Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary | InspereX
Formerly Ethics and compliance executive and in-house advisor- Latin America and Global Marketing | Rockwell Automation
Executive vice president, deputy general counsel, Head of Global Content and Intellectual Property, Mexico Litigation and Regulatory, and International Distribution | TelevisaUnivision
Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel | Ingram Micro Holding
 Augusto Aragone serves as executive vice president, secretary and general counsel for Ingram Micro, a leader in delivering the full spectrum of global technology and supply-chain solutions to businesses around...
Vice President and Regional General Counsel - Latin America and Caribbean | SAP
General Counsel | Universal Alloys
Daniela Rost is an accomplished attorney with over a decade of experience as in-house counsel for companies within the same corporate group, including Universal Alloys, Georgian American Alloys, Felman Production,...
Vice president & associate counsel - compliance and ethics | Southern Glazer's Wines and Spirits
Delia C. Reyes is currently the Vice President-Associate Counsel, Compliance & Ethics at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits (SGWS )– Central Region. Delia joined SGWS in March 2020 holding Legal...
Senior Associate General counsel | Visa
Diana M. Becerra is an international lawyer with over 15 years of experience in-house legal experience in start-ups, private high growth, and public companies. Her extensive expertise spans across various...
Formerly Director legal, senior counsel | Daikin Applied Americas
Vice President - Legal Affairs, Export Compliance Officer and Empowered Official | Barfield
Executive Vice President and General Counsel | Cisneros Group of Companies
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary | Fresh Del Monte Produce
Effie D. Silva has served as the senior vice president, general counsel, corporate secretary since 2022. In this role, Effie leads the company’s legal, risk management, food safety, government affairs,...
Central America and Caribbean Sub-Cluster Legal Head and Senior Counsel for Banking & International Legal | Citibank
General Counsel, Legal & Compliance, Latin America & Canada | Boston Scientific
Managing General Counsel for the Americas | ACS Infrastructure
General Counsel, North America, Caribbean & Asia | LATAM Airlines Group
Senior Vice President and chief legal officer | GSI Management
SVP, Chief counsel, North America | Mondelēz International
Legal director, payments and risks (Americas) | Uber Technologies
Jessica has over 25 years of legal experience. She is currently Uber’s Director of Payments Legal, covering payments-related matters for the Americas. Jessica began her legal career as a corporate...
General Counsel Latin America & Caribbean | Marsh Mclennan
Jorge serves as the General Counsel for Marsh McLennan in the Latin America & Caribbean (LAC) region. In this role, he is responsible for ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory...
VP, General Counsel Corporate & Global Chief Privacy Officer | Millicom International
Vice President, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer | Laureate Education
Laura Paredes is an internationally educated lawyer, licensed in Colombia in 2003 and also in the State of Missouri, USA in 2020. Additionally, she is a registered and authorized in-house...
Vice President & Associate General Counsel (Regional General Counsel, Americas) | Japan Tobacco International
Senior vice president, senior counsel - corporate, m&a, public company | New Fortress Energy
Senior Director, Assistant General Counsel | Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium
Marc Weinroth is Senior Director, Assistant General Counsel for the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium, where he is responsible for all legal matters, risk management, and government affairs. Marc...
Vice president, customs & regulatory affairs, DHL Express Americas | DHL Express
VP & Senior Counsel, Latin America and Caribbean | Marriott International
Marisol Mateos is an international bilingual attorney who has worked in the hospitality industry since 1992, having worked in Europe and Latin America. She has experience in hotel development agreements,...
Vice president, Issues, Events & Remediation, Control Management (Operational Risk) | American Express
The work I am currently supporting is heavily impacted by regulatory scrutiny of the operational risk and related control environment at American Express as the company grows to become...
Senior Vice President, general counsel | Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium, F1 Miami Grand Prix
Head of Legal, Wealth Americas Banking & Lending;Â Director, Associate General Counsel | Citigroup
Nilo Barredo is the Head of Legal for Citi Wealth’s Banking and Lending businesses in the Americas. In this role, Nilo supports Wealth’s diverse banking and lending products in North...
SVP, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary | Royal Caribbean Group
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Board Secretary | Ryder System
Director, legal (North America) | Verifone
Robert serves as Director for North America Legal at VeriFone, Inc, where he structures complex commercial partnerships and enterprise merchant agreements with major global payments partners. His strategic deal-making has...
Chief Legal and Compliance Officer | Millicom International
Executive vice president and general counsel | Cirion Technologies Solutions
Ms Plastino has 25+ years of experience in the technology and telecom industries, as well as in multinational investments in Latin America. She is currently based in Miami, FL and...
Associate general counsel - Product SSA Latam | Airbnb
Victoria´s background includes operating in fast-paced legal departments supporting the business and managing efficiency and simplification of in-house legal departments for over 20 years. Victoria is experienced in multi-country environments with varied...
Chief Legal Officer | Caban Energy
Violeta Longino, an internationally recognised executive leader, is the chief legal officer for Caban Energy, an energy infrastructure provider, offering end-to-end solutions for the largest telecom companies in the world....
Vice president & Associate general counsel, global M&A, Americas | Diageo
Legal 500 is thrilled to announce the third edition of the GC Powerlist Miami 2025, recognizing the outstanding senior in-house counsel who continue to lead the way in the legal profession. Each year, we have the privilege of celebrating the impressive achievements of individuals who are driving legal excellence, and this year, as we gather in Miami, we’re reminded of the city’s dynamic role as a global business hub where innovation and opportunity intersect.
As we enter 2025, the strategic priorities guiding in-house teams reflect both evolving challenges and transformative opportunities. As one general counsel shared, “Heading into 2025, our legal team’s priorities are grounded in technology and digital transformation, compliance, business integration, risk mitigation, and talent development. Legal technologies streamline workflows, improve contract management, and enhance data analysis.” Another noted the growing role of AI, stating, “Internally, we will continue to test and adopt the AI tools that empower our legal team to work more effectively and responsibly, as well as enhance our due diligence framework and body of precedents to reflect the evolving implications AI adoption, both by the fund and by our portfolio companies.” Sustainability also continues to shape legal strategies, with many prioritising ESG initiatives, “sustainability and ESG initiatives continue to shape our legal strategy, ensuring that environmental, social, and governance considerations are embedded in business operations.”
Legal 500 is incredibly grateful for the engagement of the in-house community, whose leadership continues to set the bar for excellence in the legal profession. We are honored to showcase these exceptional individuals and their teams, whose work drives lasting impact.
We would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to Winston & Strawn for their continued partnership and support, making this celebration possible. We look forward to recognizing the remarkable contributions of Miami’s top in-house counsel and the exciting developments shaping the legal landscape in the city.
On January 28th, after a long time in the making, the Legal 500 proudly brought its renowned GC Summit series to the Middle East. Held at the prestigious Waldorf Astoria in Dubai’s International Finance Centre, this milestone event gathered over 120 attendees, including some of the region’s foremost legal minds, leading law firms, and 27 distinguished guest speakers. Together, they tackled key challenges and emerging trends shaping the legal landscape in the Middle East, delivering insights of the highest calibre.
A Collaborative Effort
The event was made possible in association with our esteemed partners: CMS, Stephenson Harwood, Al Majd Law Firm, Nami Associates, and Qanooni, along with our valued networking sponsors, Greenberg Traurig, Afridi & Angell, DiliTrust, and Tribonian Law Advisors. With their support, the Legal 500 curated a dynamic agenda featuring five insightful panel discussions, each designed to address pressing issues facing in-house counsel today.
Setting the Stage
The conference commenced with a warm welcome from Francisco Castro, representing the Legal 500’s editorial team. In his opening remarks, Francisco highlighted the significance of launching the GC Summit series in Dubai, underscoring its role in uniting and fostering collaboration within the Middle East’s growing in-house legal community. He emphasised the importance of delivering tailored, high-quality content to enrich legal practices and support in-house counsel in navigating the complexities of their roles.
Panel Highlights
Legal Tech & AI in M&A Transactions
The first session, in association with CMS, explored the growing influence of legal technology – particularly AI – on M&A practices in the region. Moderated by Patrik Daintry, partner at CMS, the panel featured Karl Rogers (Standard Chartered Bank), Salma Miah (SS&C Intralinks), Donya Fredj (G42), and Joel Vertes (CMS). Together, they examined how AI-driven solutions enhance accuracy, mitigate risks, and streamline transactions, setting a forward-thinking tone for the rest of the summit.
Navigating M&A in Uncertain Times
The second session, presented in partnership with Stephenson Harwood, delved into the challenges of executing M&A deals amid economic and political uncertainty. Melissa Forbes-Miranda, partner at Stephenson Harwood, expertly moderated a discussion featuring Ed Reilly (Standard Chartered Bank), Sanjay Bhatia (Pinnacle IBP Management Consultancy), Ahmed Zaki (Al Hamra Group), Dolly Ramaiya (Truleum Venture Partners), Lydie Traore (Petromin Corporation), and Ali Tariq (CapitalH). Panellists provided strategic insights on risk mitigation and opportunity maximisation in an unpredictable global landscape – an especially timely discussion as 2025 approaches with its own set of uncertainties.
Networking & Engagement
Following these initial compelling sessions, attendees enjoyed a networking lunch, sponsored by Tribonian Law Advisors. This break provided an opportunity for participants to engage in deeper discussions on the morning’s topics, connect with peers, and explore the law firm exhibits in the networking area.
Investing in Qatar: Legal & Business Landscape
Post-lunch, the third session, in collaboration with Al Majd Law Firm, provided a comprehensive look at investment opportunities in Qatar. Moderated by Mira Adra (Al Majd Law Firm), the discussion featured Bashar Hanna El Nashef (Al Majd Law Firm), Taki Eddine Sahbi (Ariane Holding), Dr. Zain Al-Abedin Sharar (Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Center), and Hamad Al Nasr (Ministry of Commerce and Industry). Panellists outlined key investment prospects, regulatory requirements, and legal frameworks designed to protect investors while fostering economic growth in a country that offers so much to potential investors.
Legal Trends in Iran’s Healthcare & FMCG Sectors
The fourth session, held in partnership with Nami Associates, focused on legal developments affecting Iran’s healthcare and FMCG industries. Brilliantly moderated by Shahram Safai (Afridi & Angell), the discussion featured Behnam Khatami, Sanaz Hosseini-Kolahi, and Mansour Vesali (Nami Associates), alongside Mohammad Mostofinejad (Nestlé). Esteemed speakers shared practical insights on navigating regulatory complexities, emerging opportunities, and key challenges for international businesses in these sectors.
Generative AI: Enhancing Productivity in Legal Teams
Following a short networking coffee break, the final panel, in association with Qanooni, explored the transformative role of generative AI in corporate legal departments. Moderated by Ziyaad Ahmed (Qanooni AI), speakers Diwakar Agarwal (Stephenson Harwood), Yosr Hamza (Gartner), and Sophie Best (Knowledge Nexus) engaged the audience in a highly interactive discussion. The session provided actionable insights on leveraging AI to optimise legal workflows, improve efficiency, and drive innovation within in-house teams.
A Memorable Conclusion
The conference concluded with a compelling closing speech by Tarek Nakkach, director and general counsel, MEA at Kyndryl. He reflected on the evolution of the in-house legal profession, emphasising the crucial role of technology in modern legal operations. His remarks reinforced the importance of community-driven events like the GC Summit in fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the legal industry.
Looking Ahead
On behalf of the Legal 500, we extend our sincere gratitude to our esteemed partners and attendees for making this event a resounding success. We eagerly anticipate returning later this year for the launch of the GC Powerlist: Middle East 2025, our flagship publication celebrating the region’s leading in-house counsel.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to support and spotlight the exceptional legal talent in the Middle East!
