What has been the number one challenge that has impacted you over the past year?

Obtaining the authorisation renewal to operate a private customs warehouse (a fiscal precinct inside the company facilities) allowing the re-exportation of merchandise from Guatemala to the rest of Central America under a temporary tax suspension scheme. The regulatory framework and the authorities have changed since the authorisation was first granted 15 years ago, so we needed to adjust ongoing business operations that were approved under a different law and align them with the new regulations. This process has taken more than 12 months of reviews and audits from customs authorities, updates to compliance in line with several new requirements, many meetings with various authority groups to obtain the necessary permits and an adjustment of the whole operation to the new legal framework to ensure the company could continue with its foreign trade activities.

In which ways have you attempted to bring the legal department closer to your business colleagues?

The company is constantly evolving across its sectors, and we need agility across our decision-making to ensure that company decisions are made with full knowledge of both the associated risks and the actions we need to take to protect the company from those risks. As part of the executive committee, I have been incorporating current legal affairs into our weekly agenda to keep everyone informed as to what the legal department has been working on. Simultaneously, my team and I have been getting involved in commercial meetings to better understand the business side of operations and adjust our legal approach accordingly.

What are some of the most significant cases and transactions you have been involved in recently?

Our more significant recent matters have involved compliance with anti-money laundering laws and adjustments to employment contracts in line with teleworking laws. The evolution of digital work on the whole has expanded our business and, in turn, its use of digital contracting and concern for data privacy.