About

José Antonio Barrera Ayala started his in-house career providing professional legal services to two of the most recognised gas and oil exploration companies in Peru – initially for Pluspetrol and subsequently with Peru LNG within the hydrocarbons department. In October 2005 he joined the National Society of Mining, Petroleum and Energy (SNMPE) – a guild of mining and energy companies in Peru. During his time there he worked as the legal advisor in the energy sector and was the coordinator of the hydrocarbons legal committee and the electricity legal committee. This role allowed him to have an integral vision of the private sector, ‘since it evaluated the impact of the legal norms or normative projects that had an impact on companies in the hydrocarbon sector as well as the electricity sector’, he claims. Joining Repsol in 2008, Barrera was initially in charge of the GLP business unit. He currently serves as its legal advisor, in charge of the LPG business which in turn has allowed him to thoroughly familiarise himself with the operation of a private company, as well as advising on legal issues with implications in the commercial and regulatory unit. Barrera has also participated and led the contract negotiations of the most significant projects of Repsol Perú, one being Project RLP 21 – the downstream modernisation project of La Pampilla Refinery for obtaining cleaner fuels, as well as the project for the installation of a new maritime terminal, standing as the first marine terminal with these characteristics in Peru. ‘In both projects my participation in Madrid was necessary to be able to negotiate the contracts for these projects’, says Barrera.