Corporate legal director | El Palacio de Hierro

Nancy Martínez Rodríguez
Corporate legal director | El Palacio de Hierro
Team size: 5
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?
During periods of instability, I believe it is essential for the legal department to act as a source of stability and confidence within the organisation. My approach focuses on clearly distinguishing between the factors we can control and those we cannot. Based on this distinction, we establish realistic priorities and design an action plan that ensures operational continuity and legal protection, while keeping the company’s strategic objectives in sight.
I maintain constant communication with my team to reinforce the idea that every crisis is temporary and can become an opportunity for institutional strengthening. I promote the adoption of agile and collaborative working methods that allow us to anticipate risks, provide quick and effective responses, and align our legal strategy with the overall corporate strategy. At all times, our purpose is not merely to react to crises, but to actively contribute to ensuring that the company emerges stronger, more efficient, and more resilient.
What are the major cases or transactions you have been involved in recently?
In recent months, my main challenge has been supporting the company’s transition into the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence. This process has required not only complex legal analysis but also a technical understanding to evaluate the ethical, contractual, and compliance-related risks involved.
I have led the review and negotiation of contracts with technology providers, ensuring proper protection of corporate information, data confidentiality, and intellectual property ownership. In addition, I have promoted internal training to raise awareness among teams about the ethical and responsible use of AI tools, aligning this new technological stage with the company’s principles of governance and regulatory compliance.
Which legal tech organisations or products are helping you in your role?
I spearheaded the implementation of an integrated contract management system that enables close monitoring of each contract’s lifecycle and generates automatic reports on expirations, renewals, and key obligations.
We also introduced advanced electronic signatures to reduce closing times, eliminate paper usage, and ensure traceability and legal validity in every transaction. These tools have significantly improved the efficiency of the legal team, strengthened document governance, and positioned the legal function as a strategic partner in the company’s digital transformation.
Senior legal manager | El Palacio de Hierro