What has been the number one challenge that has impacted you over the past year?

The main challenge I have faced in the last year is leading the legal department of a company whose industry has become regulated. This transition has required hard work from legal and compliance teams, so we are taking accelerated steps to bring Niubiz fully in line with this new regulatory framework.

Niubiz is a pioneer in developing technological solutions for the payments industry in Peru, and in the past year, we have been building the foundations of its legal department, which was previously managed entirely externally. I have taken on a huge challenge, and I am glad and enthusiastic to continue bringing all my experience at regulatory issues and competition advocacy in the payments industry to Niubiz.

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

In-house legal teams are transforming their role in many companies from one of support to one of strategy. In this area, the role of lawyers will be drastically challenged by the results that artificial intelligence can deliver. AI is capable of delivering highly complex results in a matter of minutes, so no doubt it will become the most challenging technological advance for in-house legal teams. Because of this, I believe that legal teams must improve their strategic value proposition offer to the organisation, improving their skills in management and data analytics and combining it with specific experience they have about the industry and the company.

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

Beyond concern, I consider the profile of lawyers for the needs of companies in the future to be a serious challenge. It is increasingly necessary for lawyers to have administration skills, management of productivity indicators and management tools, among other aspects that are not addressed in law schools. In long term, this could create a significant gap for companies in recruiting and attracting talent. I am confident that law schools will strengthen this aspect and improve the competitiveness of future lawyers. Walter