Could you tell us a bit about your significant successes in your role?

I consider that the success in my role has been thanks to my ability to provide advice beyond the legal field. Within the role of a lawyer within a company, it is crucial to have a commercial vision, and always stay aligned with the business strategy, in order to provide guidance and compliance with the law and, in turn, to expand the business.

I have worked in a variety of countries in Central America, including Panama. To work in such a number of different locations and under different jurisdictions, one must have a vast legal vision, in order to be able to provide internal advice, and reduce consultations to external lawyers.

I have shown interest in optimising processes within the company; therefore, I took it upon myself to obtain the Six Sigma certification, which has allowed me to support the improvement of processes in the legal and business areas.

Finally, I have had the opportunity to have approaches with various government entities and Chambers of Commerce in order to strengthen the medical technology guild in our countries. In addition, I have actively participated in corporate social responsibility programs in collaboration with law firms that have given me the opportunity to learn about their programs and exchange best practices in this area, which has been very enriching.

In your opinion, what are the qualities and skills needed to form a strong legal team?

A strong legal team must have collaborative skills which allow them to work with the commercial team in search of business opportunities in compliance with regulations and laws; and negotiation skills that allow them to reach consensus on decisions that mitigate legal risks and maintain the interests of the business. In addition, it is important to have a general knowledge of the laws of the regions covered and that this knowledge is shared internally within the team, in order to provide advice in a standardised and supported way, aligned with the company’s objectives.

What is the biggest risk to your industry or organisation and how are you contributing to prepare your organisation for this?

As a medical device industry, our main responsibility is the patient, so the greatest risk we may face is that patients do not have access to our therapies. From the legal side, I contribute to ensure that, through agreements, legally viable business models and legislative analysis, we can guarantee that, every day, more and more people benefit from our therapies.

It is important to mention that there is also a reputational risk since the company has relationships with the health professionals’ guild and with governmental entities. To mitigate these, we must guarantee, as legal experts, a constant review of contractual and regulatory matters. Likewise, we must ensure that relationships and communications follow internal and external policies.