Team size: Ten

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

I was given the opportunity to create a compliance unit for the first time in the company, and it was a big challenge because I had to gain a thorough knowledge of what compliance comprised, so that I was able to put together a team that would add value to the organisation in accordance with the expectations.

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

I have conducted several workshops in relevant topics to different units or areas in the organisation: Contract negotiation for the procurement area; sexual and labour harassment for the supervisors of the manufacture plants; collection procedures for the finance area; competition law for the commercial teams. This has allowed a very positive interaction among the legal and other business teams, a greater and more fluent communication between the areas, and an alignment in the do’s and don’ts in each topic, that facilitates the work of all areas involved in the workshops.

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

Probably the most relevant are the financial restructuring of a distribution company in Panama, in which the cooperative has an important participation; and another one in the Dominican Republic.