Iberia 2018 – GC Powerlist
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Iberia 2018

  • Industries

  • Powerlist

A. Ruth Rodríguez Perez

In-house corporate lawyer and compliance officer | Suavizantes y Plastificantes Bituminosos (SPB)

Consumer products

A. Ruth Rodríguez Pérez joined the Valencian chemical company Suavizantes y Plastificantes Bituminosos (SPB) in 2016 following a decade-long career in private practice. She states: ‘I have been practicing as...

Aitor Unanue

Head of legal department | Orona

Industrials and real estate

In February 2018 Aitor Unanue left his position at construction group ULMA in order to embark on a new challenge at Orona, designers and manufacturers of elevators, escalators, moving ramps...

Alberto Ferrández Barturen

Head of legal | Celeo (Elecnor Group)

Industrials and real estate

Having practiced as a lawyer for over a quarter of a century, Alberto Ferrández Barturen brings an outstanding level of expertise to the in-house legal function of Elecnor Group company...

Alberto Mata Rodríguez

Legal director, Iberia | Deutsche Pfandbriefbank

Financials

Alberto Mata Rodríguez joined Deutsche Pfandbriefbank (pbb) in 2015 following a successful private practice career as a senior associate of the banking and finance department of Gómez-Acebo & Pombo. ‘My...

Alejandro García Granda

Vice-president legal and compliance and regional counsel Mediterranean | Vestas Mediterranean

Energy and utilities

Identified by nominators in this year’s research as ‘a team leader and excellent lawyer who is very committed to the business’, Alejandro García Granda has been the vice-president for legal...

Alfonso Aguirre Díaz-Guardamino

Business legal director | Sacyr Vallehermoso

Industrials and real estate

Described as a ‘true specialist in the construction sector’, Alfonso Aguirre Díaz-Guardamino serves as the business legal director for Sacyr Vallehermoso, a diversified group which engages in the construction, real...

Ana Almeida

Legal director (Portugal) | Klépierre

Industrials and real estate

A specialist in shopping centre properties across Europe, French company Klépierre owns seven shopping centres in Portugal managing over 240,000 squared metres of gross leasable area. The company’s legal director...

Ana Buitrago

Legal director and associate general counsel, Spain | Amazon

Consumer products

Global e-commerce and cloud computing giant Amazon hired Ana Buitrago in 2012, shortly after it launched its Spanish store Amazon.es and its first logistic site in Spain. As legal director...

Ana Lorente

General counsel | ROADIS

Transport and infrastructure

A leading global highway concession company with a significant portfolio in Brazil, India, Mexico, and Spain, ROADIS recently recruited the highly respected Ana Lorente to the position of general counsel....

Ana Maria Ramos

Legal director | Gestmin

Industrials and real estate

Since first joining holding company Gestmin, which operates in 27 different companies in the energy, industry, cereal logistics and real estate sectors, legal director Ana Maria Ramos’ support has been...

Ana Patrícia Carvalho

Head of legal and compliance officer | Nestlé Portugal

Food, beverages and tobacco

As one of the world’s largest nutrition, health and wellness companies, operating in more than 80 countries and with more than 400 factories, Nestlé has been involved in M&As and...

Ana Paula Reis

Legal head | Cimpor

Materials and mining

Operating in eleven countries, Cimpor is Portugal’s largest cement group. Ana Paula Reis joined the company in 2004 and has been responsible for legal affairs ever since. Explaining her role,...

Ana Prado Blanco

Head of legal, general secretary | Mercedes-Benz España

Consumer products

Ana Prado Blanco joined Mercedes-Benz España in 2012 as the general counsel and corporate secretary of the German automobile company’s Spanish subsidiary, which encompasses 12 different entities. Prado Blanco serves...

Ana Soriano Mayor

Legal director | Inveravante

Industrials and real estate

Following her appointment as a legal director at the A Coruña based conglomerate Inveravante, Ana Soriano Mayor has contributed to a dramatic growth in the company’s legal department, which has...

Ana Valdivielso Rovira

Vice president and associate general counsel (South Europe) and legal director (Spain) | Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Information technology

Ana Valdivieso Rovira has achieved a vast amount at Hewlett-Packard since joining its Spanish arm in 2003 as a contract negotiator. After undertaking a support role at number of different...

Ana Valor

Senior legal counsel global privacy | Avon Cosmetics

Consumer products

Ana Valor’s 11-year long career with Avon Cosmetics – she previously worked in-house for Coca-Cola Spain and Autocontrol – has seen her take on a number of senior and multi-national...

André Steiger Garção

Legal and regulation manager, head of business legal team (clients and procurement) | Altice Portugal

Telecommunication services

Altice Portugal is Portugal’s largest telecommunications service provider. The company had operated as Portugal Telecom or PT until Dutch-based Altice Group purchased it in 2015. André Steiger Garção had been...

Andreia Collard

Head of legal | Huawei Tech. Portugal

Information technology

Legal advice to Chinese multinational technology company Huawei Technologies in Portugal is led by Andreia Collard, a professional who has worked in various sectors such as retail, banking, health, transport...

Andrés Campaña Avila

Finance and resources global legal director | Iberdrola

Energy and utilities

Beginning his career path in the litigation area of Iberian law firm Cuatrecasas, Andrés Campaña Avila – the current finance and resources global legal director of Iberdrola – has since...

Antonio Garcia Martinez

Secretary of the board and general counsel | Orange Spain

Telecommunication services

Antonio Garcia Martinez has been involved in the telecommunications sector since the onset of his legal career. He started in private practice at Cremades & Calvo-Sotelo, where over a two-year...

António Neto Alves

General counsel and company secretary | The Navigator Company

Materials and mining

Identified by nominators in this year’s research for ‘actively [contributing] to the company’s current success’, António Neto Alves has gained an invaluable experience since 2010 as general counsel of The...

Ariadna Grañena

Iberia legal and tax director | Reckitt Benckiser (RB)

Consumer products

Joining RB over a decade ago in December 2007, Ariadna Grañena was originally in charge of the company’s tax legal and company law matters, but within two years had assumed...

Arturo Esteban Morales

General lawyer | Nautalia Viajes

Hotels

Part of the tourism group owned by the investment fund Springwater Capital, Nautalia Viajes is a leading Spanish company dedicated to the marketing of tourism products and services. With over...

Asier Crespo

Legal director | Microsoft Ibérica

Information technology

A renowned expert on technology and privacy law, who joined Microsoft Ibérica in 2010 and is now legal director responsible for Spain and Portugal, Asier Crespo has been at the...

Belén Quintas Fernández

Legal director, responsible for financial services and telco and media markets | Indra Sistemas

Information technology

2017 has brought significant change to Belén Quintas Fernández’s career, who joined the multinational technology and consulting business Indra Sistemas immediately following its acquisition of her former employer Tecnocom. After...

Carla de Abreu Lopes

Legal counsel manager | Samsung Electronica Portuguesa

Information technology

Reflecting on her time at the Portuguese arm of Samsung, legal counsel manager Carla de Abreu Lopes says, ‘these last 6 years have allowed me to grow and develop my...

Carlos Eduardo Gil

Legal department’s managing director and general counsel | Martifer SGPS

Industrials and real estate

Despite being only 36 years old, Carlos Eduardo Gil ‘has comprehensive knowledge of all areas of the law and all practice areas relevant to [his] company’s activities’ according to a...

Carlos Gastañaduy

General counsel, director and secretary to the board of directors | MAXAM

Materials and mining

First joining MAXAM almost 20 years ago, general counsel, director and secretary to the board of directors Carlos Gastañaduy is a long-tenured counsel for the Spanish global technology company, having...

Carlos Martins Ferreira

Group general counsel and deputy general secretary | Jerónimo Martins

Consumer products

Based in Portugal but also present in Poland and Colombia, Jerónimo Martins operates in the food distribution and specialised retail sectors and is among the largest retailers in the world....

Catarina Gonçalves Oliveira

Head of legal | Banco CTT

Telecommunication services

Part of Portugal’s national postal service CTT, Banco CTT evolved out the parent company’s financial services business. The bank’s recently appointed head of legal Catarina Gonçalves Oliveira has already impressed...

Cristina Álvarez Fernández

Head of legal department Europe | Cintra

Transport and infrastructure

‘After ten years working as an associate lawyer in the M&A department of Cuatrecasas in Madrid, I decided to make a turn in my professional career and in November 2016...

Cristina Crespo

Head of legal, Europe | Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE)

Food, beverages and tobacco

Formerly an in-house lawyer at large companies in Spain such as Seat and Sara Lee, Cristina Crespo now serves as the head of legal for Europe of Jacobs Douwe Egberts,...

Daniel Ventín Morales

Legal projects director | Abertis Infraestructuras

Daniel Ventín Morales has actively participated in most of Abertis Infraestructuras’ large scale deals since joining in 2005. Since then, Abertis has transformed itself from a Spain-based toll-road concessionaire to...

David Giner

Head of legal | Telefonica Business Solutions

Telecommunication services

Part of the overall multinational telecommunications group, Telefónica Business Solutions is a leading provider of a wide range of integrated communication solutions for the business-to-business market. Head of legal at...

David López Medína

Legal and tax director – Spain and secretary of the board of directors | Grupo Lactalis Iberia

Food, beverages and tobacco

Having been legal and tax director of Grupo Lactalis Iberia since 2012, David López Medína knows the operations of leading dairy company from top to bottom, and takes on secretarial...

Diego Enjuto Jareño

Head of legal and compliance Iberia (Spain and Portugal) | ISS Facility Services

Commercial and professional services

After ten years in private practice, Diego Enjuto Jareño decided to join what he calls the ‘exciting’ project of leading the in-house legal office of ISS Facility Services. With 36,000...

Diego Llavero Rivera

General counsel and corporate compliance manager | SGS

Commercial and professional services

Diego Llavero Rivera serves as the general counsel and corporate compliance manager for SGS, a Swiss multinational company that is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification firm with...

Elena Ciordia Corcuera

Chief legal officer | Viscofan

Food, beverages and tobacco

Elena Ciordia Corcuera joined Viscofan in 1995, progressing to gain responsibility for the entire legal department in January 2001 after the previous legal manager was appointed as CEO. She has...

Emilio Meyer-Pellegrini

Head of legal, Southern Europe | PayPal

Financials

Emilio Meyer-Pellegrini joined PayPal shortly after its split from eBay and a few months after it became a listed company. ‘One of the reasons why I joined PayPal was to...

Fernando Bas Marín

Head of legal and family office director | Grupo Alimentario Citrus

Food, beverages and tobacco

As the leading player in the Spanish food sector, Grupo Alimentario Citrus (GAC) currently has six production plants, ten farms covering 1,800 hectares, owns a ten-hectare seedbed, and employs over...

Filipa Salazar Leite

Head of legal | SUMOL+COMPAL

Food, beverages and tobacco

Filipa Salazar Leite has been leading the legal function of SUMOL+COMPAL, the leader in the Portuguese non-alcoholic beverages market, for more than 14 years – first as a secondee for...

Filipe Hasse Ferreira

Executive director, CEO office, credit advisory | Haitong Bank

Financials

Haitong Bank is a Chinese financial institution that is one of the leading investment banks and securities firms in China, and has a wide range of investment banking services for...

Francesc Casajuana Cuscó

General counsel Iberia and cluster compliance officer | Danone Iberia

Food, beverages and tobacco

A member of Danone Iberia’s in-house legal team since 2002, Francesc Casajuana Cuscó has been its general counsel directing legal, regulatory, security and compliance matters for the company since early...

Francisco Javier Castillo Palacios

Lead counsel (EMEA) and secretary board of directors (Ibérica) | Dow Chemical

Materials and mining

Lead counsel for EMEA and secretary of the board of directors for Iberia since 2006, Francisco Javier Castillo Palacios explains that he has somewhat of a ‘double role’ at the...

Francisco Javier Fontan Cosialls

Head of legal department | MANGO

Consumer products

Based in Barcelona, MANGO is an international designer, manufacturer and marketer of clothing employing over 15,000 people. The company has grown exponentially in recent years, and head of the legal...

Ignacio Bilbao

Legal manager for Spain and Portugal | IKEA Centres Spain and Portugal

Consumer products

Ignacio Bilbao is a highly experienced legal manager with an excellent track record of overseeing real estate legal matters of some of the largest multinational retail groups in Spain. Having...

Irene Rodríguez Alonso

Head of IP | BBVA

Financials

Irene Rodríguez Alonso joined global financial group BBVA in 2011, providing services in more than 30 countries to its 72 million customers. Rodríguez serves as the legal manager of the...

Isabel Charraz

Country legal counsel (senior vice president) | Citibank Europe – Sucursal em Portugal

Financials

Isabel Charraz has been part of Citibank’s Portuguese operation since 2003, and during her progression to her current role as country legal counsel (senior vice president) she has taken on...

Jaime de Miguel Muñoz

Legal department director | CESCE (Compañía Española de Crédito a la Exportacion)

Financials

A financial legal specialist, Jaime de Miguel Muñoz has been part of CESCE’s legal setup since 1996. From 2012 onwards he has been the insurance company’s legal department director in...

Jaime Pérez Renovales

General secretary and board secretary | Banco Santander

Financials

The individual with overall oversight of legal affairs for Santander worldwide, Jaime Pérez Renovales takes on myriad responsibilities on behalf of the Bank’s interests. He has held a number of...

Javier Folguera

General counsel | Hispasat

Telecommunication services

‘During my ten years at Hispasat I have implemented a network of law firms in all the countries in which we operate (mainly Latin America, the US and Europe). We...

Javier López Zafra

General counsel, secretary of the board and public affairs and ethics director | L'Oréal Spain

Consumer products

In September 2003 Javier López Zafra was hired by L’Oréal Spain as general counsel. Nominators spoke highly of his capabilities as an expert in-house lawyer for the Spanish arm of...

Javier Vives

Legal affairs director Ford Iberia | Ford España

Consumer products

Javier Vives assumed his current position as the legal affairs director of Ford Spain in November 2015, becoming responsible for all legal matters of the business in Portugal. In charge...

João Ferreira Rebelo

Head of legal and compliance | Luz Saúde

Healthcare

João Ferreira Rebelo has spent over 12 years as the head of legal and compliance for Luz Saúde, one of Portugal’s largest healthcare companies that runs a total of 20...

Joaquin Valcarcel Martinez

Head of M&A and group significant litigations | Enel

Energy and utilities

An M&A specialist during a private practice career honed at Spanish firm Garrigues, Joaquin Valcarcel Martinez has deployed his significant expertise in this area for Endesa, when he moved to...

John Rigau

Vice President and general counsel Western Europe | PepsiCo

Food, beverages and tobacco

John Rigau joined PepsiCo in 1992 after initially spending two years at the Barcelona office of Baker McKenzie. After gaining experience in Mexico and the US, Rigau was invited to...

Jorge Muñoz

Assistant general counsel, Southern Europe and Central Eastern Europe | GSK Consumer Healthcare

Healthcare

Jorge Muñoz’s 13-year legal career at multinational pharmaceutical giant GSK can be divided into three periods. He started out as a legal counsel partnering with different business units of the...

Jose Carlos Tejada

General counsel | Natixis – Sucursal en España

Financials

Jose Carlos Tejada first joined the Spanish branch office of Natixis, the second largest banking group in France with 35 million clients spread over two retail banking networks, in August...

José Manuel García-Alfonso Martitegui

General counsel – legal & HR director | Air Miles España - Travel Club

Transport and infrastructure

José Manuel García-Alfonso Martitegui has amassed an extensive career at Air Miles España – Travel Club, starting his career at the loyalty programs group in 1996, as head of the...

Joseba Olamendi

General counsel, secretary of the board of directors | Solarpack Corporacion Tecnologica

Energy and utilities

Joseba Olamendi joined Solarpack Corporación Tecnológica in December 2011, after a successful eight year career that saw him practice both at EY Law and Spanish law firm Garrigues. Solarpack Corporación...

Juan Antonio García Fuente

Deputy general secretary, vice secretary of the board and secretary of the audit committee | Siemens Gamesa

Energy and utilities

In April 2017, Siemens Wind Power and Gamesa merged to become a world-leading wind power provider with an enormous global presence. Taking a ‘leading role’ in the €6.2bn valued deal,...

Juan Manuel Sánchez Padrós

Director of legal and regulation | Euskaltel Group

Telecommunication services

Euskaltel Group is a telecoms company which comprises the three main operators in northern Spain: Euskaltel in the Basque country, R in Galicia and Telecable in Asturias. In December 2015,...

Juan Manuel Vales Cortés

Legal director for international business | MAPFRE Asistencia

Financials

With over two decades of service to the MAPFRE group, Juan Manuel Vales Cortés has grown with his years in the company after first joining as a junior lawyer, moving...

Juan Riego Vila

General counsel | Carrefour España

French multinational retail giant Carrefour is served in Spain by experienced general counsel Juan Riego Vila, who calls his move to the in-house realm and having to build a legal...

Juan Verdú Lázaro

General counsel, compliance officer and board secretary | LaFargeHolcim

Materials and mining

Juan Verdú Lázaro is a highly qualified Spanish legal counsel with over 22 years of experience gained primarily in listed Spanish and Swiss multinational companies. Known for his ability to...

Julián Martínez-Simancas Sánchez

General counsel and secretary to the board | Iberdrola

Energy and utilities

General counsel and secretary to the board of Spanish electricity giant Iberdrola, Julián Martínez-Simancas Sánchez not only has a prestigious legal role, but also serves as a key component of...

Leandro Meneses

Deputy legal director | Técnicas Reunidas Group

Energy and utilities

First joining the company over a decade ago, Leandro Meneses is the deputy legal director of Técnicas Reunidas Group, and assists the Spanish-based general contractor in its various services of...

Leonor Pissarra

Chief legal officer and compliance country manager | Novartis Farma – Produtos Farmacêuticos

Healthcare

After spending more than a decade in private practice Leonor Pissarra made her move in-house in September 2011 to join Novartis as legal officer and country compliance head. In the...

Lorena García de Izarra

General counsel, secretary of the board and compliance officer | Cobre las Cruces

Materials and mining

One of the most significant metal mining operations in Europe – it operates the largest open pit copper mine on the continent – Cobre las Cruces relies upon a highly...

Luis Elías

General counsel | Planeta Corporacion

Sports and media

Luis Elías started his career at law firm Garrigues in Madrid, first moving in-house in 1994 as head legal counsel for Europe at Sogo Corporation, subsequently progressing through positions at...

Luís Graça Rodrigues

Regional counsel | Indra Sistemas

Information technology

‘Prior to my arrival in Indra, all legal work regarding the Portuguese subsidiary was outsourced, this means that the biggest change in the legal department was its creation from scratch....

Margarita Minguez

Head of legal | Privalia Group

Consumer products

Assuming the role of head of legal at Privalia Group in November 2017, following a near seven-year tenure at Stock Spirits Group, Margarita Minguez took charge of a team of...

Maria Cristina Ribeiro

Legal and compliance affairs director | Merck Sharp & Dohme

Healthcare

US multinational pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) has been present in Portugal for 45 years and today is the country’s market leader. Maria Cristina Ribeiro has worked in...

María González Ordóñez

Legal director | Google Spain

Information technology

María González Ordóñez joined Google in 2008 and, as legal director since 2014, heads and manages legal teams in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Israel and Sub-Saharan Africa. She gives...

Maria João Maia

Legal manager | AstraZeneca Produtos Farmacêuticos

Healthcare

In June 2017, Maria João Maia assumed her current position as legal manager at the Portuguese arm of multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, where she is accountable for a complete range...

María José López Lorenzo

Legal director | Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LaLiga)

Sports and media

As legal director of LaLiga, the first tier of professional association football in Spain, María José López Lorenzo holds a high-profile role given the global appeal of Spanish football and...

Mariano Lor Fernández-Torija

Head of legal | Ayesa

Industrials and real estate

Mariano Lor Fernández-Torija started his career in private practice, rendering legal services over six years for a French law office in Madrid and Paris. He then moved on to work...

Marta Casas

General counsel and vice secretary general | Abertis Infraestructuras

Industrials and real estate

Marta Casas became general counsel of Abertis in 2001 following a decade-long career in private practice at PwC. Upon joining the Spanish infrastructure giant, Casas instantly had to transition from...

Marta Cruz de Almeida

Head of litigation | Galp Energia

Energy and utilities

Marta Cruz de Almeida has headed the litigation department of the Portuguese utilities giant Galp Energia for almost five years, a period in which she has impressed peers with her...

Marta García Alba

Global legal director | Campofrío Food Group

Food, beverages and tobacco

Prior to joining Campofrío Food Group, Marta García Alba worked in-house for Allied Domecq and Diageo, ultimately operating as regional counsel for Western Europe (Iberia, Greece, Italy and Switzerland) at...

Mercedes Lara

Spain general counsel | Unilever España

Consumer products

Prior to moving in-house in 2001, Mercedes Lara was employed in private practice, working at the trademarks and international patent agency, J. Isern, where she spent a decade advising leading...

Miguel Perea-Milla Herrera

General counsel | Eurodivisas (Global Exchange Group)

Financials

Eurodivisas, a financial entity monitored by the Bank of Spain, is the head of the Global Exchange Group, a global leader in foreign exchange services in airports, with more than...

Miquel Griño Tomás

General counsel | HERA Group

Energy and utilities

Since 2008, Miquel Griño Tomás has served as the general counsel of the HERA Group, a Spanish business dedicated to the waste management and implementation of environmental technologies, with broad...

Mónica Calonje Conde

Claims and legal manager | Hiscox España

Financials

Managing both claims and legal affairs for the Spanish branch of global insurance provider Hiscox, Mónica Calonje Conde is a versatile professional with substantial experience and industry recognition – having...

Mónica Paramés

General counsel | BUPA Europe and Latin America

Healthcare

A professional with an industry-wide reputation for managing legal operations in healthcare, Mónica Paramés has spent a significant fraction of her legal career at the helm of the legal department...

Natalia Bódalo Lozano

Head of legal, exploration and production | CEPSA

Energy and utilities

Having completed her legal education in Germany at Frankfurt’s Goethe University, Natalia Bódalo Lozano initially began her legal career within law firms in the country. This portion of her career...

Nuno Conde

Head of legal affairs | Impresa

Sports and media

Taking an ‘active role’ in the company’s new strategic plans, Nuno Conde is not only a highly-qualified and experienced counsel but a business advisor in the truest sense of the...

Nuno Moraes Bastos

Chief legal and compliance officer | Banco Santander Consumer Portugal

Financials

Banco Santander’s Nuno Moraes Bastos is an exceptional lawyer, highly valued by colleagues for his technical skills and leadership capabilities. Described by peers as a ‘trend setter’ and praised by...

Oscar Casado

Head of legal innovation | Telefonica Digital

Information technology

As the head of legal innovation for Telefónica Digital, Oscar Casado reports to the global director of legal affairs and digital legal transformation and leads support from a legal and...

Oscar Galán Ferro

Law department director | Eiffage Infraestructuras Group

Industrials and real estate

Hired in 2007 after a seven-year period with a La Coruña-based multidisciplinary law firm, Oscar Galán Ferro is legal department director at French multinational Eiffage covering its businesses in Spain...

Oscar Garcia Maceiras

Managing director of legal and corporate development and secretary | Banco Santander

Financials

Oscar Garcia Maceiras has been operating in the upper echelons of the legal profession for many years. State lawyer for A Coruña between 2001 and 2006, he has been a...

Pablo de Carvajal

Group general counsel, public affairs, regulation and responsible business | Telefonica

Telecommunication services

Pablo de Carvajal was appointed secretary general and director of public affairs and regulation of Telefónica Group in 2018. De Carvajal first joined Telefónica in June 2001 and since then...

Paloma Fernández-Montes Moraleda

Senior legal advisor - interim head of legal | 3M Iberia

Industrials and real estate

On the back of an extremely successful private practice career, including being part of the team in charge of opening Gómez-Acebo & Pombo’s brand-new New York office in 2012 (described...

Patrícia Fonseca

Head of the legal department | Novo Banco

Financials

Patrícia Fonseca leads a team of 14 lawyers and three support staff at Novo Banco, a financial institution created in 2014 by the Bank of Portugal to rescue assets and...

Patrícia Mendes

Head of legal and compliance | Volkswagen Financial Services

Financials

Patrícia Mendes was contracted by Volkswagen Financial Services Group to work on the project of establishing a branch of Volkswagen branch in Portugal. This Portuguese branch of the multinational financial...

Paula Carvalho

Head of legal manager | Repsol

Energy and utilities

Repsol is an integrated global energy company based in Spain and carries upstream and downstream activities on a global scale. It has more than 24,000 employees worldwide that serve its...

Paula Viegas

Legal director | Accenture

Commercial and professional services

Paula Viegas joined Accenture as a contract manager in 2008 and subsequently went on to lead the entire contract management legal team in Portugal and Angola between 2012 and 2015,...

Paulo Marinho

Legal manager | Ascendi Portugal

Industrials and real estate

An insurance specialist for his entire career, Paulo Marinho joined Ascendi Portugal in 2001 and was made legal manager in 2003. Since then, he has been ‘involved in international projects’,...

Pedro Ferraz

Head of legal | Grupo Trofa Saúde

Healthcare

As head of legal for hospital group Grupo Trofa Saúde (GTS), Pedro Ferraz is one of Portugal’s most prominent in-house lawyers in the health sector, having achieved a reputation of...

Pedro Filipe Santos

Chief compliance officer | Aon Portugal

Financials

João Ferreira Rebelo has spent over 12 years as the head of legal and compliance for Luz Saúde, one of Portugal’s largest healthcare companies that runs a total of 20...

Pedro Machado

Chief legal counsel | Banco de Portugal

Financials

Pedro Machado currently serves as the chief legal counsel at Banco de Portugal, the central bank of the Portuguese Republic. With a career that spans more than 15 years in...

Pedro Magalhães

General counsel | Corticeira Amorim

Materials and mining

Pedro Magalhães brings a wealth of experience to the in-house legal function of Corticeira Amorim, having been part of the company since 1992; he assumed his current role as general...

Ramón Varela Aldazábal

Head of legal | Sener Grupo de Ingeniería

Industrials and real estate

Ramón Varela Aldazabal was first hired by engineering and technology group SENER Grupo de Ingeniería in 2005. The group accomplishes specific activities related to engineering and construction, with industrial holdings...

Rita Branquinho Lobo

Head of legal affairs | Novabase

Information technology

Presiding over the legal team at the core of the large Portuguese IT solutions provider Novabase since the start of 2017, Rita Branquinho Lobo has been faced with the challenging...

Rita Rendeiro

Head of legal - Portugal | Deutsche Bank Portugal

Financials

After a career working in a variety of private practice and in-house roles, Rita Rendeiro has a track record of serving as a legal adviser within many multinational banks and...

Rui Andrade

Director of legal affairs | Andrade Gutierrez

Industrials and real estate

Rui Andrade has worked at Portuguese construction company Andrade Gutierrez for more than twenty years, a period over which he has established a highly commended legal function which oversees the...

Rui de Oliveira Neves

General counsel | Galp Energia

Energy and utilities

Comprising over 100 businesses with annual revenues in excess of €15bn, the Galp Group is one of Portugal’s largest corporations. Head of legal operations at the prominent energy multinational is...

Rui Manuel da Costa Ramalhal

Head of legal and company secretary | José de Mello Saude

Healthcare

After ten years as a lawyer in two leading Portuguese law firms, Rui Manuel da Costa Ramalhal was invited to be head of the legal department at José de Mello...

Ruth Breitenfeld

Legal manager – trading and bunker | CEPSA

Energy and utilities

Ruth Breitenfeld has operated amongst the upper echelons of the energy sector since the early 1990s. Her first in-house role after leaving a successful period as a private practice lawyer...

Salvador Bautista Enciso

Head of legal and taxes, secretary to the board | Bergé y Cía

Industrials and real estate

Head of legal and secretary to the board of Bergé y Cía – effectively head of all legal and tax services across the entire company and its subsidiaries – since...

Santiago Martínez Garrido

Director of legal services | Iberdrola

Energy and utilities

Based in Bilbao, multinational electric utility Iberdrola earns over €30bn in annual revenues and is an international leader committed to low-emission energies. As the company’s director of legal services, Santiago...

Santiago Sainz de Baranda y Casado

Head of the legal corporate area | Grupo Urbaser

Commercial and professional services

Having worked in-house for over 30 years, Santiago Sainz de Baranda y Casado is widely praised by peers as demonstrated by the quantity and quality of positive testimonials provided by...

Susana Guerrero

Regional counsel Iberia, Europe commercial transformation and global customers | Diageo

Food, beverages and tobacco

Susana Guerrero joined Diageo in 2010, originally as regional counsel for Iberia, and has since expanded her responsibilities to include the company’s Global Customers division – in which she leads...

Tamara Wegmann

Senior vice president compliance and data | NH Hotel Group

Hotels

Tamara Wegmann boasts 16 years’ experience as an international lawyer in both private practice and in-house corporate roles. She joined Spanish based hotel chain, NH Hotel Group, a business that...

Teresa Mota

Head of legal | Bankinter

Financials

Formerly head of legal at Barclays Portugal, Teresa Mota joined Bankinter following a landmark €175m transaction. ‘Mota was part of Barclays and was crucial to the sale process of its...

Teresa Pereira

Head of legal | EDP – Energias de Portugal

Energy and utilities

Teresa Pereira currently serves as head of legal of EDP – Energias de Portugal, which has historically been the major player in the Portuguese markets of electricity distribution, supply and...

Tiago da Mota

Senior counsel, legal and business affairs | FOX Networks Group Portugal

Sports and media

Described as a ‘rising star’ by nominating sources, Tiago da Mota is responsible for providing legal support for the operations of Fox Networks Group in Portugal and Portuguese African countries,...

Tomás López Fernebrand

Senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary | Amadeus IT Group

Information technology

Tomás López Fernebrand’s career at the Spanish travel technology provider Amadeus IT Group dates back to 1988 when he joined the company as senior corporate counsel. Following a subsequent promotion...

Vanessa Santos

Senior corporate counsel | MetLife

Financials

Portugal-based Vanessa Santos has been the head of legal for MetLife Portugal since 2012, advising the multinational insurance company with the provision of what she calls effective legal advice ‘in...

Xavier Pujol Tobeña

Secretary of the board and group general counsel | Grupo PRISA

Sports and media

A Spanish listed group with operations in the education and media sectors, Grupo PRISA has been in the midst of several recent transactions and litigations that have enabled it to...

Although the Iberian nations of Portugal and Spain share some cultural and economic commonalities, they have had quite a divergence in economic environments in the last year. While Portugal is on the brink of its fastest economic expansion for two decades, Spain’s has been rattled by recent domestic political factors.

Despite this, Spain’s growth prospects remain strong, both at European level and globally, this is in part down to the country’s export diversification and its integration within the world’s economy. Part of the uncertainty is due to the domestic political situation in Catalonia, which continues to affect some elements of Spanish economic policy. However banking, tourism and construction in particular are sectors that have experienced a resurgence in activity as part of a wider economic recovery which has seen large companies develop plans to grow both organically and inorganically. For Portugal, economic success has come after relinquishing control from the austerity imposed by the EU and International Monetary Fund between 2011 and 2014. Recent increases in household spending on high value items, a boom in domestic demand and a growth in demand for Portuguese products abroad have both contributed to the strengthening of domestic and foreign businesses in the country.

In-house lawyers of both nations have proven themselves as vital contributors in their organisation’s responses to these fresh developments and opportunities in the market. It is these corporate counsel who have helped their business stay abreast of the ever-changing economic landscape due to their skills and talent that are recognised here.

Andersen Tax & Legal

Andersen Tax & Legal logo

After several years of slow recovery in Europe, our country is at a time of stable growth. Spain closed 2017 with a 3.1% increase in GDP, bringing the total to four years in positive figures and leading growth
in the EU.

Driven by different sectors which are again recovering and by foreign trade that has become a solid pillar of the economy – thanks to the evolution of developing and advanced countries – investment, industrial production and finance are now recovering their dynamism in Spain.

At a time when teams are strengthening, and economic prospects are high, at Andersen Tax & Legal we are proud to have supported the first initiative of this prestigious international guide by The Legal 500 from the very beginning and for the third year running, which recognises the work of in-house lawyers.

The new challenges of the economy require multidisciplinary firms with international capabilities and who are adapted to technological change. These demands on both companies and their accompanying consultants make the success of businesses largely dependent on strong partners.

At Andersen Tax & Legal we share the same passion for a job well done, the concern to improve daily and the effort to expand skills, knowledge and services. We have added teams, retained talent and increased services. We have increased our territorial coverage in Spain over the last year with a new office in Seville in addition to the existing offices in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, as well as a new collaborating firm in Bilbao. Andersen Tax & Legal is the Spanish member firm of Andersen Global, an international association of legally separate, independent member firms, which now has more than 2,500 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 94 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms.

We are in line with all the lawyers represented in the GC Powerlist: Iberia 2018 and are aware that the legal market is constantly changing. In-house lawyers face challenges that require external, specialised and impartial advice, just as lawyers apply their knowledge from a business perspective, with increasing sectoral knowledge.

We are convinced that the pairing of a firm and an in-house lawyer gives an excellent result in terms of in-depth knowledge of both sectors and practice areas and an innovative approach to new projects that improve the company’s market position.

That is why we continue to believe in a relationship that goes beyond the professional, we are committed to a long-term relationship based on trust, the same values and working together to contribute to a success that is always shared. Thus, we share the success achieved with this recognition too and, on behalf of Andersen Tax & Legal, I would like to congratulate all the general counsel included in the GC Powerlist: Iberia 2018.

Iterlegis

Iterlegis logo

For the second year, The Legal 500 directory has launched this initiative to recognise and reward the in-house counsel community in Spain. Iterlegis is again proud and honoured to contribute to it with nominations and sponsorship.

This time, the aim of these awards is to highlight the role of individual in-house legal counsel in Spain. This is a role which is not always appreciated and understood in its different facets in our country – despite the fact that, as I said in my letter last year, it is gaining increasing recognition in this fast moving legal world. Initiatives like the GC Powerlist undoubtedly contribute to reinforce and promote the work of in-house counsel in Spain, and the key role they play in the business world, and I would dare say in society too. For this reason, Iterlegis welcomes once more this opportunity to show our recognition to the in-house legal counsel and encourages its promoters and participants to continue with this initiative in the future.

Throughout my experience and that of the Iterlegis consultants in our day-to-day work searching and placing in-house counsel in Spain, we have learned that today, the work of a good in-house counsel is key for all companies. Looking at large national and international corporations, we have witnessed how in-house counsel are better trained, not only in legal matters and in adapting to new and changing regulations, but also in competencies and abilities (what we call “soft skills”). These skills are perhaps the most difficult ones to acquire, but at the same time essential to succeed as an in-house counsel. We see on a daily basis how the best in-house counsel are those who are true partners to the business, and thus, are no longer considered as a cost centre but as another (and essential) business area of their organisations. This is because they are aligned with their company’s strategy, helping them achieve their commercial and ethical objectives in compliance with applicable law – something that, as one can imagine, is not easy at all.
Today, companies demand well-rounded profiles when they recruit in-house counsel in Spain. Soft skills, such as communication, assertiveness, are essential. As well as a curiosity and interest for their business, and a desire to help their colleagues, their internal client and investors to reach their objectives. They have to turn complex issues into clear and understandable situations, they have to provide out of the box solutions when the legal issue endangers the company’s mission. They have to translate legal analysis into business vocabulary. In many occasions, they are the cogwheel that links the company’s management and the various business units, or the company itself to the public authorities. Rigour, responsibility and responsiveness are qualities required for this, together with good communication skills, an ability to adapt to change (which business is not under change or at least evolution nowadays?), flexibility, and a number of other qualities, which, all together are not easy to find in one individual.

However, the in-house counsel recognised by GC Powerlist represent all of the above. Isn’t it difficult? Well, they do, and this is why these awards are so important, to recognise the GC’s role in Spain, to spur them to continue to perform, and to encourage Spanish lawyers to work in-house and help companies, businesses, and society to contribute to
a better world.

We have nominated in-house counsel who, no doubt, possess all the qualities described above. We have seen how they have been promoted in their organisations, obtaining the recognition they deserve for their contribution to their companies’ goals. Equally important, they have been recognised for their people management abilities, for guiding, training and helping their teams develop and progress.

Congratulations to all of the awarded GCs in this edition of GC Powerlist: Iberia 2018.

PLMJ

PLMJ logo

It is a pleasure for PLMJ to partner again with The Legal 500 and help recognise the hard work of in-house counsel in Portugal and Spain, and the invaluable role they play in helping companies to navigate troubled waters and achieve greater success. For the last 50 years, we have worked in close cooperation with in-house lawyers and witnessed first-hand how much their roles and responsibilities have changed.

General counsel and in-house lawyers now have greater responsibility and play an increasingly strategic role in their organisations. This, combined with the ever greater globalisation of companies, means in-house lawyers have to deal with a growing number of challenges. There has been a visible shift in their role, from a reactive to a much more proactive one: no longer only called on to come to the rescue when problems arise, general counsel are now asked to play an active role in decision-making processes. And all the while, they still have to provide the traditional day-to-day legal assistance and face the added challenge of working in jurisdictions they might not be very familiar with.

Another important challenge is the need to achieve greater levels of efficiency and to use the best available technology. As teams are expected to do more with less, there is added pressure to maximise value. There is also greater scrutiny in deciding which work should be done in-house and which should be done externally. Unsurprisingly, all those challenges also bring golden opportunities for innovation, leadership and decision-making at the highest level.

As the largest Portuguese law firm, PLMJ takes great pride in its business focus and its commitment to working as an extension of our clients’ in-house teams. We understand the challenges faced by the in-house teams and have constantly adapted our services to respond to their needs. Over the last 50 years, we have extended our practice areas, industry expertise and geographic coverage, and we have also adopted the latest technology to make sure we are always ahead of the game.

On our part, all that remains is to say that it is an honour and great pleasure to work closely with so many brilliant professionals. We would like to congratulate not only all the individuals recognised here, but also those not mentioned this time, for all their hard work and for meeting all the challenges head on.

Jones Day Hong Kong Roundtable 2024

The Legal 500 was thrilled to join a selection of top Jones Day partners and a hand-picked group of 15 the most prominent GCs in Hong Kong for a freewheeling and no-holds-barred discussion on geopolitical risk management at a time of global transition. Steve Brogan, managing partner of Jones Day from 2002-2022 flew over to lend his considerable expertise to the discussion, as did Partner-in-Charge Hong Kong Joelle Lau. Joining them to give expert briefings on the topics of the day were partners Peter Wang, Dr Qiang Xue, James Fidler, Samuel Ngo and Charles Chau. The conversation moved from sanctions and counter sanctions, to the increasing pre-eminence of the Asian economy, to the philosophy of the rule of law in times of crisis.