Team size: Seven

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

Instabilities or crises within an organisation can arise as a result of external factors, such as market conditions, or because of internal issues. Consequently, the processes and functions of each team member must be adapted to foster and create efficiency across other areas to support operations. The business strategy should serve as the pillar on which legal management is developed.

What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company?

The company has incorporated risk management practices in all areas, and sustainability practices are supported by the interconnection of collaborators through work teams and the formation of committees. The role of the legal manager and each lawyer is to identify, present, and propose solutions within the opportunities of the company’s business and based on the regulation of the sector. Furthermore, collaboration with external entities, such as organisations and the State, is key to achieving improvements in regulatory quality and interpretation of the sector’s needs.

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?

Without a doubt, artificial intelligence (AI) is one of these emerging technologies that is generating the greatest impact, and it will continue to do so. It is also important to consider the advances in other sciences that ultimately apply to the field of law. I strive to stay up to date through publications in magazines as well as meetings with IT specialists and other industries.

How do you prioritise diversity and inclusion within your legal department, and what initiatives have you implemented to foster a more inclusive and equitable work environment?

I firmly believe in competition within the profession. The legal department that I lead comprises specialists whose technical and human skills have consistently stood out, both in their selection process and their growth within the company.

Can you discuss a particularly challenging dispute or M&A scenario you encountered and the innovative strategies you implemented to address it?

One of the main challenges in my professional experience within the company has been structuring and now restructuring the business group comprised of four companies, each with distinct lines of business. This endeavour has demanded ingenuity in taxation, finance, and accounting, drawing upon my technical knowledge. The best strategy has been to identify the composition of financial assets to allocate them for maximum benefit and to obtain the greatest value from their differentiated treatment.

In your opinion, what are the main trends that are salient in your country currently?

Economic recovery stands as the central issue, followed closely by advances in infrastructure. Both topics lead to the financial vehicles and financial inclusion to support their progress.