with the main markets, to increase sales growth, leadership and negotiation of joint business plans for Latin America. On marketing, we negotiated a partnership in the design and support of the category’s growth strategy, entry into new sales channels, negotiation with brand influencers and implementation of advertising guides, according to conscious consumption. Regarding brand protection, we have lead the industry in practices of fighting the illegal market, promoting a competitive environment, discouraging tax evasion and preventing damage to public health.

Additionally, we co-lead a recovery program, Raising the Bar, for the maintenance and economic recovery of 1800 bars in four Brazilian cities, with an investment of around R$20m. We also donated 8000 units of alcohol gel to the Red Cross, and created a tool to monitor the return to the field of sellers, which has become a benchmark for other markets in Latin America. On ESG, our legal team is directly connected with all its topics represented in Diageo’s Society 2030 plan, which has as its pillars, diversity and inclusion, sustainability and conscious consumption. More particularly on diversity and inclusion, our D&I committee and affinity groups, as supported other company areas in the elaboration and review of policies, bringing internal opportunities to improve our programs on the topic, such as the Empower Black Women program. Created in 2021, the program is sponsor by companies such as Diageo, Microsoft, Inbev, Bayer, among others, and aims to cross-mentor black female employees from these companies, located in South America, to accelarate readiness to assume senior leadership positions in the organisation.

As we live in a fast-paced world today, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

The corporate legal team needs to understand the business and be a protagonist, business-oriented, creative, agile and a partner to ensure its growth, as well as influence internal and external stakeholders. They must be sitting at the table next to the business areas, focusing on leading initiatives and projects, enabling and accelerating solutions, and protecting the company. For this to be possible, the legal department’s strategy must be designed in line with the company’s strategy, that is, the legal department must position itself as a core business and not as a back office.

A strong corporate culture is the backbone of the success of the entire company, as it is essential that the team is actively committed to influencing the company’s culture, being curious, not only looking internally, but also externally, so that they can anticipate trends and bring new opportunities and relevant results to the company.