Team size: 14 (company site in Colombia 40 000 employees)

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

Over the past twelve months, I have led the consolidation of the M&A carried out by Teleperformance (TP) in the countries under my jurisdiction. My role has been to ensure that each transaction is integrated in an orderly and strategic way, aligning legal and regulatory aspects with business objectives. This work has had a direct impact on the group’s regional expansion and on its ability to turn investments into sustainable growth. As concrete deliverables, we achieved more agile due diligence processes, governance frameworks adapted to technological innovation and the incorporation of legal tools that today strengthen the portfolio of our legal teams.

I would particularly highlight the consolidation of the TechLaw area, which has become a highly valuable strategic asset. Operating under the legal vice presidency and across the jurisdictions under my responsibility, TechLaw has prioritised and driven the company’s broader transformation processes, which are part of its future and sustainability initiatives. What makes this effort unique is that the legal area is not simply accompanying transformation, it is leading it through governance, risk management and business design. Our role has been fundamental in accelerating and consolidating transformation, positioning the legal function as a genuine catalyst for innovation, resilience and corporate growth. TechLaw has acted as a true engine of innovation.

On the other hand, and jointly with the innovation team, we created working groups and invested many hours of development to design exclusive in-house tools for the legal function. These solutions have not only strengthened legal management, but have also become reference models for the group.

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

Recently, I had the opportunity to advise the company on the integration of AI-driven solutions within its operations. At first, the conversation revolved mainly around efficiency: how to review documents faster or detect inconsistencies in minutes. My recommendation was to shift the focus toward governance and risk management. I emphasised that the real value lies not only in speed, but also in ensuring accountability: who is responsible if the system fails, what controls are reasonable and which decisions should never be fully delegated to automation.

That change in perspective had a direct impact on business strategy. Management began involving the legal team earlier in strategic discussions whether negotiating with suppliers, redesigning operating models, or assessing the feasibility of automation initiatives. As a result, commercial objectives were achieved more quickly, but also with greater sustainability and resilience. Legal advice helped balance innovation with risk thresholds, strengthening trust with key stakeholders and positioning the legal function as a true strategic partner to the business.

How has the role of general counsel evolved, and what are the most important attributes for the modern in-house lawyer?

The role of general counsel has been changing quietly, yet profoundly. In the past, it was often seen as a lawyer who reviewed contracts and ensured compliance. Today, in a business environment shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation, the in-house lawyer has become a genuine strategic partner. What truly sets the modern GC apart is the ability to bring judgment and perspective into moments of innovation. It is no longer just about drafting documents faster; it is about ensuring accountability, defining risk thresholds and supporting decisions that directly shape business strategy. In this way, the legal function provides governance and trust, making innovation not just a possibility, but also sustainable and defensible.

From my perspective, the attributes that matter most are the ability to exercise sound judgment when evaluating risks, a strategic vision that connects law and business, enough technological literacy to understand complex systems and a preventive mindset that shows prevention is not intuition but a systematic discipline. Ultimately, the GC is no longer simply a guardian of compliance, but an architect of trust and resilience, someone who helps the company move forward with confidence, direction and control.

How can in-house counsel use AI to improve efficiency while maintaining quality, governance and integrity within legal teams?

AI can be a powerful ally for in-house legal teams, provided it is used with judgment and purpose. Its most immediate contribution lies in efficiency, reviewing contracts faster, comparing versions in seconds, or spotting unusual clauses automatically. Yet the real value emerges when that efficiency frees up time and energy for what truly matters: engaging in strategic discussions, setting risk thresholds and supporting decisions that directly affect both operations and reputation. The challenge is to preserve quality, governance and integrity while embracing these capabilities. To achieve this, the lawyer must take on the role of interpreter, understanding enough about the technology to ask the right questions: how are models trained, what level of traceability exists and where should limits be drawn. When the legal function is involved from the outset, AI stops being just an operational tool and becomes a mechanism that strengthens trust and coherence in business decisions.

In practice, this means AI does not replace legal judgment; it amplifies it.