Bolivia 2025
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Deputy legal manager – compliance coordinator | Grupo Minero Sinchi Wayra
Assistant general counsel | Phoenix Tower International
Legal affairs director | Cámara de Industria, Comercio, Servicios y Turismo
Head of the legal counsel unit | Universidad Catolica Boliviana - Sede Santa Cruz
General counsel – associate legal & tax | Ruizmier Group
Legal manager Mexico+ cluster | Japan Tobacco International ( JTI)
Manager of legal affairs for the Eastern region | Banco Nacional de Bolivia
General counsel | Importadora y Exportadora Monterrey
National legal manager | Embotelladoras Bolivianas Unidas (EMBOL)
Gerente de asuntos legales | Cámara de Industria, Comercio y Servicios de Cochabamba - ICAM
Legal and compliance manager | Pan American Silver Bolivia
Corporate lawyer | CAMSA INDUSTRIA Y COMERCIO
Executive director of the conciliation and arbitration centre | Cámara de Industria, Comercio y Servicios de Cochabamba-ICAM
Corporate affairs vice president | Nuevatel - VIVA
General counsel officer and LATAM counsel | EY
Legal manager -Argentina & Bolivia | Phoenix Tower International
Coordinator of legal affairs and labour relations | Nestlé Bolivia
Corporate affairs and compliance director | Telecel S.A. (Tigo)
National deputy general counsel for corporate and operational affairs | Banco Unión
Gerente nacional legal | Sociedad Boliviana de cemento SOBOCE
Gerente legal y legal compliance manager | Grupo Linde (Praxair)
Legal affairs director | Compañía industrial comercial hermanos Vicente
Head of corporate affairs and internationalisation | Grupo Mamut
Institutional affairs manager | Fexpocruz
Gerente nacional del area legal | Inmobiliaria Kantutani
Legal counsel | La Boliviana Ciacruz de seguros y reaseguros
Head of legal | Compañía de alimentos
Corporate national manager | Alianza Compañía de Seguros y Reaseguros
National legal counsel | Importadora y Exportadora Monterrey
Legal counsel | Sociedad Controladora Mercantil Santa Cruz
It is a true privilege to have worked on and now present The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Bolivia, 2025: a reflection on the unique realities of a jurisdiction where political volatility, economic uncertainty, and regulatory shifts are part of the day-to-day context for in-house counsel. This research highlights how Bolivia’s legal leaders are not only navigating instability but also transforming it into an opportunity to build resilience and sustainable growth.
A recurring theme across our conversations with the leading in-house lawyers in the country was the urgent need for adaptability in a business environment marked by currency shortages, shifting political priorities, and regulatory uncertainty. “Currently, my country is experiencing a severe currency crisis, which also affects other sectors. As the legal function, I consider it essential to take an active role in company operations, not merely as a filter for risks”, explained Jhessmy Camacho, general counsel at Importadora y Exportadora Monterrey. Camacho’s reflection illustrates how in-house counsel in Bolivia are taking ownership of crisis management and ensuring operational continuity while protecting corporate assets and credibility in the market.
Other in-house legal leaders emphasised that proactive and preventive approaches are critical. As Claudia García Paz, legal and executive director at Grupo Empresarial Nieme Inversiones, described it: “During periods of instability or crisis, our main focus is on building a strong foundation of anticipation and adaptability. We continuously update and strengthen our legal risk matrices to ensure they remain flexible and responsive to changing economic, political and regulatory conditions”.
Beyond crisis response, general counsel in Bolivia are also embedding sustainability into the heart of their corporate strategies. Ariane Milenka Augsten Roldan, in-house counsel at Itacamba Cemento, observed: “We leave a positive legacy in our environment by controlling and mitigating our impact, caring for biodiversity, and working on innovative solutions in our country”.
At the same time, the human dimension of leadership, a growing trend across Latin American legal teams, is not being overlooked by Bolivian in-house professionals. David Chavez Gonzales, legal counsel at Clínica Metropolitana de las Américas, shared how inclusivity and resilience go hand in hand: “Our legal team prioritises inclusivity, including gender equity, and highly values a proactive attitude when selecting staff… This collaborative approach fosters a continuous learning environment, reinforcing the team’s commitment to holistic development and diversity.”
Looking ahead, Bolivia’s legal leaders were candid about the challenges still to come. Many cited political transitions, gaps in data protection and cybersecurity law, and the pressures of adapting to ESG and digital transformation. As Marcelo Hassenteufel Loayza, corporate affairs VP at Nuevatel – VIVA, warned: “The major legal challenges for businesses in Bolivia over the next five years are concentrated in three areas: political constitution and regulations, judicial and bureaucratic systems, and investment security.”
Taken together, these testimonies showcase a Bolivian in-house counsel landscape in which corporate lawyers are operating at the crossroads of law, business, and society. They are not only interpreters of regulation but also strategic partners, risk managers, and innovators ensuring that companies remain competitive and compliant while contributing to sustainable development.
On behalf of The Legal 500, I would like to congratulate all the exceptional professionals featured in this 2025 edition of the GC Powerlist: Bolivia. Their voices reflect the legal challenges of today’s Bolivia and offer a clear vision for how in-house legal leadership can shape resilience, governance, and responsible growth in the years ahead.
Carmen Godoy Martin, Lead Researcher: GC Powerlist Bolivia 2025
The recent news that elite US firm Sullivan & Cromwell had apologised to a judge over AI hallucinations in a court filing prompted a collective wince from the legal profession.
But while some lawyers remain wary of AI, others are striking a more open-minded note, and at the LexisNexis AI Forum hosted this Wednesday (20 May) by Legal 500 and Legal Business, panelists argued that the risks are far outweighed by the opportunities.
Barbara Zapisetskaya, principal technology counsel at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, made the case that hallucinations and other potential pitfalls can be overcome with a shift in mindset.
‘What makes a difference,’ she said, ‘is empowering your lawyers to take responsibility for AI output – helping them become active AI operators, not just passive AI users. You have agency to decide whether you agree with the output or not.’
Zapisetskaya was among a line-up of leading in-house figures speaking on two panels, which covered everything from practical steps for AI implementation to the key decisions GCs need to be making in the coming months.
Financial Times general counsel Dan Guilford began by stressing the importance of building the right culture for AI adoption. In addition to proactively upskilling himself, Guilford talked about how he had implemented a voluntary weekly ‘show and tell’ meeting for team members to share successful use cases – or an exercise that became a gratifying measure of progress.
Other panelists discussed how increased in-house productivity is altering the dynamic with their external counsel.
While some see the use of AI by law firms as a precursor for reduced fees, Russell Davies, head of global operations for legal and compliance at Dentsu, said that faster results – however they are delivered – are something to be valued.
GSK assistant general counsel Anthony Kenny agreed, saying that while there was an expectation that external counsel would be utilising AI, the focus should be on the value of the output, rather than an overemphasis on identifying AI use as a justification to reduce fees.
Speaking on the second panel, MUFG EMEA general counsel James Morgan stressed the critical importance of education, noting that educating the C-suite on the advantages and risks of AI is just as important as enabling large in-house teams to use these tools.
Shanthini Satyendra, vice-chair of the AI Committee, Society for Computers & Law, CEO and founder of Manisain, offered a reminder of the importance of making the connection between tasks and the purpose behind them, extolling the virtues of identifying use cases for AI that can solve a meaningful problem.
Zapisetskaya concurred, adding that one of the most important tasks for GCs across the next six to twelve months is to create AI playbooks and templates, noting that ‘it is easy for lawyers to see problems – much harder for lawyers to see opportunities.’
There was also broad agreement among panellists that GCs should focus on upskilling their junior lawyers on AI, rather than – as some may expect – cutting back their workforce. As Satyendra summarised: ‘Some people are replacing human capital with AI without thinking about what’s required to make AI work. Retain your people and train them up.’
The panels were moderated by Emma Millington, head of the UK Lexis+ Finance Group, and LexisNexis director of segment management Stuart Greenhill.
