What are the most significant cases, projects, or transactions that you and your legal team have recently been involved in?

Over the past year, I have been involved in several strategic matters with significant financial, legal and operational implications for the group.

One of the most significant has been the negotiation with Panamanian banking institutions regarding Soho City Center Panama, a major real estate project. The matter involved negotiating an out-of-court agreement to resolve a civil mortgage proceeding and structuring a settlement involving real estate assets, with the objective of ensuring the continuity and long-term viability of the project. This required balancing complex legal, financial and commercial considerations, while coordinating closely with senior management and financial stakeholders.

We have also been involved in negotiations relating to Parque Industrial Gran Bajío, a strategic industrial development positioned as a regional growth and investment hub, including discussions with government authorities.

Additionally, I have participated in the group’s corporate restructuring, aimed at increasing efficiency, strengthening its different business lines and creating a structure better aligned with the group’s long-term strategy.

These matters have reinforced my view that an in-house legal function should not only manage legal risk, but also help the organisation navigate complexity, preserve business continuity and create opportunities for sustainable growth.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

During periods of uncertainty, Legal must become a source of clarity rather than additional complexity. My approach is to identify quickly the issues that could materially affect the organisation, prioritise them according to their potential impact and work closely with senior management to develop practical alternatives.

The Soho City Center matter was a good example of this approach. Faced with significant financial exposure and the risk of litigation affecting the continuity of a major project, the objective was not simply to defend the legal position, but to find a solution that addressed the underlying financial and business realities while preserving the project’s viability.

I believe resilience is built before a crisis occurs through strong governance, appropriate contractual protections, effective risk management and a deep understanding of the business. During a crisis, speed, judgement and the ability to balance legal risk with commercial objectives become equally important.

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

Being strategic means understanding where the business is heading and anticipating how Legal can help it get there. A strategic in-house lawyer must understand commercial objectives, financial considerations and operational realities, and translate legal issues into clear alternatives for management.

For me, this means participating in important decisions at an early stage, understanding the organisation’s risk appetite and helping management distinguish between risks that must be avoided and those that can be responsibly managed.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

Business acumen, judgement, integrity, adaptability and communication are essential. Technical legal expertise remains the foundation, but it is no longer sufficient on its own.

A modern in-house counsel must understand the business, build credibility with senior management, communicate complex issues clearly and remain effective under pressure. Most importantly, Legal must be capable of balancing risk and opportunity and be recognised as a strategic partner to the organisation.

What do you think is the greatest innovation you have enacted in the past year?

The most important innovation has been continuing to evolve the Legal function towards a more proactive and business-integrated model. This means engaging earlier in strategic initiatives, prioritising risks according to their potential business impact and focusing on practical solutions.

For me, innovation in Legal is not necessarily about implementing a particular technology. It is about changing the way Legal creates value: moving from simply responding to problems towards anticipating them, helping to structure solutions and participating in the decisions that shape the organisation’s future.