Team size: Three

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience? 

The current speed of business demands rapid response and innovation, while long-term planning has become more difficult. This exposes companies to new regulatory and reputational risks, requiring from the General Counsel an increasing and strategic importance, not only to play an enabling role versus the traditional gatekeeper approach, but the simultaneous combination of both roles, while aligning with the company’s strategy and risk profile.

Technology is a fundamental part of the strategy of our Legal Department, which is based in value creation and agile delivery to enable business partners to quickly make risk-adjusted decisions and navigate the changing landscape.

The function has become a fundamental piece in supporting the CEO and the management team in the development of the company targets, which currently is not based only about selling a product, but also about transmitting a series of values such as socially responsible behaviour. The long-term value of the company, in addition to its product, lies in its environmental commitment, in the integrity of its actions, in the care of its employees and in its concern for social issues.

What are the main cases or transactions that you have been involved in recently? 

The Legal Director has pioneered the development of the charging infrastructure, analysing the legal issues affecting the deployment of such infrastructure and proposing regulatory solutions to the various ministries involved to promote the deployment of high-power chargers on the main roads in Spain and Portugal.

Numerous initiatives and specific projects arise from the Legal & Compliance department based on approaches to risk and processes improvement, including overall responsibility in the field of Compliance, Privacy and Environmental with the set up and running of Risk Management Systems.

As for sustainability, the General Counsel has promoted various actions and projects in collaboration with other departments. One of them is obtaining ISO 14001 certification for environmental management systems, while at the same time preparing the installation of solar panels in the Porsche Ibérica headquarters building to supply green energy to these facilities or the measurement and registration of the CO2 footprint with the Ministry of Ecological Transition, implementation of activities with employees aimed at raising their awareness of environmentally sustainable practices and taking the responsibility for implementation of the sustainability strategy of Porsche at local level, not only for the importer but of all the dealer network.

How can general counsel foster a corporate culture that supports ESG principles and compliance across all levels of the organisation? 

The General Counsel practices an expansive view of the Legal and Compliance function, being up to date with regulatory developments in the area of ESG, CSRD, CSRDD, environmental, business human rights and greenwashing risks, amongst others, which allows to take a prominent role in the implementation of the Sustainability and decarbonisation area of Porsche’s Strategy 2030.

A firm believer in business ethics and compliance with laws and internal policies, and due to expertise in the field of corporate governance, the General Counsel supports and advocates for sustainable business development based on the achievement of business objectives, in accordance with sustainable business practices, preservation of the company’s reputation and respect for the environment.

What do you see as the major legal challenges for businesses in Spain over the next five years, and how are you preparing to address them? 

The automotive sector has started a major transformation process in recent years. Besides the exposure to disruptions generated because of economic volatility, social and political upheaval, it has been deeply affected by the emissions reduction commitments and the necessary transformation from traditional combustion models towards plug-in hybrids and full electric vehicles

Another area with a major impact on the legal area is the supply chain and the growing relevance of ESG, as a result not only by financial ratings but by CSRD and CSRDD regulations.

General Counsel is key for analysing the regulatory framework, anticipating and updating it to facilitate implementation of the company strategy and understanding the new business models. The challenge for legal departments is how to incorporate those features to ensure that the legal department is an active driver of the kind of organisational resilience that is required today and in the future.