Career Biography

With more than 20 years of experience in the aviation sector, Mariela Anchundia Mieles has established herself as one of the most influential legal voices in Ecuador’s aviation industry and as a prominent example of female leadership in a sector historically marked by male presence.

She currently serves as Legal Manager of LATAM Airlines Ecuador, where she leads LATAM Group’s legal and regulatory agenda in the country, acting as the principal local legal reference within one of the most highly regulated and strategically significant industries for economic development.

Throughout her career, Mariela has both witnessed and actively shaped the evolution of Ecuador’s aviation regulatory framework. In recent years, she has played a decisive role in the modernisation of key regulations, promoting regulatory adjustments that strengthen operational efficiency, connectivity and industry competitiveness. Her leadership extends beyond the corporate sphere: as Vice President of ARLAE (Association of Airline Representatives in Ecuador), she fosters technical and institutional dialogue with authorities and industry stakeholders, contributing to the development of a more predictable regulatory environment aligned with international standards and focused on sustainable industry growth.

As the sole in-house lawyer for LATAM in Ecuador, Mariela combines technical depth with strategic vision. She has led regulatory initiatives that have enabled the optimisation of route operations between mainland Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands, as well as strategic air cargo projects that generated substantial improvements in operational efficiency and economic performance, without compromising the stringent safety and compliance standards required in the aviation sector.

Beyond regulatory matters, Mariela is a strong advocate of a robust compliance culture as a structural pillar of corporate leadership. She has participated as a speaker in events organised by the World Compliance Association and in international forums such as Alta Aviation Law Americas, promoting a vision of integrity that goes beyond regulatory requirements and becomes integrated into business strategy.

Her leadership has been recognised with the “Ecuador Anti-Corruption Trainer of the Year” award by the Alliance for Integrity, as well as the internal “LATAM Executive Spirit” recognition, which highlights her impact, commitment and alignment with corporate values. Furthermore, her inclusion in the GC Powerlist 2022, 2025, and 2026, confirms her standing as one of the leading in-house lawyers in the country.

For Mariela, the legal function is not merely a guardian of compliance, but a driver of institutional transformation. Her daily challenge is to protect people, mitigate legal and reputational risks and, at the same time, act as a strategic partner to the business. This combination of experience, sector leadership and strategic vision positions her as a key figure in the consolidation of a stronger, more modern and sustainable aviation industry in Ecuador.

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

Over the past year, my role has been focused on sustaining business continuity and enabling growth within a highly regulated and operationally demanding environment. The aviation industry operates at the intersection of public regulation, safety, consumer protection, sustainability and international trade, which requires legal advice that combines technical precision with a deep understanding of commercial realities.

A central pillar of my work has been the leadership of regulatory and operational initiatives, both in the passenger and cargo businesses. Among the most recent, I led the legal strategy behind a proposal to amend an aviation regulation, which enabled more efficient route operations between mainland Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. In parallel, I led a strategic air cargo project aimed at optimising operations through targeted adjustments to the regulatory framework and applicable procedures. These initiatives delivered improved operational efficiency while fully preserving the stringent standards of safety, control and compliance inherent to the aviation sector.

In addition, under LATAM’s JETS culture (Just, Empathetic, Transparent and Simple), I have led contractual and consumer protection matters, including the review and adaptation of conditions of carriage, internal policies and operational communications. This work ensures compliance with Ecuadorian regulations while maintaining alignment with LATAM Group standards and international aviation best practices, and has been key to mitigating reputational risk and strengthening customer trust

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

My approach to periods of instability is grounded in anticipation, clarity and visible leadership. In aviation, regulatory, operational or reputational challenges can escalate quickly; therefore, my role is to ensure that legal analysis enables agile and well-informed decision-making, rather than becoming a restrictive factor.

I focus on distinguishing real legal limitations from perceived ones, allowing operational and commercial teams to clearly understand what is non-negotiable and where pragmatic solutions may exist. I work closely with all business areas, embedding legal judgment into real-time decision-making processes.

Equally important is maintaining a technical, transparent and constructive relationship with authorities and regulators. Institutional credibility and consistency are essential assets when navigating complex scenarios. I view organisational resilience not as the absence of risk, but as the ability to manage risk responsibly, safeguarding safety, regulatory compliance and LATAM’s long-term reputation.

How does your team contribute to the overall business strategy of the company? Can you share an example of a recent legal-led initiative that had a significant impact?

From my role, I contribute to the company’s overall strategy by acting as a direct enabler of commercial growth and operational efficiency, integrating legal judgment into both strategic decisions and day-to-day operations.

I work transversally with airport, operations, maintenance, cargo, commercial and other teams to identify and address regulatory limitations that affect productivity, timelines and market responsiveness. By aligning regulatory interpretation with commercial needs, the company can operate with greater agility and predictability, without compromising safety or compliance standards.

A recent example of significant impact has been my legal leadership in the structuring and implementation of regulatory and normative adjustments affecting both passenger and cargo operations, particularly between mainland Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. These initiatives enabled the optimisation of route operations from both an operational and commercial perspective, resulting in efficiency gains, more effective capacity planning and improved economic performance.

Additionally, throughout 2025 I focused on maintaining LATAM as an active and visible company in key compliance forums, strengthening its institutional reputation and reinforcing to the public the high standards of safety and compliance that underpin its operations.

I firmly believe that compliance, beyond being a core corporate value, is a strategic standard that protects people, strengthens operations and sustains customer trust.

My daily challenge as an in-house lawyer is to care for people and teams, ensuring they have the legal support needed to operate with confidence, while proactively mitigating legal and reputational risks. Achieving this balance requires being present in the operation, understanding business needs and acting as a strategic partner to different areas, providing judgment, solutions and long-term vision. I see the legal role not only as a guardian of compliance, but as a responsible business enabler.