About

Ana Prado Blanco was appointed general counsel at Mercedes-Benz España in 2012, after having served as legal counsel in the same legal department for eight years. She admits that her appointment took place within a particularly complex environment, due to the economic recession in Spain, which came with increased need for legal support. In order to better respond to these challenges, Prado Blanco revolutionised the legal department by introducing internal optimisation processes. She established a standardised contractual package, available online to all group companies and she defined periodic reports on ongoing cases of the legal department. She has been particularly proactive in improving the interaction between the legal department and the rest of the company, which has improved the understanding of legal work. Prado Blanco’s approach to corporate law and the implementation of an M&A reorganisation plan has resulted in three successful mergers within the group companies in Spain during the last three years. Under her guidance the legal department has pioneered the signature of contracts with the use of telematics processes. The regulatory changes in Spain have posed several new challenges to the company and Prado Blanco has been at the forefront of the risk management plan. She has reviewed and adapted the processes, introduced specific training on corporate issues and is currently working on the implementation of a new anti-trust compliance program.