I am honoured to present the inaugural edition of The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Portugal 2023. As the lead researcher for this long-awaited publication, I had the incredible opportunity to engage with the most exceptional in-house lawyers in Portugal, immersing myself in their remarkable stories and tapping into their vast experience and knowledge. The publication serves as a tribute to the remarkable contributions made by these incredible professionals to the business landscape in Portugal. It stands as a testament to their unrivalled expertise, outstanding leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence.

This year’s edition shines a spotlight, not only on the most distinguished in-house lawyers in Portugal, but also on the rising stars that one day will lead the best in-house legal departments in the country. The publication focuses on the exceptional accomplishments and innovative approaches adopted by the chosen individuals, as they navigate the intricacies of the Portuguese legal landscape. They address a myriad of challenges, including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, technological advancements, fostering strong relationships with business partners, promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives, and various other pressing matters.

Within the pages of this publication, you will discover in-depth profiles and exclusive interviews with the most influential and highly regarded general counsel from a wide array of industries. These individuals have consistently showcased their ability to shape legal strategies, mitigate risks, and provide invaluable strategic guidance to their respective organisations. Their achievements serve as a source of inspiration to the legal community, highlighting the profound influence that in-house lawyers can wield in shaping their organisations’ business strategies and achieving remarkable success.

The GC Powerlist: Portugal 2023, through the research conducted, uncovers significant findings, shedding light on the resilience and adaptability demonstrated by companies amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the multitude of challenges faced, business operations persevered, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of in-house counsel who tirelessly maneuvered through new regulations and guidelines, ensuring uninterrupted business continuity during these unprecedented times. As mentioned by Sara Gonçalves, head of legal and compliance at Endesa Portugal, “the pandemic, and all that followed, required an additional emphasis in preparing for not foreseen events that may impact business decisions”, as this unprecedented global crisis has served as a strong reminder of the importance of proactive planning and resilience in the face of uncertainty.

Furthermore, the invaluable insights provided demand a need for improvement in the relationship between the legal team and business partners, though much has evolved in the last few years. While in-house counsel proved their value during the pandemic, there remains an opportunity for further advancement in fostering stronger collaboration and understanding between the legal and business functions, fundamental for the success of the business. As voiced by many general counsels, echoed by Rita Branquinho Lobo, head of legal affairs at Novabase, “in-house need to build trust with their business partners by demonstrating expertise, providing clear and concise advice, and following through on commitments. This will help to establish a strong and collaborative relationship built on mutual respect and trust. (…) By taking a proactive and collaborative approach, in-house lawyers can become trusted advisors to their business partners and help to drive the success of the organisation”.

The publication also emphasises the critical importance of embracing technology for the benefit of companies. The ongoing acceleration of digital transformation has demonstrated the invaluable role of technology in ensuring business continuity and resilience. In specific, the pandemic served as a catalyst for the rapid adoption and integration of technology across various business functions. As stated by Joana Pinto, head of legal at Accenture, “embracing technology and adopting a data-driven insights mindset shall be a priority for the legal departments because it helps to address the challenges they face today: improvement of efficiency and costs’ reduction.” In-house counsel played a pivotal role in leveraging technology to overcome operational challenges and enable remote work environments. The introduction of digital tools and platforms has clearly facilitated seamless communication, collaboration, and the efficient management of legal processes, and can only improve in the future.

There are many other relevant topics and challenges exclusively discussed in this publication, so I invite you to explore first-ever edition of the GC Powerlist: Portugal 2023 and discover the extraordinary stories of these exceptional individuals. Through their experiences and insights, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape in Portugal and the invaluable role played by the most successful in-house lawyers in the country.

On behalf of The Legal 500, I would like to express our gratitude to all in-house lawyers featured in this publication for their valuable contributions and for sharing their journeys with us. I am delighted to present to you this distinguished two-fold list of Portugal’s future generation of brilliant general counsels and the current, most exceptional, diligent, and celebrated in-house lawyers.

The world has changed since we were last together. We have reached what seems to be the last stage of Covid-19 and it is fair to say that what we are experiencing in 2023 cannot be described as a return to normal or, at least, to the normal we knew before the pandemic. As individuals, we have changed. As organisations, we have witnessed a structural shift towards flexibility, remote work, and a new era of collaboration.

Reading my last words to you all, I could not help thinking what a fast-moving world this is. A year ago, we were still reflecting on how Covid-19 had changed so much in our professional and personal lives. And we were still trying to make some sense of the lessons we had learned and how we would transition to a new working paradigm. Now, our fears of the here and now and uncertainty about the future induced by the pandemic have been replaced by a – certainly – more life changing, revolutionary and profound evolution. I am, of course, talking about how artificial intelligence will change the way we all position ourselves and our businesses.

I got to thinking about our sense of worth and value. Where will we stand, where will we add value, where our talent as we have defined it so far will fit in with what the world needs. Where we will meet your needs, how can we best serve our clients to help them profit from this technological revolution. One thing is certain: we cannot stop the wind with our hands. We should – we have to! – embrace change. We should all be excited about the future and use our talents, ethics, ability to work together and partnerships to help model the new world. I believe we are the white magic of AI and, in the end, it is trust, transparency, collaboration and proximity that will shape the future. And there is nothing artificial about the future. Because we will build it together.

Thank you so much for joining us at PLMJ. We remain immensely proud and attentive to how companies and the in-house legal profession is courageously and brilliantly welcoming the future. And we look forward to changing the world together.