Career Biography

Michelle Canelo is a senior legal executive with more than two decades of experience advising complex, highly regulated businesses across Latin America. She holds a Law degree (Licenciada en Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a combination that enables her to bridge legal expertise with strategic business leadership.

Michelle began her professional career at Cargill in 1998, marking the start of a long-standing trajectory within one of the world’s leading food and agriculture companies. Over the years, she has held a broad range of legal roles, developing both deep subject-matter expertise and a strong generalist perspective. Her professional background spans key practice areas including Food Law, Labor and Employment Law, Environmental Law, and Regulatory Compliance, supporting businesses operating in complex and evolving regulatory environments.

In 2012, Michelle was appointed Legal Director for Central America, assuming responsibility for legal strategy, risk management, and regulatory compliance across multiple countries. Building on this role, her responsibilities expanded in 2017 to include Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, further strengthening her regional leadership profile. In January 2025, Michelle was appointed Legal Director for the Food business in Latin America, overseeing legal operations across four sub-regions: Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and the Southern Cone, which includes Argentina and Brazil. In this role, she provides strategic legal counsel aligned with business objectives while navigating diverse legal frameworks and market dynamics.

Since 2017, Michelle has led several significant acquisition projects in Colombia within the animal protein sector, supporting business growth through disciplined legal execution and risk mitigation. In parallel, she has been a strong advocate for innovation within the legal function, actively promoting the design and implementation of modern legal structures and alternative legal service delivery models across Latin America. Under her leadership, the legal team has evolved into a highly integrated, regionally connected organization.

Michelle currently leads a team of 17 professionals, 13 attorneys, and 4 paralegals—based across multiple countries in Latin America. She is recognised for fostering collaboration, developing talent, and aligning legal capabilities with business priorities across geographies.

Beyond her corporate role, Michelle is deeply committed to the development of the in-house legal profession. In 2018, she co-founded the first Central American Association of In-House Counsel, serving as its President from 2018 to 2022 and currently holding the position of Treasurer. She also serves as a mentor to both legal and non-legal professionals, supporting leadership development and professional growth.

Michelle and her legal team have been consistently recognised for excellence. For five consecutive years, she has been included in The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Central America as an influential lawyer and legal department. In 2020, her team received the Gold Award from Leaders League in New York City, highlighting their impact, leadership, and innovation within the legal function.