About

Glencore, the Swiss multinational mining company, has a significant presence in Chile’s extensive network of copper mines. When the company took over Xstrata in 2013 to create one of the world’s largest natural resources groups, it also took over its operation in Chile. Carlos Prat Guarachi had been legal manager for Xstrata’s Chilean operations and projects since 2007, and he maintained his position, albeit with changes in scope, after the takeover. He joined Xstrata after six successful years at law firm Cariola Diez Perez-Cotapos between 2001 and 2007, during which time he was awarded the Rio Tinto/Chevening scholarship to study an LLM in Mineral Law and Policy at the CEPMLP University of Dundee, Scotland. He describes the subsequent transition to an in-house counsel as ‘not easy and taking time to reset your mind’. Adding to this Prat Guarachi says: ‘As an in-house lawyer you have to handle different topics, laws and problems at the same time, so you need to learn how to manage your time and how to delegate efficiently and effectively’. Following the move to Xstrata he began building the legal function and gained recognition for demonstrating his ability to fashion the team into his own image. ‘There were other lawyers in the company that I had to deal with. I gave them the time to adjust to my way of working and I had to make the changes that I felt necessary. I learnt that if you do not make those changes, the team loses efficiency and that harms the organisation’. Glencore was keen to keep Prat Guarachi’s services after acquiring Xstrata and he is now in charge of all legal and corporate issues for operations in Chile. One of Prat Guarachi’s most impactful pieces of work has come from handling the legislative and social changes around the mining industry, as well as obtaining environmental permits required for the approval of Glencore’s extractive projects. Having gained internal recognition and trust, Prat Guarachi will be relied on to help oversee the company’s forthcoming challenges.