Team size: 2

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

Over the past twelve months, I have been involved in some of Mastercard’s most high-profile projects and campaigns in Colombia, supporting initiatives focused on growth, innovation, brand positioning and strengthening the digital payments ecosystem in the country.

A major focus of my role has been providing comprehensive legal and strategic guidance for campaigns and partnerships developed alongside key strategic allies. This has been particularly true for initiatives aimed at positioning and strengthening debit cards as a pivotal tool for financial inclusion, digitalisation and the adoption of electronic payments in Colombia.

Throughout these processes, my role has transcended traditional legal functions, allowing me to serve as a strategic partner to the business, marketing and corporate reputation teams.

From my position, I have led the analysis and mitigation of legal and reputational risks associated with high-impact, mass-market campaigns, while consistently ensuring transparency, clarity and consumer protection. My approach has centered on striking a balance between the company’s commercial objectives and a robust framework of compliance and reputational safeguarding. This has enabled innovative initiatives to move forward without compromising user trust or Mastercard’s regulatory standards.

Additionally, I have supported key processes related to contract structuring, regulatory review, partner relations and strategic legal counsel for business initiatives that demand an agile, preventative and corporate-aligned legal vision.

Beyond the technical and legal components, I believe my primary contribution has been fostering a business-oriented legal perspective. This approach actively contributes to strategic decision-making and generates comprehensive value for the organisation.

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

One of the most significant projects I have recently been involved in is the Mastercard Debit “Abrir Puertas” (Opening Doors) campaign. Originally launched in 2025, this initiative has extended into 2026 due to its outstanding results and the positive impact generated for the company, its partners, and consumers alike. The campaign’s success has even garnered interest for potential implementation in other markets outside of Colombia.

From my position, I provided comprehensive guidance throughout the development and execution of this initiative. I worked in close coordination with internal teams, commercial partners and various strategic business units to ensure the campaign was deployed under a robust framework of clarity, compliance, and risk mitigation. A primary challenge was ensuring effective alignment among all involved stakeholders, especially given the campaign’s mass-market reach and the necessity of establishing clear guidelines for both partners and consumers.

My role was pivotal in structuring the legal and reputational framework of the initiative, ensuring that all participants had absolute clarity regarding the terms, benefits and dynamics of the campaign. This proactive approach minimised potential friction and guaranteed a transparent experience for the end user. The campaign’s impact was highly positive. Beyond achieving the projected debit card transaction targets, the initiative was exceptionally well-received by consumers and executed seamlessly without significant friction from partners or participants. This ultimately strengthened brand trust and consolidated Mastercard Debit’s positioning within the Colombian market. Beyond the legal technicalities, I believe this project exemplifies the vital importance of a strategic, business-oriented legal function, one capable of enabling high-impact commercial and reputational initiatives through an agile, collaborative, and preventative approach.

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

Over the coming months, I believe in-house counsel must closely monitor trends related to digital transformation, regulatory evolution and the strengthening of trust within digital ecosystems. In sectors such as payments and technology, the legal function can no longer be confined solely to regulatory compliance; today, it serves as a strategic enabler of business and innovation.

One of the most critical areas will continue to be the evolution of regulatory frameworks associated with digital payments, fintech, open finance and data protection. Markets are rapidly moving toward more interoperable, digital and open financial ecosystems, demanding that legal teams anticipate regulatory shifts, identify emerging risks, and guide the development of new business models in an agile and responsible manner.

Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI) and the adoption of emerging technologies pose significant challenges around privacy, transparency, intellectual property, cybersecurity and the ethical use of information. Legal teams will play an increasingly vital role in establishing governance frameworks that drive innovation without compromising the trust of consumers, partners, or regulatory authorities.

Another key trend will be the strengthening of regulatory and reputational expectations regarding consumer protection. Today, users do not just expect innovative products; they demand clear, transparent and secure experiences. Within this context, legal departments must work in a much more integrated manner with business, marketing, communications, and corporate reputation teams to ensure that messaging, dynamics, and experiences align with high standards of trust.

Finally, I believe in-house lawyers must continually strengthen their strategic and business acumen. The ability to understand economic contexts, reputational risks, regulatory dynamics and consumer trends will be just as critical as technical legal expertise. The in-house counsel of the future will increasingly be an all-around advisor for strategic decision-making within organisations.

How do you manage situations where legal advice and commercial objectives conflict?

I believe one of the primary challenges and simultaneously one of the greatest values of a strategic legal function is precisely striking the right balance between enabling the business and managing risks responsibly. In my experience, situations where legal counsel and commercial objectives appear to conflict should not be approached through a binary logic of “yes” or “no,” but rather from a collaborative, solution-oriented perspective.

My approach has always been to first thoroughly understand the business objective behind the initiative and its strategic impact. From there, I work alongside the involved teams to identify viable paths that allow us to move forward while minimising legal, regulatory and reputational risks. I firmly believe that the role of in-house counsel is not to stall innovation or limit commercial opportunities, but to support them in an intelligent and sustainable manner. This involves having transparent conversations with business units, clearly explaining potential risks, anticipating scenarios and building alternatives that empower informed decision-making.

Furthermore, I consider it essential to recognise that not all risks carry the same impact. Part of the strategic role of in-house counsel lies in helping to prioritise, contextualise and balance risks against business opportunities — always guided by high standards of ethics, compliance and the protection of trust among consumers, partners and authorities.

In an environment as dynamic as digital payments and technology, agility is key. Therefore, I strive to maintain a close and constant relationship with the organisation’s various business units, ensuring the legal team is viewed not as a bottleneck, but as a strategic ally capable of enabling growth, innovation, and long-term sustainability for the company.

How can general counsel help drive responsible governance and ethical decision-making across an organisation?

I believe that legal leaders play an increasingly strategic role in building organisational cultures rooted in trust, transparency and accountability. Today, corporate governance and ethical decision-making are no longer just compliance checkboxes; they are foundational elements for a company’s sustainability and reputation. From my perspective, the first step is ensuring that the legal function is integrated into strategic business conversations from the early stages, rather than being brought in only when a risk arises or for formal validation. When legal teams actively participate in decision-making, it becomes possible to anticipate regulatory, reputational, and ethical impacts much more effectively.

I also consider it key to foster a culture where ethics and compliance are not viewed as constraints, but rather as enablers of sustainable relationships with consumers, partners, authorities and other stakeholders. This involves establishing clear frameworks for action, encouraging transparent dialogue, and ensuring that corporate principles are truly reflected in the organisation’s daily decisions. In fast-paced industries like technology and digital payments, legal leaders also bear the responsibility of helping companies navigate complex issues related to privacy, data protection, the responsible use of technology, cybersecurity and AI, always through an approach centered on user trust and impact.

Finally, I believe that legal leadership must be exercised by example. The way legal teams support the business, manage difficult conversations and make decisions under pressure ultimately shapes the organisational culture. Therefore, beyond technical expertise, I consider it fundamental to lead with integrity, collaboration and a long-term vision for the organisation.