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

My role in Engie is both challenging and exciting, working for such an innovative and fast paced company with top tier professionals with a collaborative and multicultural mindset. A key point for me to be successful in this environment is supporting the legal function, not only as a counsel, but as a strategic business advisor to executives.

Responsible for providing comprehensive legal support to the electricity business at Engie, I can list as significant successes in my role, the commercial operation of over 80 megawatts of renewable energy assets, wind and solar sourced, including all phases of the development, dealing with cross border complex transactions, regulatory hurdles and multiple stakeholders. Likewise, I was successful in supporting Engie to expand its presence in Mexico in the eMetrobus Line 3 public electromobility project, the first of its nature in the country, operating in Mexico City.

In the same line, through relevant M&A processes, we materialised the direct and indirect participation of Engie in green projects in different phases, aiming the decarbonisation target of the company.

In 2022, I satisfactorily conclude the first hybrid PPA of Engie in Mexico for an industrial client, 50% renewable-sourced and 50% combined cycle-sourced. This transaction has been considered worldwide by Engie as the Deal of the Year 2022. However, I really think that my most significant success is based on the trust built and earned within management, business partners and stakeholders.

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

In the actual global context, I believe that one of the most important effectiveness skills which legal teams must develop is emotional intelligence, a broad term that includes being aware of your own emotions, discerning how your actions affect others, and being open to differing and diverse perspectives, mindsets and cultures.

Similarly, the ability to develop strong relationships with stakeholders inside the business, outside counsel, and others external to the business is another critical skill for legal teams. I am convinced that talking through concerns and developing relationships can save time and prevent unnecessary escalations.

In terms of qualities, in my view, strong legal teams have the quality to interact and work together with cross-functional teams. I think that this quality gives the advantage of learning more about the business and building an internal network, providing mutual support. In many legal teams to which I belonged, I have experienced that by expressing a genuine interest in other parts of the business, as teams open the door to learning about how those departments work and developing allies throughout the company.