Can you tell us about your journey to becoming an in-house counsel? What inspired you to pursue a career in this field?

Before landing in Nexus Group in 2019, I was legal vice-president of corporate finance (2016-2019 at Credicorp Capital, where I was responsible for important and complex transactions financed by Banco de Crédito del Perú.

In 2016, after ending my Master of Laws in corporate law at University College London, the opportunity of moving to Credicorp Capital arose, so it meant the jump from Payet, Rey, Cauvi, Perez where I was in the corporate area of the firm for more than six years. At that time, I decided to change to the in-house role, in order to experience the other side. Since the beginning of my professional career in a law firm, corporate matters have always been my passion, so moving to Credicorp Capital and then to Nexus Group has been the perfect opportunity to develop in an in-house role while staying in the corporate world.

After eight years in-house, I have come to realise that being an in-house counsel entails more than just providing support to the core business. It is not only about walking alongside the core business, but also generating value for the business from a legal perspective.

In your role as an in-house counsel, what are the main responsibilities and tasks you handle on a day-to-day basis?

I oversee the legal aspects of investment and divestment transactions for the private equity funds. This includes handling, not only the M&A matters, but also financing arrangements when necessary.

I also supervise the day-to-day legal matters of our controlled portfolio companies (SMI, La Tinka and NG Restaurants) in coordination with each company’s legal department. From Nexus, we handle the complex transactions of our portfolio companies, not only in Peru but also in wider Latin America.

What are some of the key challenges you have faced as a rising star in-house counsel, and how have you overcome them?

I believe that one of the primary challenges that I encounter is managing legal matters during times of crisis. In Latin America, crises extend beyond the pandemic, to encompass country instability. During such periods, M&A and structured financing transactions tend to slow down. In my case, versatility has helped me to overcome such situations, as I have no issue switching from sophisticated and complex transactions to engaging in the day-to-day work of our portfolio companies.

What steps have you taken to enhance your professional development and expand your legal skill set?

I had the chance to study a Master of Laws at University College London in 2016. Also, I had the opportunity to teach at Universidad del Pacifico and Universidad de Lima as guest speaker, from 2019 to date, in the private equity seminar organised but Nexus Group. Studying and teaching in the university gives the chance for lawyers to refresh and reinforce legal knowledge.

I also had the opportunity to study business courses in Harvard Business School in 2021 and 2022. I strongly believe that such non-legal courses help a corporate lawyer to contribute to the business and to understand your client better.