How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience? 

Leadership skills are essential to maintaining team resilience while providing legal support to the business during challenging times. Ensuring motivation within the legal team to keep delivering high-quality legal services, even in times of instability, is equally important. A business-oriented mindset is key, as the commercial team greatly appreciates legal input that is not only sound from a legal perspective but also supports the company’s broader objectives. This approach ensures that the legal strategy is aligned with the overall business strategy, helping the organisation remain agile and resilient in the face of crises. 

What are the main cases or transactions you have been involved in recently? 

Recently, I have been involved in several in-house negotiations with major retailers, who are also customers of the company. These negotiations have resulted in significant savings by reducing the need for outside counsel fees. Additionally, I have worked on numerous settlement agreements and undertakings with these retailers, which have helped prevent future disputes and solidified strong business relationships, safeguarding the company’s interests. 

How do you prioritise diversity and inclusion within your legal department, and what initiatives have you implemented to foster a more inclusive and equitable work environment? 

At the LEGO Group, we have an initiative called the Leadership Playground (LP), which is a framework designed to cultivate the leadership behaviours needed within the organisation, both now and in the future. Developed internally, the LP provides employees with a safe space to explore and develop their leadership skills. I co-lead the efforts of the LP within the Legal Americas department, and this year we are focusing on diversity and inclusion (D&I). 

As part of this initiative, we created a plan that includes bi-monthly activities. These activities aim to broaden the understanding of D&I, challenge stereotypes through an exercise called “I am, but I am not,” and promote discussions that discourage placing people in limiting categories. We are also raising awareness around International Men’s Day and encouraging the use of inclusive language across the legal department. By implementing this plan, we aim to foster a more inclusive and equitable work environment for all employees. 

In your opinion, what are the main trends that are salient in your country currently (these can be legal, political, economy or business-based)? 

There are several notable trends in Mexico at the moment, including the growth in retail e-commerce sales, the release of toy movies and TV franchises, the rise of tech toys, and the increased demand for classic toys. 

The expansion of e-commerce, accelerated by the pandemic, has necessitated the development of new online brand protection strategies, leveraging tools offered by e-commerce platforms to combat counterfeit products. The release of toy-related movies and TV franchises has led legal teams to draft complex contracts to protect intellectual property rights, while tech toys, which often feature new innovations, have required protection under patent law. In the case of classic toys, large toy companies are now competing for trademark and copyright licensing rights, as the demand for traditional products remains strong.