Event information
The Legal 500’s GC Summit Colombia invites the best in-house counsel and GCs from Colombia’s most prominent companies to discuss their changing roles as in-house leaders and the challenges, issues, and opportunities they are facing in 2022 and beyond. Between comprehensive panel discussions and the opportunity to meet and engage with fellow in-house counsel, The Legal 500’s GC Summit Colombia promises to be a practical and forward-looking event, bringing together the country’s top legal minds.
Agenda
1.30pm Registration
2.00pm Opening remarks
Fred Mazo, global conference producer, The Legal 500
2.10pm Sustainable finance in Colombia: regulatory and market trends
As the worldwide climate crisis becomes an increasing concern, Colombia is leading the path for climate action in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2020, the country carried out its update of the NDC seeking to achieve 51% of the reductions in GHG emissions by 2030, as well as the elaboration of a series of policies and strategies that support this ambitious plan, such as the Framework Convention on Biological Diversity, the National Development Plan, the Green Growth Policy, the National Climate Change Policy, among others. This panel will discuss the key role that the financial sector holds in funding and bringing awareness to issues of sustainability.
- What regulatory and market trends are coming into play in the Colombian market?
- Why should Colombian companies identify, evaluate and manage risks and business opportunities associated with sustainable financing?
- Where is Colombia headed in terms of sustainability?
Speakers
Camilo Gantiva Hidalgo, partner, Holland & Knight
Maria Juliana Saa, partner, Holland & Knight
Diego Romero Alvarez, capital markets manager, Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional
Natalia Alarcón Bernal, head of CIB legal Colombia/secretary general, BNP Paribas
This session is sponsored by Holland & Knight.
3.05pm US investigations targeting business crime in Latin America: what companies should know
The United States has increased its initiatives to fight corruption, money laundering and human trafficking in Latin America. This includes the creation of special task forces to increase investigations, prosecutions, and assets recoveries relating to criminal activity in the region. Against this backdrop, and based on an enforcement framework set forth by the Foreign Corruption Practice Act, the Anti-Money Laundering Act, and the Global Magnitsky Act, the panel will discuss the following topics:
- What is the potential impact of the US initiatives targeting criminal activity in companies and financial institutions in Colombia?
- Should companies in Colombia be concerned about complying with US laws and regulations against corruption, money laundering, and sanctions evasion?
- Can businesses in Colombia be affected by transnational crime? To what extent?
- Is it beneficial for businesses in Colombia to communicate with US law enforcement and regulators regarding suspicious/criminal activities?
Speakers
Marcela Blanco, partner, Head, Diaz Reus
Javier Coronado, partner, Diaz Reus
Alexander Morales, investigator and business intelligence consultant, Diaz Reus
Hector Garcia, head of compliance and data privacy center LATAM and Canada, Bayer
José Andueza, analyst, Federal Bureau of Investigation
This session is sponsored by Diaz Reus.
3.55pm Coffee Break
4.10pm Antitrust and unfair competition: risks and opportunities for companies operating in Colombia
Since 2010, Colombian laws protecting the domestic markets against unfair competition have been applied across the board to all private and foreign companies operating in the country. These companies seek to prepare to face the risks that arise in terms of competitiveness.
These experts in international markets will discuss the new legal frameworks that apply to unfair competition and the influence that these legal structures have on the digital era. Panellists will give their professional opinion on the response mechanisms created to safeguard the free market and explore how legal counsel, In-house lawyers and general counsel can adopt these new controls successfully and how they can blend disruptive technologies into their work more effectively to protect their company’s interests.
- Navigating the intersection between competition protection rules, consumer protection and public procurement.
- Discover the best strategies for risk mitigation and how to implement them in your operations to guarantee access to fair and equal conditions in national and international markets.
- Find out how legal counsel adopts competitive market strategies and standards in their companies to benefit their employees, the products and services in the local and international market.
Moderator: Enrique Alvarez Posada, partner, Lloreda Camacho
Andres Barreto Gonzalez, Superintendent of Industry and Commerce
Dario Cadena, partner, Lloreda Camacho
Carolina Barragán M, legal and compliance director, Roche
Sheilla Namen Chavarro, general counsel/legal and corporate affairs manager, Biomax SA
This session is sponsored by Lloreda Camacho & Co.
5.05pm The challenges of taking on ESG initiatives – and is your company ready for them?
The panel aims to draw attention to how environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues are treated and processed today, focusing on the experiences of companies that have been successfully navigating the path towards corporate sustainability. We intend to draw attention to the importance of effectively managing ESG issues from a participatory corporate governance approach that allows companies to identify their impact and stakeholders, define plans, programs, and strategies, and effectively communicate their achievements and challenges. We aim to do this while considering the application of sustainable business models and stakeholder capitalism. We will also open the debate, alongside our panellists and attendees, on the importance and role of GCs in consolidating the culture of sustainability and its effective management within organisations.
Speakers
Guillermo Tejeiro, director, Brigard Urrutia
Juliana Suso Jaramillo, vice-president of institutional relations, ISA
Ana Milena Muñoz Roldan, vice president of sustainability and circular economy, Carvajal SA
Mariana Escobar, head of sustainable finance, Financial Superintendence of Colombia
María Mercedes Barrera Tobar, manager of corporate citizenship, Grupo SURA; executive director, Fundación SURA
This session is sponsored by Brigard Urrutia.
5.55pm Closing remarks
6.00pm Drinks and canapés
Speakers
Camilo Gantiva Hidalgo, partner, Holland & Knight
Camilo Gantiva Hidalgo is a business attorney in Holland & Knight’s Bogotá office. Mr Gantiva Hidalgo focuses his practice on all aspects of capital markets transactions as well as a variety of banking and financial regulatory and compliance issues.
Mr Gantiva Hidalgo advises clients on a wide range of matters, including initial public offerings (IPOs), offering of securities, securitizations, the incorporation and operation of financial institutions, private equity funds, derivatives, financial technology (FinTech) and green and sustainable finance.
Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr Gantiva Hidalgo was an attorney at an international legal and tax services firm in its Bogotá office. He also worked at a multinational company engaged in the energy generation industry.
In addition to his legal practice, Mr Gantiva Hidalgo serves as a professor of capital markets and securities regulation at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and of capital markets and trusts at Universidad del Rosario.
Guillermo Tejeiro, director, Brigard Urrutia
Director of the environment and sustainable business team and co-leader of the Brigard Urrutia’s ESG and impact team, with more than 15 years of experience as legal advisor, researcher and speaker on matters related to environmental law, renewable energy law and sustainability . He has held positions in NGOs, research institutes and law firms in Europe and Latin America.
Provides legal advice to national and international clients on matters related to the sustainability of projects, works and activities, including the representation of clients in litigation and environmental sanctioning investigations, the development of socio-environmental due diligence, processing environmental administrative authorisations before the environmental authorities, obtaining environmental tax benefits, counselling on ethnic-differential law and structuring sustainable projects and green businesses, with a focus on impact investment and ESG criteria, among others.
Javier Coronado, partner, Diaz Reus
Javier Coronado is a bilingual litigator skillful in advocating cases, conducting parallel investigations, advising litigation strategies, and negotiating resolutions in complex, high-stakes criminal and civil disputes. He brings legal experience in US and Colombia to his practice, which includes international litigation in the areas of white collar-crime and government investigations.
Mr Coronado counsels and represents individuals and corporations in matters involving criminal law, domestic and foreign corruption, tax evasion, anti-money laundering laws, OFAC Sanctions, and financial fraud. He also advises clients in business transactions, corporate governance, and entity formation, particularly, in securing the client’s compliance with international, US and Colombian legal standards, regulations, and best practices.
He is also experienced in handling constitutional and human rights litigation, including disputes before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
Apart from being a skilled transnational and bicultural litigator, Mr Coronado is a noteworthy scholar in the areas of criminal law and procedure. He regularly serves as an adjunct professor at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Law School in related courses, and writes articles and comments in the same fields for various law journals and widely publicised newsletters such as The Interamerican Dialogue and Latin Counsel.
Marcela Blanco, partner, Head of Diaz Reus Bogota
Multifaceted bilingual international attorney, licensed to practice in both the US and Colombia, Marcela Cristina Blanco is knowledgeable and experienced in international business transactions and cross-border disputes.
Fluent in Spanish and English, Ms Blanco counsels corporate clients in governance, entity formation, and relevant local and international jurisdictional regulations and heads the Diaz Reus Bogotá office. She is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (ACAMS).
Experienced in partnership transactions, shareholder meetings, customs issues, and legal research, Ms Blanco is skilled in drafting commercial contracts such as supply, service, sales, distribution, licensing, and inter-company agreements.
She is also a skilled adviser and negotiator in international contract disputes and represents Diaz Reus clients in international and domestic litigation and arbitration in Colombia and the US.
Alexander Morales, investigator and business intelligence consultant, Diaz Reus
Alex Morales is a retired FBI Special Agent with extensive experience conducting highly complex and high profile domestic and international investigations targeting public corruption, money laundering, and transnational criminal enterprises, among others. Knowledgeable in cyber, intellectual property, copyright and criminal enterprise issues, Mr Morales managed domestic and international vetted task force teams and has been recognised for his achievements by the FBI and international law enforcement partners. He is a certified fraud examiner, certified FBI crisis negotiator, and FBI instructional development certified. Alex Morales received the FBI Director’s Award and other accolades granted by local and international partners. He is fluent in Spanish and has served the FBI in various overseas posts on a permanent and temporary basis.
Maria Juliana Saa Hoyos
Maria Juliana Saa Hoyos is an attorney in Holland & Knight’s Bogotá office. Ms Saa Hoyos focuses her practice on the areas of corporate services, financial law, capital markets, bank investment and commercial law.
Ms Saa Hoyos is involved in important project finance and structured finance transactions in Colombia and focuses primarily in energy and infrastructure areas. She has extensive experience in drafting, negotiating and reviewing financing agreements as well as project documents to develop and finance infrastructure and energy projects in Latin America.
Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms Saa Hoyos practiced as an associate in a law firm in Colombia and as a legal director for a brokerage firm.
Andres Barreto Gonzalez, Superintendent of Industry and Commerce
Mr Barreto has been the Superintendent of Industry and Commerce of Colombia since September 2018. Mr Barreto is a lawyer from the Universidad del Rosario, specialising in administrative law from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Specialist and Master in International Affairs and International Politics from the Universidad Externado de Colombia, in conjunction with Columbia University (USA) and SciencesPo (France). Mr Barreto also has a Master’s in International Legal Studies from the University of Barcelona (Spain).
Before his appointment, he worked as an associate attorney at the firm Moncada Abogados, consulting attorney in the Capital District, was a professor of law, political science, and international relations, as well as programmatic, legal, and treasurer director of the Iván Duque 2018 presidential campaign.
In the private sector, he was a legal manager of engineering, service and entertainment companies and a lawyer at the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce. In the public sector, he served as Delegate Personero in the Capital District, senatorial adviser in the Congress of the Republic, a lawyer in the Presidency of the Republic, District Director of International Relations of the Mayor’s Office of Bogotá, as well as legal adviser, co-ordinator of privileges and immunities, co-ordinator of legal concepts and extraditions, and Legal Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He is a member of the Colombian Academy of International Law (ACCOLDI), the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Colombian College of Jurists, of which he is also its secretary-general.
Enrique Alvarez Posada, partner, Lloreda Camacho
Enrique has been a partner of the firm since 2001 and is the director of the departments of competition and consumer protection, labour law, social security and immigration, data protection and privacy, and exchange law. In addition, he is the co-head of the life science practice.
Before joining Lloreda Camacho & Co (1996 as senior associate), Enrique was vice president of the legal department at the National Business Association of Colombia – ANDI. He has over 30 years of experience in corporate law, competition, foreign investment, labour law, mergers and acquisitions, privatisations, joint ventures and regulatory affairs. Enrique was a member of the first National Council of Social Security in Health, which issued the norms that structured the current health system by the Law 100 of 1993. He is also an adviser to the Association of Pharmaceutical Laboratories in Research and Development (AFIDRO) and several pharmaceutical companies, mainly in regulatory and competition matters. In addition, Enrique is currently an International Bar Association (IBA) officer on the life sciences committee.
Darío Cadena, partner, Lloreda Camacho
Darío joined Lloreda Camacho in 2014; currently, he is a partner in the competition and consumer law practice. He is a lawyer from the Universidad de Los Andes and has a master’s in law (LLM) from the University of California, Berkeley. He has been admitted to practice in New York State since 2009.
He has extensive experience in economic law, consumer law and competition law. On this subject, he has several publications and conferences in Colombia and abroad. In addition, he has participated in administrative and judicial proceedings before the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce in the framework of investigations for restrictive practices of competition, unfair competition and consumer complaint processes.
Natalia Alarcón Bernal, head of CIB legal Colombia/secretary general, BNP Paribas
Since returning to Colombia in 2012 after a fourteen-month spell working for the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, Natalia Alarcon Bernal has excelled in the financial sector. Now at French leading multinational bank BNP Paribas, she is currently corporate secretary and head of legal for all of BNP’s CIB (Corporate and Institutional Banking) entities in Colombia. Despite only being in the role, and company for that matter, since October 2017, Alarcon has already added value by building the legal area from the ground up: ‘I have built an area with the focus on managing the legal risk while supporting the business on their day-to-day transactions’, she states. She also says that assuming the managerial role at BNP Paribas Colombia has also given her ‘the opportunity to break down gender and age-related stereotypes, making me feel proud and empowered in one of the most important financial institutions’. Prior to BNP, Alarcon spent three and a half years in the CIB and Treasury area of BBVA Colombia where she led on the legal aspects of the company’s international bond issuance for US$400m. She highlights that the experience there, ‘exposed [her] to the inner workings of a large bank, taught that an open doors approach is the best way to lead a legal department and the importance of knowing the business to be able to provide suitable legal advice’. Alarcon had also impressed employers prior to BBVA when she spent two years in the International and Treasury Division at Banco de Bogota between 2012 and 2014.
Carolina Barragán M, legal and compliance director, Roche
Carolina Barragán Merchán is a business integrity chapter lead and the chief compliance officer at Roche Colombia. Carolina has more than 15 years of experience as an in-house lawyer in different industries such as energy, health services, construction and pharmaceutical. She has developed skills in drafting, negotiating, and reviewing various agreements like distribution, supply and service. In addition, Carolina has held positions as a legal adviser in Andean countries and has participated in reorganisations. She has also advised in the establishment of compliance departments and in developing a culture of integrity.
Hector Garcia, head of compliance and data privacy center LATAM and Canada, Bayer
Hector Garcia is a lawyer and holds a masters in international business from the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain. Over the last 12 years, he has led Bayer’s legal and compliance departments. Since 2019, he has led the newly created and innovative compliance and data privacy hub to provide support on compliance and data privacy topics and conduct compliance investigations for LATAM and Canada. Hector is also a professor on compliance for the pharma sector in the masters programme in compliance and risk management at the Aden Business School.
José Andueza, analyst, Federal Bureau of Investigation
José Andueza is an FBI analyst working as an attaché at the United States Embassy in Bogotá. He joined the agency in 2010 and has supported drug trafficking, money laundering, gang, white collar, and public corruption investigations throughout his career. Before arriving in Bogotá, he was in the FBI office in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Juliana Suso Jaramillo, vice-president of institutional relations, ISA
Juliana has a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing from the Methodist University of North Carolina.
Juliana has more than 20 years of experience in leadership roles in multinational companies in the US and Europe, both in commercial and marketing functions, as well as in communications, corporate affairs and public policy advocacy. In 1995, she served as marketing co-ordinator for Colombia and Ecuador at Merck Colombia SA. Juliana spent three years in the United States in northern California, where she completed her undergraduate degree in administration and at the same time served as marketing co-ordinator for the same university. Upon her return to Colombia, Juliana joined Bayer SA, where she held various positions such as new product manager, product manager, line coordinator and regional brand manager. In 2003, she joined WYETH INC, where she held the positions of commercial director of the paediatric unit, business manager, and women’s health products manager. She later joined Pfizer Ltd as general manager for Colombia, and later lead Ecuador. In 2011 she was manager of Tour Vacation Group, and during the period 2013-2014, she was chief of staff and strategic director for the office of the high presidential adviser for the regions during the government of President Juan Manuel Santos. After this period, Juliana served as a senior corporate affairs and communications leader at AMGEN INC. Finally, before assuming the vice presidency of institutional relations at ISA, she was the vice president of institutional relations and external affairs at United Health Group. Additionally, in 2019 Juliana was called by President Ivan Duque and Vice President Marta Lucia Ramirez to be part of the presidential advisory council of Colombian companies, which works to guarantee the participation of women in economic matters of relevance to the country.
Sheilla Namen Chavarro, general counsel/legal and corporate affairs manager, Biomax SA
Sheilla is a corporate lawyer who graduated from Universidad Externado de Colombia, has a master’s in international business from the University of Sydney, and specialised in financial legislation at Universidad de los Andes, as well as in other executive studies in strategic management, leadership and high government. She is a strategic leader in legal, corporate and compliance matters, with solid experience in communications, public affairs, sustainability, external relations and on boards of directors. Sheilla has more than 22 years of experience in senior management positions in different sectors (financial, energy, oil and gas, and massive consumption) within top-tier companies with various shareholding models, like AIG, ISAGEN, and Gas Natural Fenosa (today Vanti), Levapan and Biomax.
Ana Milena Muñoz Roldan, vice president of sustainability and circular economy, Carvajal SA
Ana Milena is a systems engineer from ICESI University, with a master’s degree in human resources management from the University of Barcelona, Spain’s INALDE Senior Management Program. She has worked with the Carvajal organisation for 33 years; she has more than 20 years of experience in organisational development processes. In addition, she has been leading the vice presidency of sustainability and circular economy at Carvajal for two years.
Mariana Escobar, head of sustainable finance, Financial Superintendence of Colombia
With more than 12 years of experience, Mariana Escobar’s work has focused on financial inclusion and sustainable banking issues. She served as a public policy advisor to the director of the Department of Social Prosperity and deputy director at the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies, where she supported financial inclusion initiatives and the development of fintech in Colombia. Mariana was also sustainability manager of Citibank Colombia, representative of the Citi Foundation in the country, and senior consultant at BSD Consulting, where she designed sustainability strategies for private sector companies, including banks and insurance companies. Mariana is an international studies professional from Bentley University (Boston) and has a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University (New York).
María Mercedes Barrera Tobar, manager of corporate citizenship, Grupo SURA; executive director, Fundación SURA
María Mercedes Barrera Tobar is a business administrator from EAFIT University (Medellín, Colombia), specialising in marketing. She also completed the global entrepreneurship leadership symposium programme at Berkeley University (California, United States) and was certified as a Kauffman Foundation facilitator in entrepreneurship programme training. Since June 2018, she has served as corporate responsibility manager of Grupo SURA and executive director of Fundación SURA in Colombia. She leads the strategic orientation of the sustainability actions of the business group, as well as the implementation of investment lines of the foundation in quality of education, cultural promotion, citizenship and democratic construction, and corporate volunteering. Her experience has focused on the direction of social organisations, business development programmes and promotion of competitiveness, development of inter-institutional alliances and obtaining co-financing resources. In addition, she has extensive knowledge in support processes for innovation, sustainable development and the strengthening of enterprises. Between October 2016 and June 2018, she directed the Knowledge Unit Corporation, a think tank for senior management and leaders with high potential companies linked to the Argos, Nutresa, Bancolombia and SURA groups. Previously, she led the Ventures Corporation for seven years, a non-profit organisation promoting high-impact entrepreneurship in Colombia. In addition, she was a consultant for the Entrepreneurship Center of the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce.
Diego Romero Alvarez, capital markets manager, Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional
Diego has a master’s in banking and finance from USI Università Della Svizzera Italiana. He has more than ten years of experience in developing financial products and opening new markets. Developer of futures on stocks, futures of TES of specific reference, future of IPC, swap of IBR. Passionate about innovation and developing products that impact the country’s growth.
In association with...
Lloreda Camacho & Co is an innovative law firm that has accompanied its clients for more than 80 years in building successful legal strategies.
The firm is driven by a desire to be at the forefront with cutting edge service and technology. It offers a comprehensive portfolio of areas of expertise in order for clients to find their complete legal advice in one place.
Lloreda is capable of working comprehensively in diverse industries and committed to offer the best legal counsel in Colombia. The team is comprised of over 150 individuals offering a 24/7 service experience.
Diaz Reus International Law Firm operates on five continents, across 33 offices in key business centres, offering a global practice centered around national and transnational parallel proceedings and transactions in the following broad areas: sovereign immunity, trade, commerce, finance, and fraud; civil litigation and arbitration; asset identification, location, tracing and recovery; crypto currency; cybersecurity; governance and compliance; white-collar crime, regulatory and criminal investigations, and defense in matters of corruption, bribery, anti-money laundering, OFAC, CAATSA, Specially Designated Nationals, the Magnitsky Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, and politically sensitive investigations including the recovery of US immigration status and visas. The firm is headquartered in Miami, Florida.
Brigard Urrutia has more than 85 years of experience, it is the leading law firm in Colombia and one of the most prestigious in the region. Brigard Urrutia provides legal advice and assistance in all areas of business law and representation in a wide range of matters, including transactional and non-transactional advice, litigation and dispute resolution. In addition, it has experience as a service provider for important national and international clients. The firm frequently advises on complex cross-border matters, and its lawyers have participated in several pioneering transactions in Colombia.
Additionally, the firm offers its clients privileged access to leading law firms in most countries through global networks. These networks allow Brigard Urrutia to be at the forefront of best practices and global trends in the field of legal service provision, taking advantage of the experience of its colleagues in other jurisdictions.
Holland & Knight is a global law firm with approximately 1,700 lawyers and other professionals in 32 offices throughout the world. The firm’s lawyers provide representation in litigation, business, real estate and governmental law. Interdisciplinary practice groups and industry-based teams provide clients with efficient access to attorneys throughout the firm.
The firm is organised into four practice sections – litigation, government, business and real estate. Through integrated practice groups and industry-based teams, we can provide efficient and responsive legal representation anywhere in the world. We serve you based on your needs, not merely location. Our interdisciplinary approach ensures that you have access to the lawyers with the most appropriate experience.
Aguilar Castillo Love is the first homegrown, full-service, regional Latin American law firm with more than 60 lawyers working across Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Paraguay. Through legitimacy, cross-border business insight and forward-thinking legal expertise, we provide security for our clients on highly complex and critical matters. We place priority on the quality of our practice, the nature of its work and the value of our relationships. We are instruments for business integrity through the law.