Team size: 15

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

My approach is anchored in a business-first mindset, focusing on navigating challenges and ensuring long term sustainability, while enabling growth. In my opinion, during periods of instability, it is key to stay grounded, filter out the noise, and adopt a problem-solving approach, while remaining compliant. I see my role as balancing two critical functions: protecting existing value and actively participating in creating new value.

This requires thinking like an executive first and a lawyer second. Instead of presenting roadblocks, my team and I try to provide a clear analysis of legal risks and offer actionable, commercially viable pathways forward. This philosophy is underpinned by unwavering transparency and integrity. By aligning our legal advice with the company’s foundational values, we build trust with the board, investors, and our teams. This transparent approach extends to our engagement with key stakeholders, including regulators, fostering credibility and constructive dialogue.

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

Over the past year, I have put a lot of focus on one of Addi’s strategic initiatives: obtaining a banking license as a Compañía de Financiamiento in Colombia. I have been leading the regulatory strategy and actively participating in the implementation for this project. Becoming a CF will fundamentally transform our business. It will enable us to take deposits from the public, thus allowing us to expand and enhance our product offerings for both customers and merchants. Critically, it will also reduce our cost of funds, directly enhancing our financial position further and overall resilience.

Last year, we achieved a crucial milestone by securing our incorporation authorisation from the Financial Superintendence and are now advancing through the implementation phase. We are aiming to file for and obtain our operating license in the coming months.

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?

AI will fundamentally change how we exercise the legal profession. We must assume that everyone will have access to powerful AI tools for initial legal queries. Therefore, the role of in-house counsel is rapidly shifting from being the primary source of legal information to being the interpreter and strategic applier of that information.

To stay current, I take a multi-channel approach: I subscribe to specialised legal tech publications, participate in industry webinars focused on AI in lhe legal profession and fintech, and actively network with peers in both the legal and technology sectors to understand practical applications and emerging best practices.