Team size: 4
 
What are the most significant cases, projects and/or transactions that you and/or your legal team have recently been involved in?

My proudest work achievement isn’t a single case or project, but rather contributing to the growth and development of those around me. Whether it’s mentoring a colleague, seeing a team member excel, or fostering an environment where everyone feels empowered to learn and contribute, that’s what truly makes me proud.

Within the Legal & Compliance function, this translates directly into how we add value. It’s about empowering our colleagues to not just understand, but truly embrace, the importance of our License to Operate. We don’t just enforce rules; we aim to build a strong culture of integrity, where ethical decision-making and compliance are seen as inherent drivers of business success enabler that helps remove obstacles. By nurturing this understanding and capability across the organisation, Legal & Compliance becomes a true driver of growth, enabling innovative solutions and expanding our reach securely and responsibly.
 
How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

At Roche, managing legal aspects during an incident or crisis that may bring instability to the organisation is all about proactive risk mitigation and maintaining clarity under pressure. This ensures resilience and business continuity as we protect our core aim, which is to deliver our medicines to the patients who need them. My approach involves rapidly triaging immediate legal exposures by understanding the core issue and assessing urgent risks or business vulnerability, while simultaneously ensuring seamless collaboration as an integral part of the crisis management team. I provide strategic, pragmatic legal guidance that balances risk with business continuity, always focused on protecting Roche’s reputation and long-term value. Crucially, we uphold unwavering compliance throughout, meticulously documenting decisions for accountability, and then, post-crisis, we diligently review and learn to enhance our response capabilities to a crisis situation.
 
 AI

AI is definitely a topic we’ve been closely analysing and evaluating within Roche Chile’s Legal & Compliance department, recognising its revolutionary potential.

While AI has seen significant advancements and is certainly a transformative force in the broader legal world, its meaningful impact on our day-to-day operations at Roche Chile is still in its nascent stages. We are a highly regulated industry, and the complexities of pharmaceutical law, data privacy (especially with sensitive health information), and global compliance mean that any adoption of AI must be approached with extreme caution, rigor, and thorough validation.

That said, I’m incredibly proud to share a recent win that truly reflects our commitment to innovation: the Legal & Compliance team here in Chile recently secured first place in the “AI Unleashed” challenge, a regional initiative designed to foster AI tool adoption across Latin America. Our winning project, “GSD Training and Management,” truly positions Roche Chile as a benchmark in adopting new technologies and fostering a culture of innovation.

Currently, our broader focus remains on exploring and piloting AI-driven tools that can enhance efficiency in areas like contract review, analysis, internal approval processes, and legal research. However, these applications are mostly in the proof-of-concept or supplementary phases. The critical decision-making, interpretation of nuanced legal frameworks, and direct advisory role still require human expertise and judgment. We haven’t yet seen a shift where AI fundamentally changes how we render legal advice or manage complex compliance issues across the board.

Our commitment remains to leverage technology responsibly and ethically. We’re actively participating in internal Roche networks that explore AI’s potential, ensuring any future implementation aligns with our robust data privacy standards, ethical guidelines, and the absolute necessity of maintaining legal accuracy and integrity. The journey is ongoing, and we anticipate AI’s role will grow, always within Roche’s comprehensive risk frameworks.