Event information
The Green Summit Mexico 2022 marks our first Latin America-based event associated with our new Global Green Guide and will bring together leading practitioners and in-house counsel from across the country and region to discuss the legal sector’s engagement with a green transition. Panel discussions will address how to manage ESG reputational risks and crisis management, and the role of GCs when it comes to sustainable practice and strategy.
In the first panel, attendees will hear about how ESG reputational risks differ from managing legal risks. In the second panel, speakers will explore the role of lawyers in promoting sustainability and the most imminent issues that must be tackled. Discussions will centre around best practices as well as obstacles and challenges in achieving sustainability.
The event promises not only high-profile speakers but also plenty of time for debate and discussion on one of the most important concerns of this century, and networking drinks to end the day.
Agenda
4.00pm: Registration and guests arrive
4.45pm: Welcome address and opening remarks
- Anna Baubock, editor, The Legal 500 Global Green Guide
- Guillermo Perez Santiago, partner, Galicia Abogados S.C.
5.00pm: Managing reputational risks and crisis management – ESG
Moderator:
Alvaro Vértiz – COO at BLACKROCK
Panelists:
- Manuel Rodríguez Arregui – CEO at AINDA (Energy & Infrastructure)
- Daniel Linsker – Partner at Control Risk Mexico
- Armando Ortega – President – Mining Task Force – Canadian Chamber of Commerce Mexico (CANCHAM)
- Mariuz Calvet – Head of Sustainable Finance Mexico & LatAm at HSBC
5.55pm: Plenary Remarks
- Mariana Herrero, partner, Galicia Abogados S.C.
6.00pm: The role of the GC when it comes to sustainable practice and strategy
Moderator:
Carlos Escoto – Partner at Galicia Abogados
Panelists:
- Kurt Vogt – Sustainable Finance Advisor – CEO at HPL, LLC
- Carolina Núñez – Head of Legal, Solar at BayWa r.e. Americas
- Luis Miguel Briola – General Counsel, Secretary and Cheif Compliance Offcierat Grupo Bimbo
-
Eugenio Bernal, General Counsel and Secretary of the Board, BBVA
7.00pm: Closing remarks followed by drinks reception and canapes
- Manuel Galicia, partner, Galicia Abogados S.C.
8.00pm: Event Concludes
Speakers
Manuel Galicia, partner, Galicia Abogados S.C.
Manuel specializes in advising large companies on financial matters, mergers and acquisitions, as well as on aspects related to their corporate governance and business strategy. He is a member of the board of directors of several companies. Clients identify him as a pro-business advisor, with strategic and tactical qualities in a wide variety of issues and legal aspects.
Manuel is one of the most recognized lawyers by the renowned international directories. For the past 15 years, Manuel has been a pioneer in implementing innovative policies and initiatives on Diversity and Inclusion creating Galicia´s Diversity, Pro Bono and Sustainability Committees, as well as being part of the ESG coordination team. Manuel continues his efforts as a strong advocate for equality in the legal market in Mexico. Manuel has been decorated with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, in the grade of Knight’s Cross (2007) and with the Gold Medal of Honor for Services Rendered, in the grade of Knight’s Cross First Class of the Government of the Republic of Austria (2011).
Anna Baubock, editor, The Legal 500 Global Green Guide
Anna has spearheaded the development and launch of The Legal 500’s Global Green Guide which puts a spotlight on the legal sector’s contribution to a green transition, alongside taking over as editor of The Legal 500 US guide at the end of 2021. She joined The Legal 500 back in 2012 as a researcher/writer for The Legal 500 Deutschland and was promoted to editor of the German-language guide in 2015 and to Deutschland Research Director in 2021.
She has spent a considerable amount of her time visiting firms and gaining extensive market knowledge across all major cities in Germany but has in the past also researched various practice areas in the US, EMEA and Latin American legal markets, making use of her bilingual German and English as well as advanced Spanish language skills.
Carlos Escoto, partner, Galicia Abogados S.C.
Carlos is an environmental lawyer who brings sophisticated regulatory and sustainability acumen to the most challenging transactions and projects in the market. He joined Galicia Abogados in 2013 as an associate in the Environmental practice of the firm. With over 22 years of experience, he is a recognized specialist in the development of infrastructure, renewable energies, oil & gas, mining, manufacturing industries and tourism projects.
Since joining Galicia’s Environmental practice in 2013, he has focused on drafting, enacting and the enforcement of environmental policy and regulation, and on the environmental aspects of mergers and acquisitions and financing projects.
He has participated in some of the most complex operations in recent years, such as Actis’ purchase of Intergen’s energy portfolio, Abertis and GIC’s acquisition of 70% of Goldman Sachs’ stake in Red de Carreteras de Occidente, and the International Finance Corporation and Bancomext’s financing of the Potrero Solar power plant, currently being developed by Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV). Recently, Carlos has been committed to the implementation of ESG aspects in such high-profile operations.
Alvaro Vértiz – COO at BLACKROCK
Manuel Rodríguez Arregui – CEO at AINDA (Energy & Infrastructure)
Daniel Linsker – Partner at Control Risk Mexico
Daniel Linsker is a Partner at Control Risks and its regional director for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Daniel specializes in the design and delivery of complex risk management projects for large projects in the extractives, energy and infrastructure, and the management of critical reputational and compliance issues, and those that require in-depth regional expertise of Latin America.
Daniel joined Control Risks in London in 2005 and worked as the head of the Americas Desk in the Global Risk Analysis department until 2009, when he took a sabbatical to work as the Strategic Director and Policy Coordinator of a presidential campaign in Colombia. He then rejoined Control Risks and managed the Latin America Crisis and Security consulting practice. Before joining Control Risks, Daniel taught Latin American politics at the London School of Economics while completing his doctoral thesis on the effectiveness of international institutions.
Daniel has a Master of Science degree in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics, where he is also a PhD candidate in government. He is also a certified Governance, Risk and Compliance Professional (GRCP).
Armando Ortega – President - Mining Task Force – Canadian Chamber of Commerce Mexico (CANCHAM)
Mariuz Calvet – Head of Sustainable Finance Mexico & LatAm at HSBC
Kurt Vogt – Sustainable Finance Advisor - CEO at HPL, LLC
Kurt Vogt tiene más de 30 años de experiencia bancaria, ocupando cargos en la Ciudad de México, Buenos Aires, Monterrey y Nueva York. Fue Jefe Regional de Banca Corporativa y del negocio de Ventas y Estructuración de Derivados en América Latina en Citi. Posteriormente fue Director Ejecutivo responsable de Finanzas Sostenibles en América Latina para HSBC.
Kurt fundó HPL. LLC, la firma de asesoría en finanzas sostenibles que preside y es Director de la Junta Directiva de LAGREEN un fondo establecido en Luxemburgo iniciado por KFW que invierte en bonos verdes en Latinoamérica. Kurt también es miembro de los Consejos Consultivos de Birdlife International, una organización de conservación de las aves, sus hábitats y la biodiversidad global con presencia en más de 120 países y del Master of Science in Sustainability Management de la Universidad de Columbia en la Ciudad de Nueva York.
Kurt es ingeniero industrial de la Universidad Iberoamericana (1984), posee un MBA de la Escuela de Negocios de Harvard (1987) y un Master of Science in Sustainability Management de la Universidad de Columbia (2017).
Carolina Núñez – Head of Legal, Solar at BayWa r.e. Americas
Luis Miguel Briola – General Counsel, Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer at Grupo Bimbo
Eugenio Bernal, General Counsel and Secretary of the Board, BBVA Mexico
Eugenio Bernal is the General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Directors for Grupo
Financiero BBVA Mexico. Appointed April 1, 2018, he has since carried out the first full
reorganization of the Group’s Legal Department since the 2000 acquisition of Bancomer by
BBVA.
Before joining BBVA, he was a partner with White & Case, LLP based in Mexico City,
where he worked for 16 years, and more recently of Rico, Robles, Libenson y Bernal, S.C.,
a firm he co-founded in 2012 and which he left to undertake his current position.
Prior to 2018, Mr. Bernal had focused his practice on transactional corporate law and
regulatory advice, including administrative litigation.
His corporate practice included bank and securities financing, infrastructure projects and
other notable transactions, with broad experience in bankruptcy and reorganization
procedures as well.
In the regulatory arena, Mr. Bernal provided advice especially on financial matters, including
the authorization and/or acquisition processes of financial entities.
He was also one of the two lawyers responsible for the launching of the litigation practice of
the Mexico City office of White & Case.
His work in this area has mainly included administrative and constitutional litigation,
spanning the financial, infrastructure, telecommunications and transportation sectors, as well
as acting as counsel in international and domestic arbitrations.
Mr. Bernal has a JD from the Escuela Libre de Derecho (honors) in Mexico and an
LLM from Georgetown University (distinction), and is admitted to the New York Bar.
He has been a professor of law in the advanced degree seminars of the Universidad
Panamericana, and is a tenured professor of Roman Law at the Escuela Libre de Derecho.
Guillermo Perez Santiago, partner, Galicia Abogados S.C.
Guillermo Perez Santigao is a capital markets and finance lawyer through and through. He started working for clients in the financial industry even before opening his own savings account.
Clients reach out to Guillermo when they are looking for an experienced, reliable lawyer that anticipates their needs and communicates well.
Guillermo always finds a way to participate in the most relevant and innovative transactions. He has the privilege to advise some of the largest and finest companies in Mexico. On the bank side, he represents all the first-tier banks doing business in Mexico.
Guillermo is passionate about cultural expressions and diversity issues. As part of his Pro Bono efforts, he works with Alondra de la Parra in projects for the promotion of Mexican music. He is also member of the Firm’s Executive and Diversity and Inclusion Committees.
Mariana Herrero, partner, Galicia Abogados S.C.
Mariana has practiced environmental law all of her professional career, starting as a law student in 1998 and never looked back.
She has in-depth experience in all aspects of environmental law, from wildlife to waste regulation and approaches environmental issues from different perspectives, often in collaboration with the Firm’s Projects, Litigation and M&A practice groups. She is praised by clients and peers for her ability to bring outstanding environmental expertise to the Firm’s transactional projects, regulatory practice and strategic litigation capabilities.
Supported by a strong team of associates, she has represented Mexican and international companies, mainly from the energy, retail, manufacturing, financial services and infrastructure industries.
She has a particular expertise in advising intense water consuming industries on the preservation of water rights and designing strategies to ensure compliance with the complex wastewater regulations in Mexico.
As the first female partner of the Firm, Mariana is conscious of being a role model for other young female lawyers at the Firm and elsewhere. She has therefore actively promoted diversity and inclusion best practices at the Firm and coordinated the Diversity & Inclusion Committee from its creation until 2021. Mariana is member of the Firm’s Executive, Pro Bono, and Talent Committees.
In association with...
Leading Mexican transactional law firm Galicia Abogados S.C. became a member of the UN Global Compact in 2021, entailing a commitment to reducing its environmental impact and conducting and presenting annual sustainability reports The firm’s ESG practice led by Carlos Escoto is made up of a multidisciplinary group of experts offering tailor-made advice on a broad spectrum of ESG issues across a range of sectors, from mining to pharmaceuticals.
The firm has facilitated the growth of sustainable and green finance in Mexico, with Guillermo Perez Santiago involved in several spearheading projects. He advised a syndicate of banks on a $3.5bn loan to CEMEX, which aims to ensure the company’s ESG commitments as the first debt to be issued under its sustainability-linked financing framework. He also assisted Grupo Bimbo with its debut in sustainable financing, entailing the renewal of a revolving credit facility in the amount of $1.75bn. In another first, the team advised KOF on the very first sustainability-linked bonds in the history of the Mexican market worth $470 m.
The firm’s sustainability committee was set up to coordinate internal strategies and initiatives. For example, the firm has initiated sustainability awareness campaigns to help individual employees take more care in their everyday decisions. There is also a strong pro-bono culture within the team, with each lawyer contributing a minimum of 20 hours each year to different initiatives with a social or environmental focus.