Mexico 2023
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Legal and compliance director (general counsel, secretary of the board and compliance officer) | Holcim México Operaciones
In-house counsel North Latin America division | Arcos Dorados
General counsel | Impulsora del Desarrollo y El Empleo en América Latina
Chief legal officer and secretary of the board of directors | Grupo Herdez
Since 2014, Claudia has been the chief legal officer of Grupo Herdez, a leading company in the food sector with a broad commercial presence in Mexico and the United States....
General counsel | Kavak
Edgardo Mendoza is the general counsel of Kavak, before joining Kavak, Edgardo served as general counsel of AlphaCredit, and prior to joining AlphaCredit, he worked as head of corporate and...
General legal counsel | Iké Grupo Empresarial
General counsel | Grupo IGS
Enrique Aguilar Gálvez is the general counsel of Grupo IGS, a leading real estate fund manager in Mexico. Enrique obtained his law degree from Universidad Anáhuac in Mexico City, where...
General counsel and compliance officer | Grupo Rotoplas
Legal and regulatory corporate director | Financiera Independencia
General counsel, vice president regulatory and external affairs | AT&T Mexico
General counsel, secretary of the board and managing director – legal affairs | Grupo Financiero Banorte
General counsel and operations – legal, collections, HR, market intelligence, internal control, ESG | Acosta Verde
General counsel, director of legal affairs | Grupo Lamosa
General counsel, ethics and compliance and data protection officer North Latin America | Capgemini
General counsel for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean | General Motors (Mexico)
Vice president legal and compliance, assistant general counsel | Element Fleet Management Corporation Mexico
Head of legal advisory, corporate matters and contracts | AXA Seguros
Gerente legal fiscal contencioso y regulatorio | FEMSA
Vice president for legal, government affairs and compliance Mexico and Northern Latin America | Continental Group Mexico
General counsel, company secretary and chief compliance officer | Grupo Bimbo
Directora de jurídico, cumplimiento y enlaces normativos | Grupo Coppel
Senior legal director | American tower Mexico
Vice president corporate counsel Mexico | Fibra Prologis
General counsel nutrition Latam, Mexico and CARICAM | Unilever de Mexico
Legal manager and regional general counsel | Solistica
Lawyer and legal counsel | Artha Capital and Frontier Industrial & Logistics Real Estate
General counsel | Citibanamex
Natalia Aguirre was appointed general legal director of Grupo Financiero Citibanamex, effective July 1, 2021. In her role, Natalia is responsible for the appropriate strategy, management and supervision of all...
Head of legal advisory, corporate matters and contracts | Flat.mx
Vice president legal and corporate affairs | Grupo Modelo
Generl counsel petcare and Royal Canin México | Mars Petcare
Vice president legal and compliance, corporate affairs | Nestlé
Researching this year’s edition of The Legal 500: GC Powerlist Mexico has been an honour and a privilege. It has been incredible to converse and gain insights into the world of work of the exceptionally talented and impressive in-house counsel featured in this list. Within the pages of this publication, we embark on an extensive exploration, delving deeply into the complex dynamics of legal innovation, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and emerging trends and opportunities within the Mexican legal landscape. Together, these components shape the evolving roles and responsibilities of in-house legal practitioners in Mexico.
Given the constantly evolving legal environment and the increasing array of challenges encountered by in-house lawyers in Mexico, we have taken the initiative to ask insightful questions and invite shortlisted lawyers to offer their distinctive insights and expertise. In doing so, we aim to shed light on their key challenges, strengths, and promising prospects.
Mexico-based in-house lawyers with whom I have had the privilege of engaging have invariably played pivotal roles in navigating significant transactions, negotiations, and legal endeavours that have profoundly impacted Mexico’s growth and propelled their organisations onto the global stage. Their distinguishing attributes extend beyond mere legal prowess and extraordinary talent, encompassing qualities such as collaborative teamwork, pioneering innovation, business acumen, adept risk management, and a profound sense of empathy.
A recurring theme that has surfaced in our research is the proactive stance taken by Mexico’s in-house counsel. They are actively sowing the seeds for a brighter tomorrow, one anchored in the core tenets of sustainability, ESG considerations, diversity and inclusion, and the integration of technological advancements to bolster operational efficiency. Jose Lechuga, general counsel Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean at General Motors Mexico, said: ‘I firmly believe in the importance of recognising that diversity of thoughts and perspectives. It enriches us as human beings, strengthens our work environment and favours the success of the company. In this sense, and as part of our culture, in each staff meeting, a member of the legal team shares a moment of inclusion (it can be a video, article or anecdote) to increase the awareness of diversity and inclusion in each of the team members’. Jose’s words echoed Paola Patricia Valencia Hidalgo, legal director at Fibra Soma: ‘In the team, there is no distinction of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic capacity or any other, which may result in a disparity outside their professional capacity and skills. Each team member, from their knowledge and acquired experience, teaches the others, and every opinion is equally valuable; everyone complements each other’.
Within the contents of this publication, the wise advice of in-house lawyers shines brightly, illuminating the path for their peers. Their perspectives underscore the fundamental value of possessing strong foundational legal competencies and an intimate grasp of industry-specific intricacies.
In conclusion, I extend my deepest gratitude to each and every in-house lawyer who has contributed to the making of the GC Powerlist: Mexico 2023. I take immense pride in presenting this list, which showcases Mexico’s most innovative, dedicated, and brilliant in-house counsel.
Sara Maggi| Deputy Editor The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Series
Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez is honored to sponsor this edition of The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Mexico. We have sponsored this prestigious event for six years, and we are privileged to do so again.
Over the years we have witnessed first-hand the positive energy that is a generated in a room where the leading General Counsel in Mexico meet to exchange views, experiences and insight, and we are convinced the 2023 Edition will not be the exception.
As appears to be the norm, we meet at a time of great challenges for Mexico. The state of global geopolitics presents unique opportunities and risks for Mexico and the North American Region. Despite the enormous positive effects of “Near or Ally Shoring”, which have undoubtedly fostered investment and industrial development around the country, the upcoming Presidential elections in Mexico and US will inevitably give rise to volatility that will challenge the ordinary course of business. Without question, the outcome of the 2024 elections will greatly define the speed, scale and breadth of Mexico’s progress and developments for decades to come.
With this backdrop, our profession, both from the in-house and the law firm perspective continues to undergo profound changes, including the advent of Artificial Intelligence tools that are already having an impact on the provision of legal advice and solutions. The need for the legal profession to accept and strategize around technology in the legal industry has never been more pressing. At Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez we believe that when it comes to technology within our industry the future is now, and embracing innovative ways of providing legal advice and servicing clients are key. The faster we acknowledge and adapt to this reality, the brighter the future.
Despite what we consider to be a positive moment in the legal marketplace, as we remarked in our message to the GC Powerlist in 2017, basic Rule of Law remains one of the greatest challenges confronting the legal profession in Mexico. For decades, deficient rule of law and corruption have plagued our country, severely burdening further development and shared prosperity for all in Mexico. Notwithstanding the many positive developments in Mexico´s substantive laws, despite the prevailing political discourse, as a country we continue to suffer from vast corruption and a deficient and ill-prepared justice system. On this issue, which is really our community’s “core issue,” we must double-down on our efforts. With this in mind, we invite all of you to use this The Legal 500 GC Powerlist summit, as an opportunity to discuss how we can all work collaboratively towards the development of a better and more transparent and equitable justice system, and towards the eradication of corruption. By making the Rule of Law a shared and foremost goal of the legal profession, and a cornerstone of Mexico´s development, what is already a promising future for the country will improve exponentially.
Sincerely,
Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez
The Legal 500 was proud to host the third edition of the GC Powerlist: Japan 2025 at the Capitol Hotel Tokyu, honouring the top General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, Legal Directors, and senior in-house legal professionals operating at the highest level of Japan’s corporate legal landscape. Held in Tokyo, this year’s reception welcomed around 100 of the most respected and senior corporate counsel from across Japan. It was an unrivalled success, and cements Legal 500’s status as the leading force in legal media supporting the achievements of in-house counsel in Japan. The GC Powerlist: Japan 2025 marks the continuation of our commitment to recognising excellence in-house, and this year’s edition represents the most competitive and selective list to date.
Joe Boswell, lead editor of the GC powerlist publication at The Legal 500, opened the evening with an introduction that reflected on the growing prestige of the Japan list. He emphasised how the Powerlist has grown stronger each year, both in scope and quality, making the task of selection more difficult. This year’s honourees emerged from a deeply competitive field, making their recognition even more meaningful.
Boswell extended heartfelt congratulations to all honourees and acknowledged the critical support of key partners and sponsors who made the evening possible. Special thanks were given to Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Morrison Foerster, iManage, JustLegal, and SS&C Intralinks for their generous sponsorship and ongoing collaboration.
In a moment of reflection, Joe paid tribute to Tim Mackey, chief legal officer at SoftBank, who sadly passed away unexpectedly earlier this year. Tim had contributed to the Powerlist in each of its three editions and was known not only for his exceptional legal acumen but also for his warmth and generosity.
The evening featured insightful remarks from distinguished speakers representing our partners and the broader legal community: Mischa Mulligan, Japan Director at SS&C Intralinks; Hiroki Kodate, Partner and Management Committee Member at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune; Jeremy White, Global Co-Chair of M&A for Morrison Foerster; and, representing those awarded in the Powerlist, Naoki Hamada, General Counsel for Japan at HSBC.
Each speaker provided reflections on legal innovation, leadership, and the evolving role of in-house counsel in Japan’s corporate landscape. Their remarks added valuable context to the achievements celebrated throughout the evening.
The formal awards segment celebrated this year’s GC Powerlist honourees. With assistance from long-time collaborator Isaac Uchiyama who read out awardees’ names, recipients were invited to collect their certificates, pose for photographs, and be formally recognised by their peers.
Certificates were presented on stage by Hiroki Kodate or Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and Jeremy White of Morrison Foerster, whose participation further underlined the deep support of the Japanese and international legal communities.
The GC Powerlist: Japan 2025 reception reaffirmed Legal 500’s commitment to spotlighting the very best of in-house legal talent. With record levels of interest and unmatched quality among candidates, the Japan edition continues to solidify its place as one of the most respected publications in the global GC Powerlist series.
We extend our sincere congratulations to all honourees and thank our partners, sponsors, and speakers for making the evening a success.
We look forward to returning to Tokyo again next year. As a parting gift, you can view Naoki Hamada’s excellent keynote address below, where he touches on a lot of issues and themes that many other GC, whatever country they operate in, will recognise:
‘Good evening, everyone. I am Naoki Hamada of HSBC. I am very pleased to be here speaking to you today. It is a great pleasure and honor, and at the same time, I feel a bit overwhelmed being surrounded by the busiest and most expensive lawyers in the industry—even if I know that nobody will be charging us for their time. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Legal 500 for organizing such a great event, and Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Morrison Foerster, iManage, SS&C Intralinks, and Just Legal for sponsoring and supporting it. And, huge congratulations on the recognition each of you is receiving, which is truly a great accomplishment and the result of your hard work and the accumulated trust the entire industry has placed in you.
It must be emphasized that this award is given only to general counsels. Being a general counsel means a lot more than just being a subject matter expert. You are a most reliable strategic partner for the business, and I am sure that you have distinguished yourself from the crowd by your ability to identify underlying risks, devise legal solutions, ensure the right processes and governance for corporate decisions, influence others, and educate the next generation of lawyers. This is what you are being recognized for.
Looking back on my career, I have been hugely helped by lawyers in other companies through various industry communities. When I joined the in-house world 12 years ago from a Japanese law firm, large international banks were all struggling with a huge wave of regulatory reform. Back then, I was relatively new to that particular area of finance, and my hiring was somewhat potential-based. Nonetheless, I was assigned to lead the regulatory reform efforts locally. My predecessor had left the bank before I joined, there was no sufficient handover, and I was completely lost as to what to do. What helped me most were the industry peer group discussions, where in-house counsels from major banks would get together to discuss common issues. I learned so much from what was discussed there and absorbed as much as I could. Without that network, I am sure that I wouldn’t have survived that time.
However, our situation today is far more difficult. The changes in the landscape we face today are unprecedented. Technological developments and the corresponding shifts in geopolitical and industrial landscapes are completely unpredictable, and the speed at which they happen is far faster than before. We might face a time that requires us to pivot, forcing us to redefine how we add value and rebuild the way we work. That is somewhat intimidating. But, I am confident that a way forward will be found through the collective wisdom and effort of the people in this room. I would like to be a part of that, and this network of people is enormously valuable and truly priceless.
Finally, let’s have a drink and celebrate our achievements for now – before your CEO calls asking you to join a call! Thank you so much.’
