About

MAPFRE Asistencia is a global insurance, reinsurance and services company, and a subsidiary of the IBEX-35 listed insurance company MAPFRE. As the legal director, Juan Manuel Vales Cortés has had a significant role in the international expansion of the company. He has taken a guiding role in the most strategic operations of the company, including some major M&A deals in the US and UK. During his time in this role, Vales Cortés has revolutionised the legal department, adopting a proactive approach that guarantees the mitigation of potential risks. ‘I think changes are made by teams, not individuals. Under this basis, the main change we have achieved is to be proactive; many legal departments are passive, just waiting to solve the problems the companies may have, but we try to be involved in every aspect of the company’ he comments. This has placed the legal function at the heart of decision making, which has had a major impact on the strategic direction of the company.