Team size: 21

Career Biography

Juan Camilo Castro Salcedo is a prominent Colombian lawyer who currently serves as Deputy General Counsel and Head of the Legal area for Latin America at the global consulting firm McKinsey & Company.

With more than 20 years of experience in the corporate legal sector, he has been recognised on multiple occasions by specialised publications, such as Legal 500, for his ability to align legal objectives with the strategic vision of companies.

Currently, at McKinsey & Company, he is leading legal issues in the region, focusing on bridging the gap between legal thinking and business.

He previously held the position of Legal Director for Colombia, Ecuador and Peru at AT&T/DIRECTV, where he oversaw multidisciplinary teams and worked on the standardization of regional processes.

He has led the structuring of investment funds in Central and South America and has managed the renegotiation of multi-million-dollar contracts to ensure the continuity of large projects in the region.

He has been frequently included in Colombia’s GC Powerlist, a list that highlights the country’s most influential and innovative legal directors. His colleagues describe him as an exceptional professional, with a high sense of responsibility and a great ability to optimise resources in volatile economic environments

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

My team remains deeply engaged in close collaboration to implement advanced contract management methodologies, ensuring the successful execution of some of the region’s largest and most complex engagements. These efforts are critical in mitigating risks associated with engagement loss and establishing a robust legal foundation to support multimillion-dollar investments tied to project execution costs. By proactively addressing these challenges, we have not only safeguarded significant investments but also reinforced our commitment to fostering long-term partnerships and driving sustainable regional growth.

In parallel, my team is actively involved in corporate restructuring initiatives aimed at facilitating the establishment of new lines of business under distinct legal entities. This includes structuring an entity to operate a new tech business to complement some of the consultancy services structures along the region, also certain entities to operate within free trade zone regimes in some jurisdictions, thereby optimizing operational continuity and unlocking potential financial benefits. These efforts are designed to ensure compliance with local regulatory frameworks while strategically positioning the organization to capitalize on favourable trade and tax incentives. Through these initiatives, we continue to align legal strategies with broader business objectives, enabling growth and resilience in an increasingly complex legal and economic environment.

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

In my role, I focus on ensuring that legal advice actively enables business growth rather than simply mitigating risk. For instance, I have supported the business by strengthening how we manage complex engagements, introducing more sophisticated contract governance approaches that allow us to better protect revenue streams while supporting the execution of high-value projects. This has provided the business with greater certainty when pursuing large-scale opportunities, ensuring that legal considerations are embedded early in commercial decision-making.

Additionally, I have contributed to strategic initiatives involving the design and implementation of new operating structures to support business expansion. This includes advising on the creation of legal entities and frameworks that enable the launch of new service lines and entry into different regulatory environments. By aligning these structures with local legal and regulatory requirements, while also considering operational and financial efficiencies, we have been able to unlock new growth opportunities and enhance the organisation’s flexibility in the region.

Overall, my approach is to position the legal function as a strategic partner — helping the business scale sustainably, navigate complexity and make informed decisions that balance opportunity and risk.

Organisations are facing increasing regulation across jurisdictions. How do you embed compliance across the business?

In Latin America, local GCs face a dynamic and complex landscape shaped by several external forces that have significant implications for legal professionals across the region. Among these, I would like to highlight two key trends that are particularly pressing today.

Geopolitical tensions and global economic shifts are creating ripple effects across Latin American economies, directly influencing the business environment. These dynamics are driving a surge in legal activity, particularly in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, vertical integrations and operational consolidations, as companies seek to adapt to changing market conditions. At the same time, the economic pressures are pushing businesses to prioritiae cost optimiaation, which presents unique legal challenges. For instance, there is an increased focus on renegotiating or terminating contracts, streamlining operations and managing potential disputes or litigations. GCs in the region involves not only navigating these complexities, but also proactively identifying opportunities to mitigate risks and support strategic decision-making in this volatile environment.

Secondly, expanding regulatory landscapes: governments across the region are responding to economic and social challenges by introducing new and often more stringent regulatory frameworks. While these measures aim to address pressing issues, they also create significant operational hurdles for businesses. For example, evolving tax regulations are complicating cross-border operations for local economic groups, necessitating more sophisticated financial planning and compliance strategies. Additionally, there is a growing emphasis on protecting local markets through robust anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) regulations, as well as enhanced data privacy laws designed to safeguard consumers.

In regulated industries such as telecommunications, transportation, healthcare and banking, we are witnessing a profound shift. Traditional players, burdened by complex regulatory requirements, are competing with agile new entrants that operate with leaner structures and fewer regulatory obligations. This creates a dual challenge: ensuring compliance while enabling the business to remain competitive in an evolving market. Local GCs in the region play a critical role in helping the organization navigate these regulatory complexities, ensuring compliance while also identifying opportunities for innovation and growth.

To address these challenges, I recommend a proactive and strategic approach. This includes strengthening cross-functional collaboration: partnering closely with business leaders, finance teams, and external advisors to align legal strategies with broader organizational goals.

Investing in technology and innovation is also key, leveraging legal tech tools to enhance efficiency in contract management, compliance tracking, and risk assessment.

Building resilience is essential, developing robust frameworks for risk management and scenario planning to anticipate and respond to regulatory and economic shifts.

GC must also foster agility, encouraging a culture of adaptability within the legal team to respond quickly to emerging challenges and opportunities.

Ultimately, the role of local GC is not just about managing risks, but also about enabling the business to thrive in a complex and ever-changing environment. By staying ahead of these external forces and trends, I aim to position the legal function as a strategic partner that drives value and supports sustainable growth.

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

My starting point is that legal should be a business enabler. Our role is not simply to say no, but to help the business move forward in a way that is informed, practical and sustainable. When there is tension between legal advice and commercial objectives, I first try to understand what the commercial team is really trying to achieve. Often the issue is not the objective itself, but the path being proposed to get there.

From there, I frame the discussion around risk, options and consequences. I explain clearly what the legal concern is, why it matters and what could happen if we accept a certain position. But I also try to offer alternatives. Instead of stopping at “this is risky,” I prefer to say: “here are three ways we can still get this deal done, with different levels of risk and protection.” That approach helps commercial teams make informed decisions and keeps legal in the role of trusted counselor.

I also believe it is important to distinguish between acceptable risk and avoidable shortcuts. Business always involves risk, and legal should help assess and manage it, not eliminate it entirely. At the same time, part of our mission is to help colleagues avoid complicated shortcuts that may create bigger problems later, whether in compliance, disputes, enforceability, or reputation. So, I focus on finding the open doors, the workable alternatives, and the structure that allows the business to proceed safely.

When needed, I escalate in a constructive way. If the business wants to take a risk that is outside the company’s tolerance, I make sure the decision-makers understand the trade-offs and that the choice is documented appropriately. That way, legal supports the business while still protecting the organization.

In short, I manage conflict between legal advice and commercial objectives by being practical, solution-oriented, and transparent. My goal is always to help the business achieve its objectives, but in a way that is legally sound and avoids unnecessary complications later.