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

One of the most significant transactions that our team has recently been involved in is the expansion of the Lima Plant with an investment budget of US$ 20 MM. We handled legal challenges including the emission of Municipal permits, high-value contracts, administrative regulation, and labour issues in the midst of the pandemic, an unprecedented global crisis.

We successfully managed to execute the expansion project by communicating with each stakeholder.

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

The role of legal advisors was essential for business operation during the pandemic, helping business to manage risks in various areas including commercial law, health, and labour.

The legal function was a key player in navigating the uncertainty caused by the global health crisis. While providing creative strategies within the legal framework, in-house legal team supported their organisations to adapt to new reality of remote work.

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

Globalisation allowed business to generate profits at an international level. However, this also means that business can also be affected by negative events. The pandemic caused delays in the supply chain, and this affected many businesses in Peru.

However, as a food industry giant, we managed to keep our operations running as smoothly as possible over the pandemic while providing out clients the best products and services.

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

Artificial intelligence is presenting itself as a useful tool in various situations. Implementing intelligent Chat Bots throughout Business Units in the Andean Region to streamline primary care for internal customers and attend recurring queries has provided great help for the business operation over the pandemic.