About

Manuel Salas joined Cuestamoras in 2014 as corporate legal manager. Just two years later he was promoted to corporate legal director and general counsel. In his new position, Salas leads legal affairs across Cuestamoras’ four industries – health, urban development, hospitality and energy – and has built a specialised legal function capable of responding to the needs of each of the group’s businesses. The general counsel of each business unit reports to Manuel directly on the day-to-day legal risks and relevant matters facing them, while Salas himself defines and leads group-level strategy. One of Salas’ main contributions during his time with Cuestamoras has been to re-define the legal area as a key strategic partner of each business. He comments: ‘It was necessary to define the strategy and necessary resource for the development of legal service throughout the [different sectors we operate in]. The team had to learn and master the technical aspects of each business, its implications and long-term strategy’. He has also lead a series of divestitures and investments in the last 12 months, helping to address legal challenges in multiple jurisdictions. In one particularly complex transaction managed the acquisition and integration of a group containing seven companies located in two different jurisdictions. Salas worked with the private investment international bank and the private investment local advisor as well as the legal counsel of each shareholder group while helping to successfully execute the transaction.