Team size: 11

Career Biography

Santiago Castellanos is a skilled legal professional and vice president with more than 25 years of experience in the private sector, mostly as in-house counsel in mining companies. He has led legal teams that have supported organisations through fast-growing periods, complex regulatory environments, M&A operations, international and local litigation and arbitrations, as well as the acquisition and sale of diverse mining assets.

He is currently serving as Legal Vice President of Aris Mining (Colombia), a Canadian company listed on the New York and Toronto exchanges that leads gold and silver production in Colombia and is currently developing a major project in Guyana. As Legal Vice President since March 2023, Santiago oversees legal strategy, assuring compliance of mining, environmental, corporate, labour and real-estate agreements and regulation.

Previously, Santiago was Legal Vice President of Colombian Natural Resources – CNR, a top three coal producer in northern Colombia, where he oversaw all legal aspects of the business. He was also responsible for Government Relations, including ministers and directors of central government agencies, as well as sustainability matters including social investments and relations with communities. He helped navigate the company through a bankruptcy proceeding in the Covid-19 pandemic, achieving a successful creditors’ agreement and a subsequent investment by a Panamanian fund.

Santiago’s career started at prominent law firm Posse Herrera & Ruiz, as a member of the corporate law division, where he participated in M&A operations in the oil and banking sectors. He also received legal training at the Washington DC office of international firm Holland+Knight, within the transnational business division.

Santiago holds a Masters degree from Harvard Law School and a law degree from Universidad de los Andes. He is admitted to practice in Colombia. He is proficient in Spanish, English and German.

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

I have been involved in an expansion of operations that aims at doubling the company’s output in the short term, which includes opening a new phase in an existing mine in Caldas and starting two major new projects, one in northeast Colombian and one in Guyana. My role is overseeing all legal aspects of the expansion including permits, government authorisations, land access and contractor work. The projects advance as planned and the goals will be achieved on time. In the longer term, the company aims to open two new mines, which will require proper legal advice, especially in relation to navigating complex regulatory environments in different jurisdictions.

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

My company is an industry leader in the formalisation of small and artisanal miners. In this sense, as legal department, we play a major role in finding and designing legal strategies that enable small-scale miners to work together with the company. This achieves greater efficiency and business outcomes for both parties, as well as enhancing safety and environmental standards and compliance with regulations of the mining sector.

What key trends should in-house counsel be monitoring over the coming months?

The evolution of AI and how to use it effectively. There has been much hype about this, but the tools that are available in the Colombian market are still somewhat limited and costly. There is no doubt that legal departments should keep an eye on how the technology advances and how to make the most of it: improving efficiency, reliability and swift responses to our internal and external clients.

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

My current role is closely related to the formalisation initiatives of the company mentioned above. This strategy, while it involves several legal challenges, has proven to be fully successful: past small-scale miners not only transition to comply with regulations, but also have become large and formal companies, creating profit, formal employment, positive environmental impacts and allowing them to start their own community initiatives.