About

Stephanie Salas Simons started her legal career as a litigator, after finishing her Master’s degree in corporate law at the University of Texas. She states that right from the beginning, ‘it was clear to me that I wanted to be an in-house lawyer in a multinational company. Panama hosts many multinational companies so I felt it was a real possibility’. After a year of litigation experience, an opportunity presented itself to join the legal department in Nestle Central America, a time she describes as a ‘great learning platform’. When she joined the legal department had four lawyers and a paralegal, she was in charge of product registration in Central America. Her role encompassed corporate legal responsibilities, responsible of contracts, risk management, commercial promotions and advertising in all Central American countries. Four years later she had the opportunity to move to multinational pharmaceutical company, Sanofi, and head the legal function for Central America and the Caribbean. Being a new and more regulated industry where she was the sole counsel, her role at Sanofi has enabled her to learn and grow professionally: ‘During my three and a half years in the position I have learned so much about my legal practice and have really developed as a lawyer under the guidance of the Latin America region legal department’, says Salas. A highlight in her career has been building the teamwork mentality of the company, and although she was the sole counsel overseeing the Pacific and Caribbean, she explains she has always felt the support from the legal community: ‘Legal became a true business partner with the business being involved in projects and decisions from the beginning’. Thanks to Salas, today the department is growing and looking to include a second member to the legal department. ‘Being an in-house lawyer has turned out to be exactly what I wanted and prepared for. To be part of a multi-disciplinary team, understand the business and help it thrive has been an amazing experience and I don’t think I would have it any other way’, says Salas.