Executive legal, compliance and audit manager | Pacific Hydro Chile
Vice president, associate general counsel, head of Latin America | Everest Insurance Chile
Legal, sustainability and corporate affairs director | Softys
Director of legal services | Compañía General de Electricidad
General counsel Chile and Latam | Sodexo
Legal vice president, general counsel | CODELCO (Corporación del Cobre de Chile)
Vice president, legal and corporate affairs | Claro Chile
Chief legal officer and chief compliance officer | Grupo Sencorp
Regional legal director for the Andean Cluster (Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador) | Pfizer
General counsel, sustainability and corporate affairs | Sierra Gorda SCM
Lead legal counsel, Andean and South Cone Region | FedEx
Director legal and compliance officer | Sociedad Austral de Electricidad - SAESA
Senior manager, international legal affairs | SBA
General counsel, Chile and lead counsel for Latin America | EY
The Legal 500 is delighted to present the GC Powerlist Chile: 2024. In this edition, we explore the evolving role of in-house counsel in Chile, where legal professionals are navigating a landscape shaped by regulatory changes, economic fluctuations, and rapid technological advancements. These factors are redefining the role of general counsel, placing them at the forefront of strategic decision-making and crisis management within their organisations.
In this dynamic environment, Chile’s legal leaders are pioneering innovative approaches to crisis management, championing diversity and inclusion, driving sustainability initiatives, and integrating advanced legal technologies. The professionals featured in this edition have shared invaluable insights into how they are adapting and excelling in these roles. As they lead the charge in implementing new technologies, these general counsel are unlocking efficiencies and enhancing team performance, all while delivering significant value to their businesses.
Beyond technology, these in-house counsel are prioritising critical issues such as diversity and inclusion within their teams. Legal leaders in Chile recognise the importance of fostering diverse perspectives to drive innovation and create a more equitable workplace. As one of our standout contributors, Rodrigo Gutiérrez Marticorena, lead counsel – Andean and South Cone region at FedEx, explains: ‘A culture centred on inclusion, where team members feel respected and valued, cannot be confined to a simple statement of principles. It must be backed by concrete actions that educate and raise awareness, promoting understanding and commitment. Through the development of policies, programmes, and the monitoring of their implementation, lawyers have a unique role to play.’
Sustainability has also emerged as a core focus for many Chilean legal teams, as they strive to align their companies’ practices with global standards and societal expectations. The legal professionals featured in this publication are taking proactive steps to embed sustainability within their operations, ensuring that legal strategies align with long-term environmental and social goals. As Rosario Fernández Parga, legal coordinator at Nuveen Natural Capital, shared: ‘Our company is deeply invested in sustainability—it is central to our mission and our responsibility to both the planet and our investors. We maintain strict zero-deforestation policies, conduct environmental due diligence, pursue renewable energy opportunities, and invest in projects that protect pollinators like bees. We engage with local communities and consider our impact when making decisions, while also allocating funds for specific aid projects that deliver tangible benefits. As legal coordinator, I have worked to ensure our compliance with evolving regulations by incorporating environmental considerations into our legal processes, including conducting environmental reviews of previously acquired properties. I’m also involved in selecting and developing projects that improve the quality of life for communities surrounding our investments.’
The GC Powerlist Chile: 2024 celebrates the most influential and visionary in-house lawyers in the country. Their ability to lead through uncertainty, drive positive change, and provide strategic value underscores the critical role they play within their organisations. We are honoured to share their stories, insights, and achievements, which stand as a testament to their unwavering commitment to excellence.
Congratulations to all the outstanding in-house lawyers featured in this edition of the Legal 500 GC Powerlist Chile.
Francisco Castro| Editorial Lead – GC Powerlist Chile 2024
Sara Maggi | Editorial Lead – GC Powerlist Chile 2024
Legal 500 was proud to host the launch of our second GC Powerlist: South Africa, an event that brought together approximately 100 of the country’s most distinguished in-house lawyers at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s (CDH) stunning Sandton, Johannesburg office.
Updating this year’s Powerlist was no small feat—our research team faced the challenge of reflecting market shifts while ensuring the continued recognition of the most outstanding general counsel from the previous edition. The result is a carefully curated list that celebrates the evolving leadership and expertise within South Africa’s in-house legal community.
The evening commenced with a welcome address from Phetheni Nkuna, Director: Executive Management at CDH, who reaffirmed the firm’s unwavering commitment to supporting corporate counsel as they navigate the challenges of their profession. She also highlighted the importance of recognizing the exceptional work of in-house lawyers, who often receive less public acknowledgment than their law firm counterparts.
The event’s first GC keynote speaker, Velile Memela of Sanlam, took the stage to congratulate the honorees and share pivotal moments that shaped his journey as a corporate counsel. Following him, Zanoodene Kassim of Uber delivered a highly engaging and well-received speech, which is reproduced below with his permission:
“Good evening, everyone. First, let me just say—what a relief it is to be in a room full of lawyers where no one is billing by the hour. We should do this more often! I would like to take a moment to thank our hosts, Legal 500 and Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyer, for organising this amazing event. Also, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate each and every one of the honourees for the recognition you are receiving this evening – it is truly a great accomplishment. It’s an honour to be here as we celebrate the unsung heroes of the corporate world: in-house lawyers. General counsel may not have the fancy courtroom gowns of our law firm counterparts, but we do have something even more impressive—the ability to translate “legalese” into business speak. And, on occasion, the ability to be true thought-leaders and collaborators – not only explaining to the business why their latest “great idea” may not be, technically, legal but also working on finding solutions to such trivial technicalities.
A big part of our job is knowing the law of course—but an even bigger part is knowing the business. We don’t just interpret contracts; we interpret intent. We don’t just mitigate risk; we anticipate it. During my time in practice, the late Sternford Moyo, former president of the International Bar Association, used to say that in order to be a good attorney (other than knowing the law or at least knowing where to look) – a good attorney had to have the three “A”s. They needed to be: Affable; Available; and Affordable. Apart from the last one, I think that having these qualities makes for a good in-house lawyer as well. In my career, I have always found that when we are most appreciated as in-house lawyers by our business counterparts, is when we are true thought-partners. Knowing their business as well as you know the law is probably the skill most valued by the business.
I think that the late Mr Moyo’s three “A”s (now to be read as Dene’s two “A”s) give us good insight into what being a great in-house lawyer means. It isn’t just about reading the fine print—it’s about understanding how that fine print fits into the bigger picture of what the company is trying to do. Our role is unique because we are both protectors and enablers. We keep our companies out of trouble, but we also help them grow. We find solutions that allow innovation to move forward responsibly. And, occasionally, we act as therapists when a stressed-out executive realizes they’ve just promised something that isn’t, strictly speaking, you know – legal. So tonight, I’d like for us to take a moment to appreciate what it is we actually do – us the wordsmiths, the therapists, the sense-checkers, the protectors, the enablers.
We may not always be the most visible (and we may be called nasty things like “cost centres”), but we are the ones who make innovation possible, who keep our companies ethical, and who—despite our best efforts—are still the first ones people call when they “just have a quick legal question.” Congratulations to all of tonight’s honorees. You’ve earned this moment. And now, let’s enjoy the rest of the evening—before someone pulls us aside to review something.”
As the legal landscape in South Africa continues to evolve, we eagerly anticipate witnessing the impact of the talented legal professionals shaping the industry. We look forward to celebrating the next cohort of top in-house lawyers in the GC Powerlist South Africa 2025 edition next year.
