Team size: 44

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?

First and foremost, our legal team remains vigilant in monitoring and assessing the legal landscape during periods of instability. This proactive approach allows us to identify potential risks promptly and develop mitigation strategies tailored to the evolving circumstances. Through continuous analysis and scenario planning, we aim to stay ahead of regulatory changes, government interventions, and emerging legal challenges that may impact our operations.

Collaboration is a cornerstone of our legal strategy. We maintain open lines of communication with key stakeholders across the organisation, including executive leadership, risk management, and compliance teams. This ensures a unified understanding of the legal implications of business decisions and facilitates the swift implementation of legal measures to safeguard the organisation’s interests. In alignment with our broader business strategy, our legal approach is integrated into the decision-making process. We work closely with business units to embed legal considerations into strategic planning and risk management. This collaborative effort ensures that legal insights contribute to informed decision-making, thereby enhancing the organisation’s ability to navigate challenges successfully.

In summary, our legal strategy during periods of instability revolves around proactive monitoring, collaboration, adaptability, and integration with broader business objectives. This holistic approach ensures that our legal function serves as a strategic asset, contributing to the organisation’s resilience and safeguarding its interests in the face of uncertainty.

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?

At Interbank, our responsible business model is ingrained into our purpose of empowering all Peruvians to achieve their financial well-being. We believe that the well-being of our business is aligned with the well-being of our clients and community in general, and that the only way Peruvians will be able to truly develop is if they have a prosperous country, now and in the long term.

Sustainability is one of our strategic imperatives, and the function has been incorporated into the scope of the general counsel. This makes perfect sense because governance is the bedrock of sustainability. Furthermore, the general counsel function encompasses a broader view of forward-looking risks and opportunities driven by market and regulatory trends. Thus, as a navigator at the helm of a ship, the general counsel brings the strategic intent to senior leadership to set the tactical direction of cross-functional sustainability efforts aligned with the long-term business objectives.

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?

Firstly, the integration of AI-powered tools is transforming legal workflows, enhancing productivity, and elevating the quality of output. Leveraging AI in tasks such as contract analysis, legal research, and due diligence automates repetitive and time-consuming processes. This not only improves efficiency and accuracy, but also enables legal teams to focus on higher-value strategic work, including the adoption of automation and self-service tools. These advancements contribute to a more streamlined and cost-effective legal practice.

To stay abreast of these transformative developments, our approach involves actively engaging with emerging technologies. We collaborate with pilot programs within the organisation, participating in organisational learning journeys that provide hands-on experience with these technologies. This approach allows us to gain practical insights into how AI and Machine Learning operate, exploring various use cases to better understand their breadth and impact.

Furthermore, our commitment to continuous learning extends to staying informed about industry best practices, attending relevant conferences, and fostering partnerships with tech-driven legal service providers. This proactive engagement with the evolving landscape of legal technology positions us to navigate the intersection of law and innovation effectively.