Team Size: 6, including myself.

Career biography

Carolina Figuereo-Simón is Legal and Compliance Director and a member of the Executive Committee of ALTIO Sociedad Administradora de Fondos de Inversión (ALTIO SAFI), one of the Dominican Republic’s leading investment fund managers. She also serves on the Investment Committees of several ALTIO-managed funds and on the boards of portfolio companies operating in the energy, construction and tourism sectors.

Carolina holds a law degree, awarded summa cum laude, from Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) and an LL.M. from Georgetown University. With more than 15 years of legal experience, she has been involved in the investment fund industry since its early years in the Dominican Republic. Her practice focuses on investment funds, securities regulation, corporate governance, compliance and the legal aspects of complex investment and corporate transactions.

At ALTIO, Carolina works closely with the Investment, Risk, Finance and Operations teams, providing legal support throughout the investment lifecycle, from transaction structuring and due diligence to execution, portfolio oversight and operational implementation. She has also led the development of governance frameworks, compliance programmes, internal controls and policies that support the firm’s legal and regulatory responsibilities. In addition, she actively participates in regulatory consultations and industry discussions concerning proposed legislation affecting the investment fund sector.

General Counsel often speak of the need to be strategic to reach the pinnacle of the profession. What does being strategic mean to you?

To me, being strategic as a General Counsel means looking beyond the law to understand how legal, regulatory and geopolitical developments shape the business and its long-term objectives. In a highly regulated industry, strategy requires anticipating regulatory change, implementing governance and compliance best practices, and translating legal developments into practical actions that protect the organisation while enabling sustainable growth.

Being strategic also requires a commercially focused mindset. A General Counsel should understand the organisation’s commercial objectives, operational challenges and risk appetite in order to provide practical legal advice aligned with the company’s strategy. Rather than simply identifying legal risks, we should help management navigate them and make informed decisions that create long-term value.

At ALTIO, our Legal and Compliance team is deeply integrated into the business. We work closely with every area of the organisation throughout the investment lifecycle, from structuring transactions and supporting investment decisions to advising on risk management and ensuring the appropriate operational implementation and registration of investments within our core systems. By understanding how each area operates, we can anticipate challenges, develop practical solutions and facilitate the efficient and compliant execution of transactions.

Finally, being strategic requires adaptability and continuous learning. Markets, regulations and technology are constantly evolving, and legal teams must evolve with them. By combining technical expertise, commercial awareness and a forward-looking perspective, legal teams can become an integral part of the business, providing practical solutions that support informed decision-making and sustainable growth.

Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on that you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful of?

One of the main trends I believe in-house lawyers should pay close attention to is the use of artificial intelligence within the legal profession. AI can significantly improve the analysis of legal and regulatory documents, increase efficiency and allow lawyers to dedicate more time to strategic work. However, it is important to determine which tasks can appropriately be supported by AI and which should continue to rely on human judgement, experience and ethical decision-making.

Technology will never replace the value of people. Human talent brings strategic thinking, sound judgement and a deep understanding of a company’s values and objectives. Legal departments should therefore lead the development of governance frameworks, internal policies and procedures that ensure AI is used responsibly and securely, and in compliance with data protection laws and ethical standards.

For lawyers working in the financial sector, another important trend is the development of innovative products based on emerging technologies. To support the business effectively, we need to understand not only the applicable regulations but also how these products operate in practice. This enables legal teams to implement appropriate internal controls, support innovation responsibly and maintain constructive dialogue with regulators while protecting clients and investors.