Secretary general and global head of legal | Grupo Secuoya
Corporate and legal director | Lantania
Maria Elena Ruiz Paños is a distinguished legal expert with over two decades of experience in international legal affairs, and business negotiations, with a strong focus on the renewable and...
Global general counsel | ACCIONA and Nordex Green hydrogen
Legal advisory corporate director | Grupo Azvi
General counsel, Spain and Portugal | Samsung Electronics
General legal and compliance counsel para España y Latinoamérica | Inetum
General counsel, compliance officer and company secretary | Holcim
Head of legal, risk and insurance and secretary of the board | Transfesa Logistics
Julia is a highly experienced Legal & Risk Director with over 25 years of expertise in corporate and regulatory affairs, having worked across multinational companies in sectors including technology, real...
General counsel, legal and compliance, Iberia and Africa | Otis Elevator
General secretary of the board of directors | Tubacex
Legal director | LaLiga (Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional)
General counsel, compliance director and deputy company secretary | Prosegur
General counsel and secretary of the board | Elecnor
General counsel | Diamond Foundry
Rebeca Brandys has more than two decades of global, broad-ranging transactional and corporate governance experience, including general counsel and legal director roles in public and private technology companies and in...
General counsel for Iberia, Italy and LATAM | Securitas Direct
Global general counsel and vice-secretary of the board of director | Cellnex
After years in the making, we are thrilled to introduce the inaugural edition of the Legal 500’s GC Powerlist: Spain. Following the success of our Iberia and Spain: Latin America Specialists editions, this publication marks a natural and long-anticipated milestone for our team.
Over the past few months, we have had the privilege of engaging with Spain’s most exceptional in-house lawyers, exploring their remarkable achievements, gaining insights into their vast expertise, and celebrating their invaluable contributions to the business and legal landscape. This edition stands as a tribute to their leadership, strategic vision, and unwavering commitment to excellence.
Within these pages, you will find in-depth profiles and exclusive interviews with some of the most influential and highly regarded general counsel across diverse industries. These professionals have consistently demonstrated their ability to navigate complex legal challenges, mitigate risks, and drive business success through their strategic guidance. Their stories serve as an inspiration to the wider legal community, underscoring the pivotal role that in-house lawyers play in shaping their organisations’ growth and resilience.
This first-ever GC Powerlist: Spain also features exclusive discussions on key legal trends and challenges, offering a comprehensive perspective on the evolving role of in-house counsel. We invite you to explore this edition and discover the extraordinary individuals shaping the future of legal leadership in Spain.
On behalf of the Legal 500, I extend my sincere gratitude to all the in-house lawyers featured in this publication for sharing their insights and experiences. It is an honour to present this distinguished list of Spain’s most outstanding and influential legal professionals.
Francisco Faria e Castro | Research Editor | GC Powerlist Series
The GC Summit: Saudi Arabia 2025 gathered leading figures from across the Kingdom’s legal and business landscape for a full day of dynamic conversations, thought leadership, and peer learning. Held at the Sheraton Hotel in Riyadh, the conference served as an important forum for general counsel and other senior legal counsel to discuss the evolving challenges and strategic opportunities shaping the corporate legal function today. The day’s agenda was marked by a wide range of topics, including regulatory engagement, competition law, dispute resolution, family business dynamics, legal AI implementation, and market entry across the GCC. Featuring a line-up of influential legal minds, the summit highlighted the increasingly strategic role of general counsel and offered practical takeaways for those navigating complex legal and commercial environments.
The summit opened with a brief welcome address from the Legal 500’s research editor, Francisco Castro, highlighting the importance in gathering the country’s in-house legal community in events like the GC Summit, as a means for sharing best practices and making new and meaningful connections.
The first panel discussion, “Dealing with Regulators: Strategies for Effective Engagement and Advocacy,” examined how in-house legal teams can build strong, constructive relationships with regulatory bodies while safeguarding their organisations’ commercial interests. Moderated by Zamakhchary & Co., the panel brought together legal experts from both the public and private sectors. The discussion emphasised the importance of transparency, strategic communication, and positioning legal departments as trusted intermediaries between business and government.
This was followed by a session on “Shaping Competition Law in the Kingdom,” which explored Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving antitrust landscape. Representatives from Monckton Chambers, Al Akeel & Partners, and the General Authority for Competition discussed recent developments in the law, the culture of compliance, and the practical implications for legal teams operating within and outside the Kingdom. The panel reinforced the notion that effective compliance requires both a technical understanding of the law and a proactive corporate culture.
After a short coffee break, the programme resumed with “Friendly Until It Isn’t: Managing M&A Fallout Before it Starts.” This session focused on the critical importance of arbitration clauses in cross-border M&A agreements. Panellists explored how in-house counsel can reduce dispute risk from the outset by carefully crafting arbitration provisions, considering key elements such as institutional rules, confidentiality terms, and seat selection. Discussions also covered strategies for managing parallel proceedings and post-closing conflicts, offering a robust framework for navigating M&A disputes.
The fourth session of the day addressed a particularly sensitive area for legal professionals in the region: “Shareholder Disputes in Family Businesses and the Evolving Role of In-house Counsel in the Middle East.” The discussion shed light on the distinct pressures facing in-house lawyers in family-run enterprises, particularly as these businesses expand internationally. Speakers explored how to manage conflicts of interest, navigate cross-border legal differences, and mediate complex internal dynamics while upholding legal and ethical standards. The conversation highlighted the nuanced role of the in-house counsel as both legal advisor and trusted business partner in environments shaped by tradition and rapid growth.
Following lunch, attention turned to innovation with “How to Successfully Implement Legal AI: A Step-by-Step Guide.” This practical session was moderated by Francisco Castro from Legal 500, interviewing LEGALFLY’s CEO and co-founder, Ruben Miessen, who demystified the process of adopting AI in legal operations. From choosing the right use case to developing a compelling business case and piloting AI tools, this interactive and engaging presentation focused on actionable steps to unlock the value of AI in legal departments.
The final panel discussion, “Corporate and Commercial Challenges in GCC Market Entry,” addressed the legal and regulatory complexities businesses face when expanding into the Gulf Cooperation Council region. Experts from Meysan and their regional partners discussed key aspects of corporate structuring, foreign investment regulations, and commercial contract practices, offering attendees clear insights into risk mitigation and compliance strategies. The session emphasised the importance of local legal expertise and cross-border coordination for companies aiming to establish or scale operations across GCC jurisdictions.
The day concluded with closing remarks by Arwa M. Al-Shaghrood, General Counsel and Board Secretary at the FII Institute, who reflected on the role of general counsel in regional transformation and the summit’s success in facilitating knowledge exchange. A dedicated networking session followed, providing attendees with the opportunity to build new relationships and continue the day’s conversations in a more informal setting.
In all, the GC Summit: Saudi Arabia 2025 offered legal professionals in the region a timely and practical platform to explore emerging challenges and exchange innovative strategies. From regulatory engagement to legal technology and cross-border expansion, the summit reaffirmed the vital role that in-house legal departments play in shaping resilient, future-ready organisations in an increasingly complex legal environment. Legal 500 looks forward to returning to Riyadh for the release of its inaugural GC Powerlist: Saudi Arabia, highlighting the top corporate counsel in the country.