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

Auna legal was actively involved in the company’s deal in connection with its inaugural Rule 144A/Regulation S offering of USD 300 million aggregate principal amount of 6.500% senior notes due 2025. This deal was the first Peruvian high-yield bond issued post-pandemic and the first Latin American (excluding Brazil) healthcare sector issuance in the global bond markets.

The legal team also prepared and filed a registration statement with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of American Depositary Receipts. Having liaising with our controlling shareholder, Enfoca (one of Latin America’s foremost investment firms), we have successfully managed to execute strategic M&A deals in Colombia and Mexico.

How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?

The introduction of firm-wide remote work was not all blessing to everyone; it strained social relationships while increasing mental health problems. Therefore, general counsel were required to understand that their team colleagues were struggling in some way – burnout or anxieties. Empathetic, genuine, and constant communication were key to overcome the uncertain and challenging times.

What are some of the key developments – legal, geopolitical, or otherwise – that have affected your business over the past year?

Countries in South America including Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador have experienced political and social unrest over the past few years with constant political demonstrations which in some situations included violence. The domestic political turmoil as well as the global financial effects caused by the war in Ukraine increased concerns for investors in the region.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

Blockchain-based technology will allow in-house legal to focus on project managing and business advisory tasks rather than administrative one. The challenges that in-house legal departments in Lantin America face is securing budget from their organisations to invest in legal technology. However, I believe that more CEOs and CFOS in the region are gradually becoming aware of the vital role of legal innovation and digital transformation in developing company’s overall business and legal strategy.