About

Since being featured in the GC Powerlist: Mexico in 2016, Edgar Martinez has continued to impress at Japan Tobacco International (JTI) México. His recent focus has mainly been on the domestic market owing to his involvement in a high stakes arbitration worth almost US$500m having a successful outcome for the company, as well as in the creation of JTI’s legal entity and preparations for the launching of new products in Colombia, a new market for the company. Derived from the termination of a joint venture agreement, in 2017 JTI took over the commercialisation of its Camel and Salem brands in Mexico. Martinez supervised all requirements allowing imports and commercialization. He has also worked on other minor litigations, such as a claim against the Tax Ministry for tax recovery, as well as challenge against a new obligation requiring the company to migrate to an electronic accounting system in an unfeasibly short period. On his time helping JTI launch its Camel and Winston brands in Colombia, Martinez says, ‘Taking advantage of my experience in starting-up operations in Mexico, the company entrusted me with the task of helping the company start-up operations in Colombia. We successfully launched two of our global brands during 2017. As a professional this has been also deeply enriching as I know the company, its processes, and now I was able to implement my experience while working with external counsel in Colombia’. Having set up and developed JTI’s legal function in Mexico since joining in 2012, Martinez ensures changes in processes and ways of working in the legal department are being implemented continuously to guarantee an efficient legal service. Such changes include constantly updating the contract management policy, marketing clearance processes and implementing an extremely efficient legislative monitoring tool that compare potential legislative developments in Mexico with that of other countries. Prior to JTI, Martinez spent over seven years at law firm Goodrich, Riquelme y Asociados. He graduated in law from Universidad Panamericana in 2004 and has a Master’s degree in international commercial arbitration law from Stockholm University.