Team size: 74

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

Negotiation of the first contract for access to the third-party network of a Rail Cargo Transport Agent (ATF-C) in Brazil for transport involving around 10 billion useful tons per km per year. Negotiation of several infrastructure projects responsible for the country’s import and export logistics.

What would you say are the unique qualities required to be successful as an in-house lawyer in your industry?

Highly organised professionals, capable of prioritising tasks and making quick decisions. Objective communication skills, both written and verbal, are essential for dealing with internal leadership. In addition, sharp analytical skills and an understanding of the laws applicable to the railway and logistics sector in which the company operates.

How have you fostered a closer collaboration between the legal department and your business counterparts?

Through some initiatives, we improved relationships with our commercial partners. Among them: (i) we segregate the actions and division of roles and responsibilities of lawyers according to expertise in the segment and in the relationship with internal clients, thereby gaining efficiency and closer ties with the segments; (ii) proximity and relationship: encouragement of meetings and direct negotiation agendas between VLI legal professionals and partners without aligning commercial terms and birth of the contract, addressing customers’ biggest pain points and operational aspects; (iii) monthly meeting to control the validity and treatment of client issues; (iv) carrying out internal training with commercial managers to clarify the most complex and recurring legal topics, and (v) presence in the client’s company for operational knowledge.

Do you have a cause, business-related or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

I am passionate about people. As a leader I can guarantee it is the team that makes it happen, my role is to inspire and direct.