Speakers
Wendy Alcala, Vice President Legal, Compliance, Corporate Affairs and ESG, Nestle Mexico
Wendy Alcalá is Vice President of Legal, Compliance, and Corporate Affairs at Nestlé Group in Mexico, the company’s fourth most important market globally.
She began her career in private practice in Mexico and later worked at a law firm in Washington, D.C. In 1998, she joined Nestlé Mexico’s legal department. Since then, she has held strategic positions both in the region and abroad: in 2003, she was promoted to Regional Counsel for Latin America, later relocating to Nestlé Spain, where she led global negotiations for European markets. Subsequently, from the company’s global headquarters in Switzerland, she oversaw mergers and acquisitions (M&A) operations for Latin America.
Wendy is a graduate of the Escuela Libre de Derecho and has furthered her education at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the International Law Institute, IESE Business School, and London Business School.
She is an active voice in national and international forums, regularly speaking and participating on panels covering topics such as human rights, anti-corruption, sustainability, diversity, and corporate integrity. Her leadership has been recognised by organisations and publications including Forbes, Expansión CNN, Legal 500 GC Powerlist, Foro Jurídico, and the Latin American Women Lawyer Awards, among others.
Outside of work, Wendy enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dog Max, and attending concerts.
Víctor Manuel Frías Garcés, shareholder, GT Law
Victor Manuel Frías focuses his practice on the representation of national and foreign companies doing business in Mexico. He has been recognized as one of Mexico’s leading lawyers in corporate and commercial law, primarily in mergers and acquisitions, and is currently co-coordinator of this practice for the Mexico City office.
Victor Manuel is an experienced attorney in corporate matters, drafting and negotiation of contracts, and regulatory issues of various kinds. In 2017, he closed the largest acquisition in Mexico for over $2.3 billion. As part of his career, he has represented buyers and sellers in a large number of acquisitions and joint venture projects, as well as advised clients on a wide range of corporate matters, including corporate governance and regulatory compliance. Mr. Frías has had significant transactional involvement in numerous industries, including health care, technology, retail, food and agriculture.
Victor Manuel is also co-coordinator of GT Mexico City’s antitrust practice and has been recognized for years as one of the most important lawyers in Mexico in this area. For almost 30 years he has represented clients in numerous investigations and merger notifications. Additionally, he has participated in numerous internal investigations on anti-corruption, antitrust, and data privacy issues, among others, and is co-coordinator of GT Mexico City’s compliance and regulatory affairs practice. Victor Manuel has been a university-level contracts professor for over 15 years.
As part of his international experience, he worked as a foreign associate in Washington, D.C., at one of the most important firms in competition matters in the world.
Victor Manuel is a founding partner and leader of the Pro bono practice in the Mexico City office.
Miguel Flores Bernés, shareholder, GT Law
Miguel Flores Bernés focuses his practice on antitrust and competition issues, assisting domestic and international clients in investigation proceedings relating to alleged anticompetitive conduct, concentrations, and defense strategies before specialized antitrust courts.
He has assisted clients in the competition clearance of transactions by the Mexican competition authorities, such as the Federal Competition Commission (Comisión Federal de Competencia Económica – COFECE) and Federal Telecommunications Institute (Instituto Federal de las Telecomunicaciones – IFT). Likewise, he represents economic agents in i) proceedings for the investigation of alleged anticompetitive conduct (cartels, abuse of dominance, and unlawful concentrations), including fine reduction programs (leniency and early closure of a probe with commitments); and ii) proceedings related to barriers to competition, essential inputs, and declarations of lack of effective competition.
Miguel’s experience also encompasses the development and implementation of defense strategies before specialized competition courts, and compliance advice to mitigate and prevent risks of violating competition law, including internal investigations for companies in various industries including transportation, health, energy, specialized services, manufacturing, financial services, and agriculture, among others.
Prior to joining the firm, he was a commissioner in the Federal Competition Commission (2006-2013), and before that, he acted as economic legal advisor in the office of the President of Mexico.
Previously, he focused his practice in the cost-benefit analysis of economic regulation at the Mexican Ministry of Economy. He also acquired deep experience in negotiation and international affairs by being part of the group of lawyers that negotiated free trade agreements and bilateral investment treaties with the European Union, Japan, Singapore, Israel, Chile, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Iceland, Sweden, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, and Switzerland, and in different international organizations such as the World Trade Organization and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Alejandro Legaspi Lanz, partner, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez
Throughout his career, Mr. Legaspi has successfully represented individuals and corporations in highly complex and high-risk litigation for his clients, focusing mainly on areas such as bankruptcy, financial, banking and insurance law. He regularly advises national and international financial institutions and insurance companies; he has also participated in litigation claims related to damages to his clients, involving both economic and moral liability.
Alejandro has advised several credit institutions in the most relevant bankruptcy proceedings in recent years, obtaining satisfactory results in each one of them. He has worked closely with teams of restructuring specialists in the design of efficient processes that generate favorable scenarios for all the parties involved. In addition, he has defended the interests of companies subject to restructuring, standing out for his participation in the ‘Structure and Recovery of Support to Mexicana de Aviación in Commercial Bankruptcy’, which was recognized directly by Bancomext and Nafin.
His main clients include financial institutions and insurance companies, both national and international.
He is a member of the International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL). Additionally, Alejandro has published several articles including: “Chapter on Mexico: Panorama – Restructuring and Insolvency” (2025) edited by GTDT- Lexology, “Chapter on Mexico: Market Intelligence on Restructuring and Insolvency” (2021, 2022, 2023) edited by GTDT- Lexology, “Chapter on Mexico: Doing Business – Insolvency Resolution” (2021 and 2022) edited by the World Bank Group and ‘Chapter on Mexico on Restructuring and Insolvency’ edited by the International Lawyers Network (ILN).
Mr. Legaspi obtained his law degree (JD) from Universidad Anahuac del Norte in 2008.
His native language is Spanish, and he is proficient in English.
Javier Altamirano Hernández, partner, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez
Mr. Altamirano represents a variety of individuals and corporations in complex and high-stakes litigation and proceedings before Mexican courts and various governmental bodies, both at the local and federal level. Among others, he regularly advises financial and credit institutions, insurance companies, construction companies and real estate developers, among others.
Javier advises his clients in the preparation of potential disputes and in the implementation of strategies to prevent legal controversies, mitigate risks and possible contingencies, which allows them to maintain the operation of their businesses on an ongoing basis.
In addition, he has in-depth knowledge in procedural, bankruptcy, financial, banking, fiduciary, insurance, corporate, real estate and family law.
Mr. Altamirano obtained his law degree (JD) from Universidad Anáhuac in 1999, with Honors.
His native language is Spanish, and he is proficient in English.
Daniel Ortega González, partner, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez
Mr. Ortega has a solid background in sophisticated litigation, which has allowed him to acquire a high degree of experience in the prevention of legal contingencies. He implements effective strategies that allow clients to obtain successful results, favoring the operation of their businesses. He has represented clients in highly complex banking, financial, bankruptcy, real estate and insurance disputes.
Daniel regularly advises banks, financial institutions and insurance companies in complex matters, providing strategic and effective legal solutions.
Mr. Ortega obtained his law degree (JD) from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana in 1995.
He has collaborated in the magazine In-House Lawyer.
His native language is Spanish, and he is proficient in English.
Luis Miguel Ramírez Ruggeberg, managing partner, LHO
Luis Miguel Ramírez Ruggeberg is a globally trained attorney with studies at Harvard, IE, and William & Mary, and the visionary Managing Partner of LHO, a law firm recognized by Legal500 for pioneering sustainable and tech-enabled legal services. He has spearheaded complex energy, infrastructure, and environmental projects across four continents, combining legal precision with a deep understanding of social and regulatory ecosystems.
As a Legal500 Green Ambassador in Mexico, Luis Miguel is a vocal advocate for ethical business and climate-aligned compliance. He chairs the Legal Group and serves as Vice President of the Infrastructure Group at the British Chamber of Commerce in Mexico, while also acting as Secretary of the Sustainability Commission at the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. In 2025, he was awarded the Environmental Merit Award by the Congress of Morelos for his leadership in Mexico’s first ecozone. His rare ability to connect global legal frameworks with the realities on the ground—from EU directives to union negotiations in remote regions—positions him as a strategic bridge between regulatory ambition and business resilience.
Adrián Ulises Salazar Montesinos, partner, criminal & compliance practice, LHO
Adrián Salazar Montesinos is one of Mexico’s most respected legal minds in corporate criminal law and compliance strategy. With over 20 years of frontline experience, he has built a career advising Fortune 500 companies and defending against high-stakes legal exposure in a shifting criminal and regulatory landscape. He holds a law degree from UNAM, postgraduate studies in Adversarial Criminal Law, Corporate Responsibility, and Compliance, and is certified as a Lead Auditor under ISO 37301 and ISO 37001 by AENOR, distinguishing him as one of the few Mexican practitioners integrating global compliance standards with legal defense.
Adrián has advised global players such as Citigroup, Procter & Gamble, Iberdrola, Acciona, and Banamex, providing legal strategies that blend courtroom expertise with corporate governance insight. A natural educator, he has been a guest lecturer at INACIPE, Universidad Panamericana, and La Salle, and a sought-after speaker at forums hosted by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Mexico. At LHO, he leads the Criminal and Compliance Practice, helping companies navigate the growing weight of corporate criminal liability, anti-bribery enforcement, and extraterritorial legal pressure—all while promoting a model of justice rooted in ethics, transparency, and resilience.
José Alberto Sánchez, partner, Ferran Martínez Abogados
Partner at Ferran Martínez Abogados.
José Alberto Sánchez Medina holds a Law degree from Universidad Iberoamericana and a Master’s in Anti-Corruption from Universidad Panamericana.
He has extensive experience advising and representing both national and international companies in labor matters, with a focus on consulting, litigation, and addressing labor inspections conducted by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.
Additionally, he provides counsel on collective bargaining negotiations with unions, delivering practical and effective solutions to resolve labor disputes.
His professional practice also encompasses drafting internal labor regulations, managing plant closures, handling high-risk employment terminations, and offering training on regulatory compliance.
In the academic arena, José Alberto teaches Collective Labor Law at Universidad Panamericana and has been actively involved in training judges across various states in Mexico on the implementation of the 2019 labor reform. He has also taught labor law courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels at prestigious institutions.
He has contributed as an author and editor to numerous books, articles, and academic essays on labor law, solidifying his standing as a leading authority in the field.
Education: Bachelor’s in Law, Universidad Iberoamericana, Master’s in Anti-Corruption, Universidad Panamericana.
Carlos Ferran Martínez Carrillo, partner, Ferran Martínez Abogados
Carlos Ferran Martínez Carrillo is a distinguished lawyer and a leading figure in the field of employment law, recognised for his expertise in providing strategic advice to both national and international companies.
In 2019, he founded Ferran Martínez Abogados, a boutique law firm that has become a benchmark in regulatory compliance and labour risk mitigation in Mexico.
Throughout his career, Carlos has advised multinational companies on critical areas such as complex litigation, workforce restructuring, collective bargaining, and regulatory compliance. His preventative approach and ability to handle high-risk situations have earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts in the field.
Carlos graduated with honours from Universidad Iberoamericana. He went on to become the first lawyer in the history of the Escuela Libre de Derecho to obtain a Master’s degree in Employment Law, and later earned a Doctorate in Law from the same institution. His academic contributions include serving as a guest lecturer at various universities and as a columnist for El Economista. He is also co-author of key legal texts and currently serves as President of the National Compliance Commission (CONACOM). He has trained labour judges in several Mexican states, playing a pivotal role in the implementation of the 2019 labour reform.
He is co-author and editor of several major works in the field of labour law, including Visiones del Nuevo Derecho Laboral, Derechos Laborales Fundamentales, and Ley Federal del Trabajo Comentada. In addition to presiding over CONACOM, he also leads the Labour Law Commission at the Illustrious and National Bar Association of Mexico.
His leadership and excellence have been recognised by leading international legal rankings such as Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, Leaders League, and Latin Lawyer, positioning him as one of the most influential figures in employment law in Mexico.
Ximena Aguirre, expert counsel, LA region, Dow
Ximena Aguirre has worked at Dow Química Mexicana for more than 7 years, and is currently an Expert Counsel.
Ximena manages the Legal team in Mexico and Andean Regions and is part of the North Leadership Team. She is responsible for litigation (civil, criminal, labor), commercial law, corporate governance, advice on international trade, ethics & compliance (anti-bribery, Fraud, internal investigations), regulatory and environmental matters (for two plants in México, and oversee of the Colombia operation too). Last year she led for some time the sale of the laminated adhesives business which had plants in India, Italy, US and México and then continued to oversee just the México part. She is passionate for inclusion and diversity and is an active member of the employee resource groups.
Prior to working at Dow, Ximena worked 6 years as a Legal Manager in Monsanto overseeing commercial, regulatory, litigation, environmental, antitrust and other matters. She studied Law in the Universidad Iberoamericana, and holds a Master in Science in Environmental Policy and Regulation by the London School of Economics. She also worked as an Environmental lawyer in Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enriquez.
Ximena lives in Mexico City.
Paulina Trujillo, legal director, Volvo Cars Mexico, LATAM Importers
I am the Legal Director for Volvo Cars Mexico and LATAM Importers.
I hold a law degree from the Faculty of Law at UNAM, a specialisation in Amparo from Universidad Panamericana, an LLM from The George Washington University, and an MBA from IPADE Business School. I have 15 years of professional experience, starting out at law firms and later moving into in-house legal roles. I currently serve as the Legal Director for Volvo Cars Mexico and LATAM Importers.
José Manuel Haro Zepeda, head of the investigative authority, COFECE
José Manuel holds a degree in Economics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and a Master’s degree in Economics from the Centre for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE). He has experience in the fields of competition economics, econometrics, industrial organisation, and the energy sector. He is currently serving as Head of the Investigative Authority at the Federal Economic Competition Commission (Cofece).
José Manuel Haro joined the now-defunct Federal Competition Commission in 2010 and has held various positions since then. Additionally, he served as Director General of Markets in the Liquefied Gas Unit at the Energy Regulatory Commission.
In academia, he teaches Econometrics and Mathematics at the Faculty of Economics at UNAM.