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?  

My company operates in the pension fund management sector in Latin America, where instability and uncertainty are intrinsic to the industry across the continent. SURA Asset Management is a long-term player in this space, navigating an environment where politicians frequently attempt to reform social security schemes through legal changes. Every year, our legal teams in five of the seven countries where we operate play a key role in helping the business anticipate potential scenarios and assess their impact on both the business and its long-term strategy. 

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

I have recently been involved in several key areas, including M&A transactions, pre-arbitration activities, and the implementation of technology within our company’s legal functions. 

What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company?  

We are one of the largest asset managers in Latin America, with around USD$180 billion in assets under management. Our core business is to invest the financial assets entrusted to us by our clients. Our ESG strategy is built on four pillars: investment exclusions, ESG integration, ESG engagement, and impact investing. Currently, we are actively implementing Exclusions, which involve avoiding investment opportunities that do not align with our ESG goals; ESG integration, where our investment processes incorporate ESG factors into decision-making; and engagement, where we actively engage with the companies in which we are significant shareholders to achieve specific ESG objectives. Impact Investing is currently under evaluation and development. As General Counsel I am a member of the Regional Sustainability Committee which delineates SURA Asset Management’s ESG strategy and guidelines for our 25 financial companies across seven countries.  

How do you prioritise diversity and inclusion within your legal department, and what initiatives have you implemented to foster a more inclusive and equitable work environment?  

We have worked together with our human resources department to develop a regional policy that promotes diversity and inclusion, grounded in the guidelines set out in our code of ethics. Our corporate legal team is geographically diverse, with legal leaders from six different countries, and our corporate legal team is located across three different countries. Additionally, legal leaders of some of our companies are part of minority communities.  

What role does the legal department play in promoting and ensuring corporate social responsibility in your organisation?  

The legal team has helped changing the structure of how our company’s invests financial resources into social responsibility projects. Some of our most successful initiatives were implemented during the pandemic. 

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

A major legal challenge for all my legal teams across our company will be incorporating emerging technologies, such as AI and data analytics, into our day-to-day legal work.