What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

As head of América Móvil’s Group Intellectual Property (IP) department, I am responsible for managing approximately 10,000 trademarks, several copyrights, and a portfolio of over 6,000 domain names across 22 countries.

Over the past year, we have designed and implemented protocols and systems for administering the group’s IP rights. This included creating a multinational interdisciplinary team composed of members from the marketing and legal teams, which has allowed us to coordinate efforts between our local headquarters and overseas affiliates. As a result, we have significantly improved the protection of the group’s IP rights, particularly by establishing a global standard for trademark protection.

Currently, we are implementing a second phase aimed at leveraging the synergy generated by our interdisciplinary team with our affiliates to coordinate efforts in various countries. The goal is to obtain recognition of fame and well-known trademarks from Intellectual Property authorities worldwide. A critical aspect of this collaboration has been creating a liaison to share information and experiences, all directed towards strengthening our trademarks as a leading telecom company globally.

Additionally, I have developed a new strategy to protect our primary brands by focusing on core and umbrella marks. Our ultimate aim is to establish a compact and robust portfolio of IP rights, primarily trademarks. Setting up this internal multinational and interdisciplinary teamwork reflects the visible growth of the Intellectual Property area within the group.

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?

After analysing our domain name portfolio, we realised that the company needed a radical overhaul to create a more compact portfolio and enhance protection of the company’s information. The objective was to reduce expenses while ensuring effective management of our domain names. With this change, we expect a significant reduction in the costs associated with administering the group’s domain name portfolio and the implementation of a standardised approach. Each affiliate will have organised, managed, protected, and secure domains, thereby reducing intellectual property risks and online crime.

A vital achievement has been raising awareness within the group about the importance of intellectual property rights. Educating individuals about these rights enables them to perform their duties more effectively, mitigating legal risks and reducing costs related to dispute resolution and negotiations.

What is a cause, business-related or otherwise, that you care about, and why?

One cause I feel strongly connected to in my work is the fight against piracy and counterfeiting. For many years, I have dedicated my professional life to combating these illegal activities, recognising their economic and social impact on any country and how they influence behaviour.

Mexico has been on the U.S. Government’s USTR list of Notorious Markets for counterfeiting and piracy for several years. Many Mexicans lack a complete understanding of the real consequences of these crimes, often viewing piracy and counterfeiting as victimless. Consequently, I have committed a significant portion of my professional life to fighting these issues by creating educational programmes on intellectual property rights and participating in forums and working with authorities to implement legal strategies against piracy and counterfeiting.

Currently, through the Mexican Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights (AMPPI), we are launching a clinic programme on intellectual property rights aimed at a diverse audience, including lawyers, authorities, engineers, biologists, and anyone involved or interested in IP. Our goal is to create a broader impact in this area.