With over 20 years of experience in corporate law, M&A, capital markets, and governance, Solange González has built a career at the intersection of high-value transactions, regulatory compliance, and strategic legal leadership. She has advised boards, executive teams, and multinational clients across multiple sectors—including mining, retail, natural resources, and investment—guiding them through transformative deals and governance challenges in complex, cross-border environments.

González currently serves as Vice President Legal, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at Marimaca Copper Corp. (TSX: MARI; ASX: MC2), a dual-listed mining company developing one of Chile’s most significant copper projects. In this role, she leads all legal, governance, and compliance functions, advising the Board and senior leadership on strategic transactions, corporate structuring, financing arrangements, and project development agreements. She oversees TSX and ASX regulatory compliance, continuous disclosure, shareholder engagement, and corporate governance frameworks, working closely with operations, finance, and technical teams to enable project advancement while effectively managing legal and regulatory risk.

A defining achievement in this role was leading earlier this year the dual listing of Marimaca Copper Corp. on the Australian Securities Exchange in record time, a process requiring seamless alignment of disclosure, governance, and regulatory frameworks across Canadian and Australian jurisdictions. González coordinated external counsel, exchange representatives, and internal teams to meet an accelerated timeline, enabling the company to access a broader investor base and strengthen its market positioning. She has also played a pivotal role in negotiating project financings, strategic partnerships, and equity placements to secure funding for development.

Before joining Marimaca, González was Legal Executive Manager – M&A and Financial Transactions at Falabella S.A., Latin America’s largest retailer. She directed the legal aspects of domestic and cross-border acquisitions and financings, serving as Corporate Secretary for multiple subsidiaries. Her work also included advising on venture capital investments, managing IP portfolios, and supporting real estate development initiatives across six countries.

Her earlier role as Head of Legal at Inversiones Marchigüe saw her managing diverse investments in real estate, agriculture, healthcare, and private equity. She negotiated investments, structured transactions, and streamlined governance practices across portfolio companies.

González’s foundation was built during more than a decade at Carey, where she was Senior Associate in the M&A and Tax Planning Group. She advised major clients and multiple multinational companies on complex acquisitions, corporate reorganisations, financing, and governance matters. She led multi-jurisdictional teams and negotiated high-stakes commercial agreements.

In 2016, she expanded her mining-sector exposure as a Visiting Attorney in the Global Mining Group at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin in Toronto, working on TSX listings, financing, and M&A transactions for mining companies with assets in Latin America.

Solange holds an LL.B. from Universidad de Chile and an LL.M. in Corporate Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

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

Over the past year, our legal team has played a key role in several high-impact initiatives supporting Marimaca Copper Corp.’s strategic growth and international positioning.

A major milestone was the successful dual listing of Marimaca on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), in addition to our existing listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Achieved in record time, this project involved navigating complex cross-border regulatory frameworks, coordinating dual disclosure documents, and aligning corporate governance standards across both jurisdictions. The listing significantly expanded our investor base and enhanced market visibility.

We also led the legal work on a Canadian private placement, structuring the transaction to comply with both TSX and ASX listing rules. This included preparing a prospectus under the Australian Corporations Act to facilitate the placement in Canada and the secondary market trading in Australia. The transaction required close coordination with external counsel and regulators across multiple jurisdictions.

In parallel, we continue to oversee all legal aspects of Marimaca’s flagship copper project in northern Chile, including permitting, land access, community engagement, and negotiation of infrastructure and utility agreements. As the company moves toward development, our role in aligning project execution with evolving regulatory, environmental, and social expectations remains essential.

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

During periods of instability, whether triggered by regulatory shifts, geopolitical events, or internal disruption, my approach centers on clarity, structure, and foresight. Legal leadership must be both responsive and strategic.

I focus first on translating legal complexity into actionable insights for the executive team and board, enabling timely and informed decisions. Transparency and legal integrity are equally critical, particularly in the mining sector where stakeholder trust hinges on sound governance and compliance.

Finally, I prioritise team resilience. I aim to foster a legal culture that is collaborative, agile, and empowered to respond effectively under pressure. Whether facing regulatory uncertainty or a reputational challenge, we remain grounded in a proactive, business-oriented legal strategy.

AI has been taken seriously as a potentially revolutionary technological change in the legal world for a number of years now. Has it had a meaningful impact in how your legal team works in this time?

While we are still in the early stages of adoption, AI has already begun to support our team in meaningful ways—particularly in document review, research, and contract analysis. In a lean legal team, efficiency is key, and AI tools help streamline workflows by enabling faster issue spotting, precedent search, and template generation.

AI has been especially useful in accelerating our understanding of foreign regulations and tracking legal developments across jurisdictions. This allows us to focus more of our time on strategic, higher-value work.

That said, we apply rigorous human oversight. In a public company operating across multiple legal systems, precision and context are critical. For us, AI is a powerful tool—but not a replacement for legal judgment, negotiation, or strategic advisory work.

What factors influence your team’s decision to use external legal services versus handling matters in-house, and what criteria are used to evaluate their performance?

We retain strategic oversight and core legal risk management in-house, while engaging external counsel for jurisdiction-specific matters, high-stakes transactions, and litigation support. nWe look for firms that offer deep expertise, responsiveness, and a pragmatic, business-focused approach. We evaluate their performance based on quality of advice, commercial alignment, and cost-efficiency. We value those who act as true partners—anticipating issues and supporting our fast-paced business environment.