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

Business has never been more interlinked with the legal department. In Costa Palmas, for example, recurrent pivots and reconfigurations – as is expected from multibillion dollar projects – have propelled a need for quick, actionable strategies that have allowed us to find our way around the hurdles that arise every day. In this respect, I was fortunate enough to find a specific need within the legal aspect of Costa Palmas, in which I was able to add value by taking the lead of D&C concerns in a crucial period of the project’s development.

My involvement in Costa Palmas has permeated several angles of the development of the project. From the acquisition, lease, and development of real estate properties, drafting the legal and corporate documents to incorporate Costa Palmas, preparation and negotiation of assorted loans and investments, up to D&C all-around legal matters, including Four Seasons and Amanvari Resorts & Residences at Costa Palmas.

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

In a fast-paced and changing environment, having a cohesive team will do magic when seeking high-quality and quick output. Adaptability and quick thinking are instrumental for being successful. In that same line, I can think of three key skills every legal team should strive for.

First, being able to unlearn and relearn is a must. More often than not, we find ourselves facing a problem we have never faced before. In such a situation, it is important to be able to adapt whatever we know to the best of our ability, but probably more important, we need to be able to get rid of preconceived ideas and look at the problem from a fresh point of view. I have found in this process is when we produce the best solutions.

Secondly, adaptability is crucial. Thinking fast and reacting even more can make the difference between failure and success in many cases.

Lastly, having an open mind and aiming for multidisciplinary learning will no doubt give you the upper hand in terms of mastery of your craft, but also in understanding every scenario and being flexible to approach each situation effectively.

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

We encounter two significant problematics for Costa Palmas and all real estate developments across Mexico: (i) given the current socio-economic and political environment there is regulatory uncertainty when issuing permits and entitlements as well as a lack of availability for project funding by both local and international investors due the perception of political risk, and (ii) climate and environmental factors are constantly changing in our surrounding and as a result pose assorted eventualities for real estate projects, from hurricanes to water shortages. We are continually preparing for such possible scenarios and the best way to contain them if they do occur.