What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

I joined Logoplaste in the beginning of 2023 and I’m the only in-house lawyer. This means that versatility and planning are key as the wide range of requests from the most diverse departments, combined with the complexity of the different areas and business model, necessarily make me think innovatively, while identifying legal risks and key legal issues. However, this also means unparallel learning opportunities, which I highly value.

Logoplaste has had several projects that deserve to be highlighted, but I would say that the most differentiating one since I joined Logoplaste – due to the nature of the project itself – is the Bottle Collective, whereby Logoplaste, through its R&D branch (Logoplaste Innovation Lab) has joined as the technology partner.

The Bottle Collective brings together major brands across industries and leading packaging manufacturers, to accelerate progress towards a new sustainable single-use bottle platform. The main purpose is to develop the industrial platform to produce bottles with this technology, having the lowest environmental impact possible, that are cost-competitive and scalable for mass volume production. Behind this challenge lies the clear definition in what Market Segments can this solution be targeting.

The project was highly demanding as the industry in which the company operates is filled with unprecedent challenges (driven by environmental concerns, regulatory pressures, and evolving market demands) and this intersects with the need of a deep understanding of the business, company goals and operations, allied with its overall strategy.

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?

Since I joined Logoplaste last year, I realised that the existing process for managing contracts across the organization is fragmented and time-consuming. Contracts are stored in various locations, making it inefficient to track deadlines, renewals, compliance requirements and others. This decentralized method also poses risks, particularly as our company continues to grow.

To address this, during current year, I will spearhead the contract management system, identifying key points and requirements, developing a structured plan and designing a standardized folder structure, ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing operations. To ensure consistency and compliance with legal standards and internal policies, I will be using available tools, such as Microsoft SharePoint and Excel, as well as our internal tools, avoiding the need for expensive third-party software.

I intend to organise training sessions for relevant stakeholders, including department heads and administrative staff, to ensure a smooth transition. I also intend to set up alerts for key contract milestones, ensuring that we do not miss any important deadlines. This implementation may only be complete after users’ feedback and review of the system’s effectiveness and improvements.

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

I have been a volunteer for over 10 years in an institution that supports underprivileged families – it has always been a reality that I have been able to relate to very closely, since my mother has also been a volunteer there for more than 15 years.

Since I became a mother, I also joined an organisation that supports other mothers in need. The incredible strength and unconditional love that defines parenthood is also often accompanied by silent struggles and sacrifices. The resilience and devotion of mothers that come home after a hard day of work and have no food to put on their kids’ plate, that have no clean diapers to change or who don’t have clothes that fit, is unspeakable. All they must give is their unconditional love and patience, and this is truly inspiring and, at the same time, demolishing. That is what we are trying to change. By helping these mothers, we are contributing to the well-being of a family, giving them stability and opportunities, despite life’s adversities.