About

A corporate lawyer with a decade worth of professional experience in both national and multinational companies and a solid grasp of policy and regulatory issues in the Latin American automotive sector, Francisco Javier Hernández Merino leads the legal department at Williamson Balfour Motors in Chile. As the company is a subsidiary of Inchcape and a major importer of BMW, Honda and Rolls Royce automobiles in the country, it is essential that Hernández stays on top of developments in both the regional and global automobile market. In addition to directing the management and implementation of all legal affairs of Williamson Balfour and other related companies nationwide, Hernández has showcased an ability to influence the strategy of the larger company, demonstrating a willingness to lead, interact and collaborate in multidisciplinary teams. He has achieved this goal partially by successfully streamlining legal management in order to reduce cost, ultimately contributing to company profits and creating value for shareholders. Other notable achievements for Hernández in this role have been significantly reducing the legal risk of the company in various business units, and carrying out extensive staff training on anti-corruption and anti-bribery policies. Hernández’s previous in-house legal role was with Falabella, a large Chilean retailer and one of the largest companies in Latin America. His work there focused on advising and supporting the various managers in the company on legal and corporate affairs.