Career Biography

Cristina de la Vega Vallejo is a lawyer from Universidad de los Andes, with a specialization in international negotiation and a master’s degree in Political Science from the same institution. She has over 20 years of experience leading complex legal matters, including the legal structuring of international transactions, M&A processes, the definition of international structures and corporate governance models, as well as the comprehensive management of legal and regulatory risks in both national and international companies.

Throughout her career, she has led interdisciplinary teams at the regional level, not only in legal areas but also in strategic communications, sustainability, nutrition, talent and regulatory affairs, both in the corporate sector — in companies such as PepsiCo, Syngenta, Monsanto — and in industry associations.

Eleven years ago, she took on the role of Executive Director of Alpina Colombia, and for the past two years, she has served as Vice President of Legal and Corporate Affairs at the Alpina Group holding. She is a member of the executive committee responsible for defining the Group’s strategy, which currently includes eight companies in Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and the United States, including Alpina, Don Maíz, Boydorr, and Clover Sonoma, among others. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Fundación Alpina.

From her position within the holding, she has led restructuring and international expansion processes, providing a strategic legal perspective aligned with the Group’s growth and diversification objectives.

What are the key projects you have been involved in over the past twelve months?

I’ve been involved in several strategic initiatives focused on enabling business continuity, supporting international growth, and strengthening organisational capabilities.

One of the most relevant projects was the acquisition of the remaining 40% stake in Boydorr, a company focused on specialised and advanced nutrition solutions, where Grupo Alpina already held a majority participation. The transaction was part of a broader strategic effort to fully integrate the company into the Group’s structure while consolidating long-term vision within the nutrition and health-related business segment.

The objective was not only to protect the company’s interests, but also to facilitate smooth integration that would allow the business and its commercial operations to continue evolving without disruption.

Additionally, I’ve been working on the consolidation of investment operations abroad, supporting organisational presence across different jurisdictions. This has involved reviewing governance structures and helping create a more integrated framework for international operations. Beyond legal matters, I have also led initiatives related to talent and organisational culture, particularly around strengthening transversal collaboration, shared capabilities and leadership development.

Can you describe an instance where your legal advice directly influenced business strategy or commercial objectives?

During the acquisition process related to Boydorr, a key priority was ensuring that the transaction could move forward in a way that preserved stability for the operation, commercial relationships, and future growth plans.

What major challenges or risks should in-house legal teams be preparing for over the next twelve months?

One of the main challenges will be navigating increasingly dynamic regulatory and business environments while continuing to act as strategic partners to the business.

Organisations are facing important regulatory and policy changes driven by the current government agenda and activisim, creating additional complexity for companies operating across different industries and countries. In this context, legal teams must move beyond a purely technical role and develop a deeper understanding of the business, operations and strategic priorities they support.

Another key challenge will be the integration of technology and artificial intelligence into legal work. The value of in-house legal teams will increasingly depend not only on technical legal knowledge, but also on their ability to combine legal judgment with business understanding, risk anticipation, and practical decision-making.

Beyond your legal role, is there a cause or initiative you are especially passionate about?

One of the topics I am personally most passionate about is talent development and organisational culture, and how organisations can create environments where people genuinely grow, collaborate and feel connected to a broader purpose. It is a vision I strongly believe in and one that I am interested in continuing to bring to life across Grupo Alpina.

I believe in building a holistic and transversal vision of talent, where capabilities, leadership and development opportunities are shared across companies rather than operating independently.

I am particularly interested in how organisations can balance business performance with human development, ensuring that people feel empowered to grow while contributing meaningfully to long-term sustainability, innovation and organisational impact.