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?

We manage volatility through disciplined prevention, scenario planning, and close alignment with the Bank’s growth agenda. Our approach rests on three pillars. First, strategic partnership: the legal function works hand in hand with business, finance, risk, and operations teams to shape product, capital allocation, and portfolio decisions—embedding legal risk considerations early in the process to accelerate execution and preserve value. Second, external foresight: we continuously monitor Mexico’s political, macroeconomic, and regulatory landscape, translating developments into actionable business impacts and adapting policies, credit standards, and contract playbooks ahead of regulatory or market change. Third, regulatory readiness: we maintain proactive dialogue with CNBV, Banco de México, and CONDUSEF, conduct horizon-scanning sprints, and ensure crisis playbooks and escalation protocols remain up to date. In light of Mexico’s judicial reform, we also launched a pre-dispute framework incorporating early-warning triggers for potential defaults, standardised mediation protocols, and contract recalibrations to reduce litigation risk and protect client relationships. This has helped lower time-to-resolution and legal costs while maintaining a healthy NPL profile. As head of the legal department, I chair a cross-functional risk forum with the CEO and CRO to ensure rapid decision-making and accountability. Communication is structured and deliberate, including concise dashboards for management, weekly sessions with product heads, and open communication channels within the legal team. The result is a legal strategy that mitigates downside risk, unlocks opportunities, and enhances enterprise resilience.

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

We have supported the Bank’s key growth and transformation initiatives across multiple fronts. In digital and data-led products, we led regulatory strategy and secured approvals from CNBV and Banco de México for digital onboarding, e-signature solutions, and remote KYC processes—accelerating time-to-market while ensuring robust compliance with consumer protection and data privacy standards. We also negotiated strategic technology partnerships that enhance operational resilience and reduce costs. On the financing side, we structured and executed complex corporate and project financings across real estate, agriculture, and energy sectors, optimising security packages, intercreditor arrangements, and ESG-linked covenants to align financial performance with sustainability objectives.

How do you prioritise diversity and inclusion within your legal department, and what initiatives have you implemented to foster a more inclusive and equitable work environment?

We view inclusion as a performance driver, not a policy statement. Our legal team combines high standards with practical, measurable initiatives. On talent and progression, we have established defined career paths, cross-functional rotations, and tailored development plans, supported by low turnover that facilitates succession planning and institutional knowledge retention. In terms of representation, our department is composed of 60% men and 40% women, with annual pay-equity reviews and the use of diverse hiring panels and structured interviews to mitigate bias. Flexibility and wellbeing are also priorities; hybrid work arrangements and caregiver support programmes have strengthened engagement and retention. Externally, we extend our expectations to law firms, requiring diverse staffing and leadership on our matters. These initiatives have helped create a team that reflects our clients and fosters agile, well-rounded problem-solving. What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company?

Sustainability is integrated into our business model, governance, and risk appetite. In Mexico, we have implemented the ABM Sustainability Protocol, established a monthly Sustainability Committee, and deployed SARAS for environmental and social risk screening. We apply sectoral policies aligned with European Banking Authority guidance, introducing exclusions and enhanced due diligence for high-impact industries. The Bank has expanded green and sustainability-linked financing with eligibility criteria based on EU taxonomy, covering real estate, infrastructure, renewable energy, and resilience projects. We have secured dedicated funding lines—US$100m from IFC and US$50m from DEG—underpinned by strong ESG reporting obligations. Transparency is reinforced through a public sustainability microsite (launched in December 2024) containing exclusion lists, policy documents, and periodic performance updates, alongside non-financial statements and staff training programmes. The legal department operationalises ESG principles by embedding sustainability covenants and reporting requirements into financing documentation, aligning product frameworks with international standards, conducting due diligence on counterparties for environmental and social risks, and integrating ESG into credit, procurement, and governance policies. As general counsel, I advise the Board and management on legal and reputational exposures, ensuring that sustainability commitments are translated into enforceable, measurable, and auditable outcomes.