For more than 15 years, Consuelo Mengual has navigated some of the most complex legal, regulatory, and governance challenges in the energy, mining, and infrastructure sectors—across Chile, Latin America, and the United States. Her career has been defined by a capacity to lead in high-stakes environments, bridge diverse stakeholders, and deliver legal strategies that enable long-term, sustainable growth.

Since 2019, she has served as Legal Director of the Coordinador Eléctrico Nacional, the entity responsible for operating Chile’s national electricity system. In this role, she designs and drives the legal, regulatory, and corporate governance strategy, reporting directly to the Executive Director and Board of Directors. She oversees legal support for public tenders exceeding USD 1 billion annually—critical to Chile’s decarbonisation and energy transition targets—while maintaining direct, high-level engagement with the Ministry of Energy and the National Energy Commission. She also pioneered the use of AI tools within the legal department, a first for the organisation, improving access to information and accelerating decision-making.

Her leadership journey includes key roles at BHP, where she developed the legal entry strategy for the company’s greenfield copper exploration in Ecuador, structured the largest private energy tender in Chile at the time, and renegotiated supply contracts worth over USD 100 million annually—optimising risk allocation and securing operational efficiencies. Earlier, as Senior Associate in Carey’s Natural Resources, Energy, and Environment practice, she advised on the financing, development, and operation of major energy, mining, and infrastructure projects, coordinating with international law firms and corporate headquarters to close complex, cross-border transactions. Her international perspective was further shaped at Dechert LLP in New York, where she advised Latin American issuers on NYSE offerings and U.S. securities compliance.

Consuelo holds an LL.B. (summa cum laude) from the University of Chile and an LL.M. from Columbia University School of Law as a “Becas Chile” scholar. She has completed the Advanced Management Programme at ESE Business School & IESE Barcelona and the Senior Management Programme BOW (Board of Women) at the University of Cambridge.

Her leadership has been recognised by El Mercurio and Mujeres Empresarias, naming her among the Top 100 Women Leaders in Chile (2023). She was ranked in Leading Lawyers (2023 & 2024) as the most influential in-house lawyer under 45 and has been featured in The Legal 500 GC Powerlist in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Beyond corporate achievements, she co-founded Abogadas In-House Chile, a non-profit network that promotes female leadership in the legal profession, and serves as a mentor through WoomUp.

Bilingual in English and Spanish, Consuelo is recognised for combining strategic vision, technical excellence, and a collaborative leadership style—qualities that have positioned her as a key voice in advancing both organisational goals and the broader legal profession.