Ecuador 2023
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Chief legal officer | Trust Fiduciaria Administradora de Fondos y Fideicomisos
Compliance and data protection officer | Otecel (Telefónica Ecuador)
General counsel, Venezuela and Ecuador | Unilever Andina Ecuador
Legal and compliance manager | Duragas Abastible
Legal manager and regulatory coordinator for Ecuador and compliance regional lead | Directv Latin America
Legal counsel for Ecuador, Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay | Halliburton
Legal manager | SBA Communications Corporation
Senior counsel | Phoenix Tower International Ecuador (PTIE)
Legal, corporate affairs and compliance manager | UNACEM Ecuador
General counsel, corporate affairs manager and chief compliance officer | Holcim
Legal, compliance and public relations manager | UNACEM Ecuador
Legal and compliance director | Corporación DK
General counsel and president of the compliance unit | Grupo Santillana
Legal and compliance manager, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Aruba and Curazon | Linde
Legal chief and data protection officer | Netlife Ecuador
Corporate manager of management control and risks and legal | Corporación GPF (Grupo Fybeca)
Legal and compliance director | Empresa Pública Metropolitana de Seguridad y Logística
The Legal 500 is proud to present to you the latest edition of the GC Powerlist: Ecuador. This eagerly awaited publication is committed to acknowledging and commemorating the outstanding achievements of the foremost in-house lawyers in the country.
This publication shines a spotlight on the noteworthy contributions of in-house counsel to businesses in Ecuador, standing as a testament to their expertise, leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence. This 2023 edition underscores exceptional achievements and innovative approaches taken by the selected individuals as they navigate the intricate landscape of Ecuadorian law. Addressing challenges such as the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI), relationships with business partners, diversity and inclusion initiatives, among others, these professionals have showcased resilience and adaptability in a dynamic legal environment.
Within this publication, you’ll discover in-depth profiles and exclusive interviews featuring the most influential and esteemed in-house lawyers spanning various industries in Ecuador. These individuals consistently showcase their prowess in steering legal strategy, adeptly managing risks, and offering strategic counsel to their respective organisations. Their achievements not only serve as inspiration to the legal community but also exemplify the profound impact in-house lawyers can wield on the business strategy and success of their organisations.
This research brings to light several key findings, including the continuous and fast-growing application of AI within legal departments. As voiced by many in-house lawyers, echoed by Pedro del Pozo, senior counsel at Cirion Technologies, “we have already implemented platforms to attend our internal client by using artificial intelligence, which have allowed us to have better response times and thus contribute to the closing of important businesses on a daily basis.” In-house lawyers are recognising the potential of AI to enhance various aspects of their roles. One key area is the automation of routine tasks, allowing legal professionals to streamline processes, increase efficiency, and allocate more time to strategic and high-value activities. Undoubtedly, AI stands out as a noteworthy subject for in-house lawyers to monitor closely.
Furthermore, our findings underscore a persistent need for enhancing the relationship between legal teams and business partners. Despite the demonstrated value of in-house counsel, particularly evident during the challenges of the pandemic, there remains an opportunity for further advancement in cultivating more robust collaboration and mutual understanding between the legal and business functions. As perfectly put by Ricardo Dávalos at Linde, “[t]he best way to create strong relationships with our business partners is to stablished the “game rules” from the beginning of the relationship and to align our values and principles permanently.” In all, as voiced by in-house lawyers in general, this ongoing commitment to strengthening collaboration is vital for maximising the collective impact of both legal and business expertise within any organisation.
Legal departments in Ecuador are also quickly increasing their efforts on diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives. As our research underscores, fostering an inclusive culture for all is a top priority for in-house lawyers, as they are dedicated to showcasing the best version of their employees, irrespective of any external factor that is not relevant to their work. As stated by Gabriela Jijón, general counsel at Holcim, “[p]romoting an inclusive culture for all is a priority and we strive to highlight the best version of our employees regardless of their age, nationality or gender.” As a key takeaway from the many interesting interviews within this publication is the broad understanding that embracing the richness of perspectives that diversity brings, cultivating a culture where each employee can reach their full potential, fostering innovation and collaboration, will only bring benefits to the development and growth of companies in the country.
Within this publication, you’ll find exclusive content on various pertinent topics and challenges for all things in-house legal. Delve into the GC Powerlist: Ecuador 2023 and uncover the remarkable stories of these exceptional individuals. Through their experiences and insights, our aim is to offer a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape in Ecuador, emphasising the indispensable role played by in-house legal teams.
Our heartfelt gratitude goes to all the featured in-house lawyers for their invaluable contributions and for generously sharing their professional journeys with us. It brings us great pleasure to present to you this distinguished list, showcasing Ecuador’s most outstanding, dedicated, and celebrated in-house lawyers.
Francisco Faria e Castro | Senior research analyst | GC Powerlist series
On Tuesday 16th September 2025, Legal 500 returned to Zürich to host the Diversity and Inclusion Forum: Switzerland, in partnership with Schellenberg Wittmer. The event consisted of insightful discussion, focusing on what diversity and inclusion mean in today’s world and how in-house counsel can put these principles into practice. The forum took place at the historic Zunfthaus zur Meisen – notably, the first guild to admit women as members, as was highlighted during the evening.
The evening began with a welcome address from Isabel Caine, Event Content Editor at Legal 500, who spoke to the continued importance of spotlighting diversity and inclusion in the current geopolitical environment – the need to continually apply and reapply, learn and relearn what we know about these topics as organisations adapt to today’s rapidly-changing climate.
Anya George, partner at Schellenberg Wittmer, then took to the stage, echoing these sentiments and highlighting the importance of diversity and inclusion to the firm.
Next, Karin de Witt, Director of Ethics, Compliance and Investigations at Lonza, delivered the keynote speech. Her lively and thought-provoking address set the tone for the evening’s discussions.
The first session of the evening, ‘AI in hiring: reducing or reinforcing bias?’, was moderated by Caroline Clemetson, partner at Schellenberg Wittmer. The panel was made up of Nora Rümbeli, Group Head Legal & Compliance Tech, Data & AI and Group DPO at VONTOBEL; Renate Lichtenegger, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer at Pocket App; Liliana Correia, Legal Counsel and HR Head at Swiss AI AG; and Thomas Schönholzer, General Counsel at The Swiss Post Ltd. The panelists engaged in an animated discussion regarding the pros and cons in-house counsel must consider if using AI to aid the recruitment process, from budget restraints and data protection issues to potential bias and the human element essential to hiring.
In light of recent social and political developments on a global scale, the second panel was entitled ‘Growing pressure on diversity and inclusion programs: balancing company values with compliance’. Moderator George Ayoub, partner at Schellenberg Wittmer, was joined on stage by Sandrine Wait, VP Head Legal Global M&A and Finance at Adecco Group AG; Ingrid Sollerer, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer and Executive Committee Member at Sandoz; and Rita Portmann Witmer, Head Legal WM Zurich at BNP Paribas (Zurich Branch). The panel considered how organisations’ diversity and inclusion initiatives may be affected by recent geopolitical changes. The panelists spoke passionately about how in-house counsel can best navigate these circumstances, ensuring that business continues but that employees’ voices are heard and company values are upheld.
The inclusive atmosphere encouraged audience engagement, with attendees posing insightful questions and interacting with the panelists, before Caroline Clemetson rounded off the evening with closing remarks.
Attendees and panelists then continued conversation and networking, while enjoying drinks and canapés. Legal 500 was honored to partner once again with Schellenberg Wittmer to provide a platform for these critical discussions.
