About

Álvaro Larraín Fierro has been a lawyer in the legal department of Banco del Estado de Chile, a public Chilean bank, since January 2012. Last year was an important one for Larraín’s career, as in July he was appointed director at BancoEstado Corredores de Bolsa, the bank’s stock broker subsidiary. He then took on additional responsibility as sub-manager of legal studies in December, inaugurating this section of the legal department. In regards to the latter role, Larraín shares how he has already been able to contribute towards the business: ‘I have been able to contribute to the strategic advice to our board of directors on issues relevant to the Bank. I have been able to establish high standards in the preparation of legal reports and promote knowledge among the commercial areas of the bank and I have been able to contribute to the professional training of young lawyers who have joined our legal department’. Demonstrating the trust the Bank has in his abilities, Larraín held the position of deputy general counsel from September 2014 to September 2018. He also previously held the position of chief lawyer in the retail banking and suppliers division, a section in charge of meeting the legal requirements in the contractual and regulatory field of consumers and providing advice in all matters related to the procurement of goods and services required for the development of banking business, and that also incorporated the labour consultancy and the studies area. He reflects fondly on his seven year career so far at Banco del Estado: ‘As a public financial institution, the Banco del Estado de Chile has great challenges from a regulatory point of view, since it is not only subject to the laws of private banking, but also to constitutional and public regulations. From this perspective, being in charge of the Bank’s advice on regulatory matters has been a great opportunity to deepen knowledge of the banking system and its regulations and support the development of the Bank’s business in its social and financial inclusion role’. Outside of his profession, between 2015 and 2016 Larraín has served as a professor of banking law and financial contracting at the law school of Alberto Hurtado University and co-authored the book “Banking Law”. Before joining the legal department of Banco del Estado de Chile, he worked in the law firm Alcaíno, Rodríguez & Sahli from 2006 until 2011, practicing mainly in the corporate, commercial and real estate areas. He is also a member of the Chilean Bar Association.