Team size: Two

What are the most significant cases, projects and/or transactions that you and/or your legal team have recently been involved in?

I serve as general counsel at Banagro, an agricultural financial institution and subsidiary of Empresas Sutil Group, one of the country’s leading agricultural conglomerates. Our services include credit operations, domestic and international factoring, and the financing of agricultural producers’ contracts, among others.

Over the past year, my work has primarily focused on corporate legal services, serving as secretary to the board of directors and as compliance officer. I am also responsible for the continuous review and updating of client contract templates, coordination of debt collection litigation with external counsel, and ensuring legal certainty in all financing operations. Finally, I am a member of the Sustainability Committee, where I actively contribute to promoting responsible business practices and aligning our operations with long-term environmental and social goals.

Some key milestones I have led or actively contributed to include overseeing Banagro’s registration under No.1136 in the Chilean Financial Market Commission’s Securities Registry, and the registration of a bond line totaling USD$ 10 m., under No. 130 and leading the legal work required for Banagro to access a state guarantee line granted by CORFO (Chile’s Economic Development Agency). This program provides credit risk coverage to support financing for our agricultural clients, offsetting losses in case of borrower default.

Together with my team, we have also received the “Best for the World” award in the Governance category from Sistema B and B Lab, ranking within the top 5% globally in terms of governance performance.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience? 

In recent years, Chile has faced several periods of instability, including the 2019 social unrest, the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing rural violence in the Araucanía region. As general counsel of Banagro, I have responded to these challenges through close collaboration with other departments and coordination with external entities such as the judiciary, notaries, and land registries.

During the pandemic, for instance, I implemented a notarised electronic signature system that enabled clients to sign documents remotely, ensuring continuity of operations while minimizing health risks. This solution, approved by the board and implemented with full legal safeguards, maintained the enforceability of our contracts and placed Banagro at the forefront of legal innovation in our sector.

This proactive and rigorous approach has been essential to maintaining business continuity and legal certainty during complex and unpredictable scenarios, reinforcing stakeholder confidence and institutional resilience.

Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on that you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful of?

One of the most significant trends I have observed is the growing expectation for in-house lawyers to become deeply familiar with the business and actively contribute to its strategic objectives. Today, legal departments are no longer seen merely as risk managers or compliance enforcers, but we are increasingly expected to act as business partners who understand the company’s operations, products, and market realities.

In my experience, this shift has allowed in-house counsel to add real value beyond legal advice. By aligning closely with commercial teams, understanding the client base, and proactively identifying both legal and business opportunities, we become part of the value proposition offered to customers. This integrated approach strengthens the legal function’s role within the organisation and reinforces the importance of legal insight in decision-making processes.

I believe this trend will continue to define the role of in-house lawyers in the coming years, and those who embrace it will be in a stronger position to lead and influence within their companies.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about? Why is this?

I am passionate about agriculture, as it is an industry that contributes to the world by providing healthy and natural food. My connection to the land goes back to my childhood, and being able to combine my legal career with the agricultural sector is something that motivates me every day. Working in this field allows me to support a vital industry while staying true to my roots and values.