Bio

Graduate in Law from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and with a Master’s degree from the CEU, Carlos Menor has over 25 years of professional experience. He began his career at various law firms before transitioning to an in-house lawyer role at ThyssenKrupp, where he worked for 14 years, taking on a variety of responsibilities. Among his most notable positions, he served as Legal Director for Italy, as well as for Iberia and Africa, overseeing a broad range of legal matters and participating in numerous international projects.  

In 2020, he joined Renault Group, coinciding with the start of the Renaulution Strategic Plan led by Luca de Meo, CEO of the company. Over the past five years, he has led the legal department and served as the Compliance Officer for the company in Spain and Portugal. He has played a key role in executing large-scale operations, such as the split of HORSE.  

For the past two years, he has been President of the Renault Group Foundation Spain and, since 2024, has represented ACC Europe in Spain as Country Representative. Teaching is another of his great passions, having lectured for many years at Saint Louis University, among other institutions, and currently at the University of Comillas (ICADE).  

He is the father of three children and balances his professional life with his family, bringing harmony between his career and personal values.

How do you manage legal aspects during periods of instability or crises?

Our focus is to be close to the business. To do that, we must understand and learn the business itself. We have many tasks within the group and numerous internal clients, providing legal advice to around 10,000 employees. This includes factories, retail, mobility businesses, labour law, objections, and compliance topics. To answer your question, it is essential to have a management position, meaning that the head of legal (GC) must be within the leadership team, which is the case here. From that position, the legal department has a voice across the company. We are involved in decision-making and need to be a partner to the company, enabling us to manage, prevent, and support the business. 

What cases, transactions, or projects you’ve worked on with the legal department recently, can you share anything with us?

Well, we’ve been working on a complex spin-off project over the last two years, where we separated our engine manufacturing sites, impacting around 10,000 employees worldwide. Spain played a central role in this process. It was very challenging due to the timeline and other complexities. We also created a new joint venture after spinning off the business, and the project was a success. Another significant project involved digital transformation. When I arrived four years ago, everything was traditional. I recognised we needed to change. So, we started a project with the purchasing department and created a system where all company documents are signed electronically. Contracts with third parties are now discussed and tracked digitally. We also introduced a compliance tool for risk mapping, procedures, and controls. Additionally, we now have official electronic signatures recognised by local authorities. These two initiatives have been significant successes. However, I should mention that we worked with PwC as our digital partner for the last two years on this project. It was a big success for both sides. 

What about the future of legal departments? What do you think the role of legal teams should be?

In my opinion, the legal department’s role should change. When I first joined Renault Group four years ago, the legal position was quite weak. It was seen more as a service provider, and the image wasn’t great. I believe we need to be seen as business partners, not just as a department that says “no” or puts up barriers. 

To achieve this, I’ve made it mandatory for my team to have monthly meetings with internal clients. They must be part of the executive committees of various subsidiaries. This way, the legal department can be seen as an integral part of the business, not just as an external layer. 

Do you think there are any challenges specific to Spain?

Yes, one challenge we face is that our workload keeps growing, but we’re not outsourcing as much anymore. We are doing everything internally, and it’s tough to scale up the team to manage the increased workload. This is where generative AI comes in. It can help us work more efficiently, and I believe companies in Spain need to get more involved in AI to optimise their operations. 

Another challenge is that we need to find ways to retain talent. There’s a huge gap between in-house teams and external firms in terms of compensation. The responsibility of in-house legal teams is much higher, but the pay often isn’t as competitive. To retain young talent, we need to improve the way we offer growth opportunities and manage workload.