About

Luis dos Santos Martins currently leads a team of 75 lawyers, paralegals and corporate security experts in his role as General Counsel for IBM Brazil. Martins is an expert in the information technology (IT) sector, having worked with IBM for over 12 years in a number of countries: his first role after private practice covered IBM’s operations in Spain, Portugal, Greece and Israel based out of Madrid; he then worked at the IBM headquarters in New York covering software M&A work and East Coast Insurance accounts; returning to Madrid he covered the Central and Eastern Europe region, and subsequently Middle East and Africa. Martins eventually relocated to São Paulo in 2015 to become the General Counsel of IBM Brazil. Having gained a wealth of experience in how the company operates, and the key role that legal can play in company strategy, Martins now provides practical advice to the senior management on corporate and business matters. The legal team supports approximately 20,000 employees, generating annual revenues of $3bn, across the 17 subsidiaries that fall under the IBM Brazil umbrella. In his time with IBM Brazil, Martins has utilised his sharp business acumen to develop relationships with public institutions and supervisory authorities, making sure the company is fully up-to-date on important industry matters. IBM is known globally for its innovation within the technology sector, and Martins fits that corporate mould well. He is the executive sponsor of Watson’s Cognitive technology development program for the legal industry, and is a co-founder of the IBM Brazil Entrepreneurial Program to accelerate innovative startups.