Team size : 114

Career Biography

David Javier Santos Sánchez holds a degree in Law from the University of Salamanca and is a member of the Corps of State Lawyers. He also holds a Doctorate in Law, awarded with the distinction of ‘summa cum laude’ by the Complutense University, where he wrote his thesis: ‘Analysis and perspectives on public procurement in the defence sector: the government-to-government contract’. David Javier has also completed a Master’s degree in Public Sector Contract and Programme Management, with a special focus on the defence sector. Furthermore, he is a corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation and holds a diploma in Advanced Defence Studies from the Higher Centre for National Defence Studies (CESDEN). He was also President of the Association of Graduates in Advanced National Defence Studies (ADALEDE) (2019–2023) and holds the Grand Cross of Military Merit with white ribbon.

During his professional career, he has worked as a State Solicitor at the State Legal Service in Castellón (2007–2010) and in Madrid (2010–2012), and at the High Court of Justice of Madrid (2018). In addition, he has held senior positions at the Ministry of Defence, where he served as Technical Secretary-General (2012–2018), and at the Spanish Data Protection Agency, where he was Head of the Legal Department (2018–2023). He was also a member of the Commission on Transparency and Good Governance of the General State Administration and coordinator of the Legal Assistance Agreement signed between the State Legal Service and the state-owned company Navantia.

Since 2023, in addition to being Chief Legal Officer and a member of the Management Committee, he has served as Deputy Secretary of the Board of Directors of Indra Sistemas, S.A.

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

In 2025, the Indra Group has consolidated a historic structural shift in its industrial and technological profile. During 2025, all the financial targets of the “Leading the Future” Strategic Plan (2024–2026) were exceeded a year ahead of schedule, with revenue reaching €5.457 bn. (+13% compared to 2024) and net profit of €436m. (+57%).

From the Legal Department, we have played a leading role in major corporate transactions. Of particular note is the acquisition of 89.68% of Hispasat, formalised on 30 December 2025, which has positioned Indra as a key player in the European space sector. This project required complex legal coordination across multiple jurisdictions and regulatory authorities.

At the same time, we have advised on the creation of new business units such as IndraMind (sovereign artificial intelligence) and Indra Land Vehicles. We have also strengthened our position in the space sector through Indra Space, which has presented a significant challenge in terms of corporate structuring, sectoral compliance and defence contracts. The defence order book has reached €11.336 bn. , well exceeding the target of over €10 bn. set for 2026.

AI has been taken seriously as a potentially revolutionary technological change in the legal world for a number of years now. Has it had a meaningful impact in how your legal team works in this time?

At a time of unprecedented transformation for the Indra Group, I have spearheaded the creation and consolidation of the ‘Legal Operations’ team within the Legal Department – a pioneering initiative within the Indra Group. This team is establishing itself as a true strategic partner to the business and to Indra Group’s Legal Department, applying business management techniques — metrics, process optimisation, supplier management and technology adoption — to maximise the efficiency and value of the legal department within a group with a presence in 49 countries and operations in over 140.

As a cornerstone of this Legal Operations strategy, in 2025 we have integrated various AI tools, such as Copilot and Harvey, a generative AI platform designed specifically for the legal sector, which speeds up contract review, multi-jurisdictional research, drafting and document summarisation, allowing our lawyers to devote more time to strategic analysis and high-value advice.

These tools are not perfect. The adoption of AI is a continuous learning process: through specific training, the Legal Department is developing the skills to formulate better queries, critically interpret results and identify limitations. This experience enables us to contribute to the improvement of the tools through constructive feedback