María del Carmen Salgado Troya is head of legal and corporate affairs at Nestlé Chile, leading the legal, compliance, corporate communications, and sustainability agenda.

She has developed a career at the intersection of law and business. Prior to her current role, she held leadership positions at both market and regional levels, including assignments at Nestlé’s headquarters in Switzerland, where she advised on corporate governance, compliance, sustainability, and strategic business initiatives.

In Ecuador, she led a highly respected Legal and Regulatory Affairs team, supporting the implementation of one of the world’s first mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labeling schemes and leading the company’s legal strategy in a challenging business environment.

At the Zone Americas level, she contributed to the development of the global Legal & Compliance Blueprint and gained broad exposure to diverse regulatory and business environments throughout the region.

She has played a key role in complex corporate transformations, restructuring projects, M&A deals, and cross-functional initiatives involving multiple markets and stakeholders.

A strong advocate for ethical business practices, she has championed compliance and integrity initiatives throughout her career, collaborating with international organizations such as the World Economic Forum and Transparency International, as well as industry stakeholders, to promote responsible business conduct and strengthen governance frameworks across multiple markets and regions.

Recognized as a pragmatic and business-oriented legal leader, she is known for her ability to navigate complex legal challenges, build high-performing teams, and foster strong partnerships across functions. Her international experience, strategic mindset, and commitment to integrity have established her as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and a respected voice within the legal community.