Brazil 2018 – GC Powerlist
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Brazil 2018

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Alexandre Aguiar de Brito

General counsel | Santo Antonio Energia

Energy and utilities

Alexandre Aguiar de Brito, has continued to impress as general counsel of Santo Antônio Energia, an energy conglomerate charged with the construction and operation of the Santo Antônio Hydroelectric Plant...

Alexandre Barenco Ribeiro

Executive legal manager | Fundação Petrobras de Seguridade Social (Petros)

Financials

Alexandre Barenco Ribeiro currently serves as executive legal manager at Petros having had an extensive career in public and private institutions as a legal counsel and attorney. Prior to joining...

Alexandre Barreto Tostes

Legal manager | UnitedHealth Group Brasil - Amil

Healthcare

Alexandre Barreto Tostes is an experienced lawyer having spent nearly 15 years in-house and in private practice management roles at some of the largest Brazilian multinationals. Tostes is an expert...

Alexandre D’Ambrosio

General counsel | Vale

Materials and mining

A distinguished figure in the in-house legal industry in Brazil, Alexandre D’Ambrosio joined Vale as general counsel in March 2018. He brings over 20 years of corporate legal in-house experience...

Alfredo Santana

Legal and corporate compliance director Latin America | Volvo do Brasil

Consumer products

Alfredo Santana started his career at Umicore (previously Degussa) where he worked for nine years. In 2003 he joined Honda Motors as a legal supervisor and was later promoted to...

Aline de Almada Messias

Legal and compliance director | Hospital Sírio Libanês

Healthcare

Since 2017, Aline de Almada Messias has served as director of legal and compliance at Hospital Sírio Libanês, a hospital founded by Syrian and Lebanese immigrants to Brazil in 1921...

Amira Chammas

Head of legal | Formitex

Materials and mining

Amira Chammas has extensive experience within and leading in-house legal departments in Brazilian and multinational companies such as Walmart, and PepsiCo, as well as working at PwC and Demarest Almeida....

Ana Carolina Pescarmona

Head of legal and compliance department – Hygiene and Home | Reckitt Benckiser Brasil

Consumer products

Ana Carolina Pescarmona is a seasoned attorney with 20 years of in-house counsel experience with multi-national corporations in Brazil. At Reckitt Benckiser (RB) Brazil, she has risen through the ranks...

Ana Luiza Duarte de Barros Dourado

General counsel, legal director | Grupo Verzani e Sandrini

Healthcare

Ana Luiza Duarte de Barros Dourado has been the general counsel and legal director of Grupo Verzani e Sandrini, a full-facilities services and parking garage company since 2017. Managing a...

Ana Luiza Duarte de Barros Dourado

General counsel, legal director | Grupo Verzani e Sandrini

Healthcare

Ana Luiza Duarte de Barros Dourado has been the general counsel and legal director of Grupo Verzani e Sandrini, a full-facilities services and parking garage company since 2017. Managing a...

Ana Paula Saunders

Specialist tax lawyer | Vale

Materials and mining

Ana Paula Saunders is an experienced international and Brazilian tax specialist with a strong background in litigation affairs. Since joining Vale in 2011, she has had responsibility over around 500...

Ana Sílvia Dias Haynes

General counsel and chief compliance officer Latin America | Essilor

Healthcare

Ana Sílvia Dias Haynes is a Brazilian qualified lawyer with over 22 years of experience working for and advising multinational and Brazilian-based companies in Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Middle...

Andre Areno

Chief legal counsel | Gerdau

Materials and mining

With more than decade of legal experience in the steel industry, Andre Areno first joined Gerdau in 2007 and became chief legal counsel and secretary to the board in 2016....

Andrea Marçon Bocabello

General counsel and corporate secretary | Fleury

Healthcare

Andrea Marçon Bocabello has been working in the Latin American region as in-house counsel for Brazilian and US companies for the last 15 years and has served in senior executive...

Antonio Basilio

Head of legal and corporate affairs | Enel Brasil

Energy and utilities

Antonio Basilio provides Enel Brasil with over 30 years of legal experience including a successful career in private practice, as partner at Gouvêa Vieira Advogados, and extensive in-house experience in...

Antonio Ferreira Martins

Legal vice president | Raízen Trading

Energy and utilities

Antonio Ferreira Martins is a stalwart in the oil and gas in-house legal world and is well respected for his leadership and expertise over his 30 plus years in the...

Antônio Pedro da Silva Machado

Legal director | Banco do Brasil

Financials

Legal director at Banco do Brasil since 2012, Antônio Pedro da Silva Machado has extensive experience in the in-house legal sector. Banco do Brasil is the second largest bank in...

Augusto Fortuna

Head of legal | AlmapBBDO

Commercial and professional services

Augusto Fortuna started his career working in Brazil’s largest intellectual property offices as an IP litigation lawyer and, after 14 years in law firms, he made the choice to focus...

Bianca Poffo

Legal and compliance director – Latin America | Logicalis

Information technology

Bianca Poffo began her role as Logicalis’ legal and compliance director – Latin America in March 2017 after first joining the company in 2012. She has a decade’s experience in...

Bruna Cassiano

Legal manager | Konecta Brazil Outsourcing

Commercial and professional services

Bruna Cassiano began her career as a lawyer in 2008 at the age of 21, working in large law firms in São Paulo specialising in labour law. In 2012, she...

Bruno Lage de Araujo Paulino

General counsel | Usiminas

Materials and mining

One of the largest steel producers in Latin America, Brazil based Usiminas is one of the preeminent steel producers, researchers and consultants in the region. Bruno Lage de Araujo Paulino...

Camilo Wittica

Vice president legal and government affairs Latin America | Electrolux

Consumer products

Camilo Wittica is responsible for Electrolux´s legal, government affairs, risk management and IP functions, in Latin America. Prior to Electrolux, Wittica spent nearly eight years at TRW Automotive and pursued...

Carlos Henrique Barroso

General legal counsel | Lojas Renner

Consumer products

Carlos Henrique Barroso began his career working as an associate lawyer with law firms in Rio de Janeiro, first as a civil court litigator and then as a corporate lawyer...

Carolina Azevedo

Legal director | Ericsson Telecomunicações

Telecommunication services

For just over a year Carolina Azevedo has served as legal director for Brazil as part of Ericcson Telecomunicações’ global restructuring process. The company is now structured with the Brazil,...

Carolina Matos Costa Bayão

Legal manager | União de Lojas Leader

Consumer products

Carolina Matos Costa Bayão has been legal manager of União de Lojas Leader (Leader) since August 2017 and is a highly experience in-house counsel across the consumer goods sector. With...

Cinthia Ambrogi

General counsel Brazil | Sanofi

Healthcare

Since 2011, Cinthia Ambrogi has served as general counsel Brazil at Sanofi, a large global life sciences and pharmaceuticals company. She has over a decade’s experience in high level in-house...

Claudia Cardoso Rodrigues

| Toyota do Brasil

Consumer products

Claudia Cardoso Rodrigues has managed the legal team at Toyota do Brasil through what has been a difficult period for the automotive industry in Brazil. Toyota has been in Brazil...

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Claudir Ambra Lizot

Legal director | JTI

Food, beverages and tobacco

Claudir Ambra Lizot is the legal director at JTI (Japan Tobacco International) in Brazil, covering all legal and regulatory matters for the international tobacco giant in the Brazilian market. The...

Daniel Schmidt Pitta

Legal director | JBS

Materials and mining

An experienced in-house counsel and private practice legal practitioner with over 15 years of experience in commercial legal practice Daniel Schmidt Pitta has recently taken over as director of legal...

Daniela Frangioni

Legal, compliance and public affairs director - Brazil and Latin America | Marsh & McLennan Companies

Financials

Daniela Frangioni has served as the legal, compliance and public affairs director in Brazil and Latin America with Marsh & McLennan Companies since 2004. With over 20 years of legal...

Eduardo Paranhos

Legal director Americas | Tetra Pak Brazil

Materials and mining

With over 20 years of experience in the legal profession, including a career in private practice before going in-house to manage legal teams at Microsoft and HP, Eduardo Paranhos is...

Elias Ferreira Jabbour

Corporate counsel | Reed Exhibitions Alcantara Machado

Commercial and professional services

Corporate counsel since 2016, Elias Ferreira Jabbour has been nominated for his expert guidance of legal affairs at Reed Exhibitions Alcantara Marchado, a world-leading exhibitions and events company. With over...

Erica Barbagalo

South America law lead | Monsanto

Erica Barbagalo leads the legal department at Monsanto, a large international pharmaceutical company and has overseen its transition following the acquisition by Bayer. During this process Barbagalo worked closely with...

Euridice Mason

Senior regional counsel and compliance Latin America | Harsco Corporation

Industrials and real estate

A highly experienced and prominent legal and compliance senior executive with over 20 years of in-house legal experience with multinational companies in Brazil, Euridice Mason has led the legal function...

Fabio Ferreira Cunha

Legal director – legal, compliance and regulatory affairs | Dasa (Diagnósticos das Américas)

Healthcare

Beginning as a tax attorney in a leading law firm in the south of Brazil, Fabio Ferreira Cunha transitioned to a corporate counsel in the airspace industry as an international...

Fábio Medeiros

Legal and integrity director | Klabin

Materials and mining

With almost 20 years of professional legal experience covering a wide range of disciplines including corporate, real estate, civil, administrative, labour, environmental, contractual, commercial and regulatory law, Fábio Medeiros leads...

Fernanda Rocha C. Pogliese

Legal director | Energisa

Energy and utilities

Fernanda Rocha C. Pogliese leads the legal department at Energisa, a leading privately owned energy group in the electricity sector in Brazil. With proven experience as a corporate legal director...

Fernando Rascov Lodi

| Sherwin-Williams

Materials and mining

Fernando Rascov Lodi started his career in private practice mainly responsible for commercial litigation, having Brazilian and multinational banks as his biggest clients. After eight years working at a law...

Fernando Zanetti

Deputy general counsel | Bunge Brazil

Food, beverages and tobacco

Legal and compliance director from 2008 to 2017 and deputy general counsel since January 2018, Fernando Zanetti brings nearly 30 years of professional legal experience to his role at Bunge....

Fernando Ziziotti

Senior vice president and counsel | Brookfield Infrastructure Group

Financials

Fernando Ziziotti was promoted in May 2018 to senior vice president and counsel for Brookfield Infrastructure in Brazil, in charge of negotiation and execution of investment opportunities and providing legal...

Frederico Araujo

General counsel | Comgas

Energy and utilities

With almost 20 years of experience in national and multinational public sector regulated utility companies, Frederico Araujo leads the legal department at Comgas as general counsel. With Comgas since 2003,...

Gabriel Alves Da Costa

Managing counsel litigation Latin America and Caribbean | Shell Brasil Petróleo

Energy and utilities

Gabriel Alves da Costa is Shell Brazil’s managing counsel for litigation in Latin America and Caribbean. In this position, he is a member of Shell Brasil’s legal coordination team and...

Gabriel Jacques de Moura

Head of legal | Santos Brasil

Transport and infrastructure

Gabriel Jacques de Moura joined Santos Brasil as head of legal in March 2018, bringing with him a 15 year legal career including 11 years spent as an in-house lawyer...

Gabriela Laufer

Head of legal | Bravante Group

Energy and utilities

Gabriela Laufer’s legal career started at Shell Oil, where she worked on commercial law and was exposed to many international cases, which heightened her desire to become an international lawyer....

Geisa Campos

Senior legal counsel, Marine Americas | Fugro

Energy and utilities

Fugro is the world’s leading, independent provider of geo-intelligence and asset integrity solutions for large constructions, infrastructure and natural resources. The company has been operating in Brazil for over 20...

Gianfranco Cinelli

Legal director | Yara International

Materials and mining

With over 18 years of in-house experience, Gianfranco Cinelli is a business oriented counsel with strong experience in corporate, business and supply chain strategy and the management of large, international...

Graziela Galli

Corporate legal director | GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes

Materials and mining

Joining the company in 2017 after a long career in private practice at major Brazilian law firms, international experience at Mayer Brown in New York, and previous in-house executive legal...

Guido Rogerio Macedo Silveira Filho

General manager legal | Ipiranga

Energy and utilities

Guido Rogerio Macedo Silveira Filho has served as general manager legal at Ipiranga Produtos de Petróleo since 2002, having previously worked as a lawyer in the company from 1990 to...

Guilherme Ryder

Senior legal manager | TIM Brasil

Materials and mining

Formerly at Oi (previously known as Telmar and Embratel), Guilherme Ryder has nearly 20 years of professional experience at multinational legal departments in the telecoms sector in Brazil. He brings...

Gustavo Biagioli

Legal and compliance director | JLL

Financials

Gustavo Biagioli started working at JLL in June 2014. Before that, he worked for RR Donnelley (printing services), Software AG and IT giant Hewlett Packard. In all, he has dedicated...

Gustavo Valverde

General counsel, corporate governance and external affairs | Braskem

Energy and utilities

Gustavo Valverde first joined OPP Química in 2001, which was renamed Braskem a year later after the consolidation of six companies from Odebrecht and Mariani Groups. He developed his experience...

Henrique Rabelo

Legal manager | Cast Group

Information technology

Henrique Rabelo started his career in a law office in the city of Belo Horizonte as a trainee, and then at an oil distribution company before he was hired to...

Heraldo Geres

Chief legal officer | Marfrig Group

Food, beverages and tobacco

Heraldo Geres continues to impress as chief legal officer for Marfrig Group, a major multi-national food company specialising in meat products including Brazilian beef. A lawyer with 25 years experience...

Hugo Cruz Maestri

Legal affairs director | Hamburg Süd (Brazil)

Transport and infrastructure

A skilled professional with a consistent background and solid legal experience Hugo Cruz Maestri has been enrolled at the Brazilian Bar for almost twenty years, served in numerous in-house positions,...

Joana Rocha

Legal manager | Brasil Insurance

Financials

Joana Rocha, legal manager at Brasil Insurance since 2011, has returned to the Powerlist due to her continued success and management skill at Brasil Insurance, one of Brazil’s largest insurers....

Joana Smith De Vasconcellos

Legal and compliance director | INTL FCStone (Brazil)

Financials

Since August 2016, Joana Smith De Vasconcellos has served as legal and compliance director at INTL FCStone Brazil, having previously held high level in-house legal positions within the financial sector...

Joanna Portella

General counsel | Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras

Transport and infrastructure

Joanna Portella joined Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (Azul) in September 2011 after a 10 year career in private practice at Clifford Chance and TozziniFreire Advogados. A specialist in corporate law...

Joao Vicente Camarota

Managing director and head of legal South America | Morgan Stanley

Financials

With almost 20 years of executive in-house and private practice experience, Joao Vicente Camarota continues to impress as managing director and head of legal South America at Morgan Stanley. Camarota...

Jonas Pulcheri

General counsel | Rede D'Or Sao Luiz

Healthcare

Jonas Pulcheri, general counsel, has been with Rede D’Or São Luiz since 2010 with previous experience in private practice, and is a respected figure in the healthcare industry. Rede D’Or...

José Luiz Marques Lino

Legal director | UnitedHealth Group Brasil - Americas Serviços Médicos

Healthcare

With almost 30 years experience as an in-house lawyer and outside counsel, José Luiz Marques Lino current role is legal director of Americas Serviços Médicos, a major hospital and medical...

Juliano Mirapalheta Sangoi

Senior legal counsel and compliance officer | Zenvia

Telecommunication services

Juliano Mirapalheta Sangoi, has served at Zenvia Mobile Serviços Digitais since 2016, managing the company’s tax compliance, labour, litigation, contractual, corporate, IP and other legal affairs. With five years of...

Julio César Caciatori Martins

Legal director | Cielo

Financials

Since joining Cielo in 2011, Julio César Caciatori Martins has excelled as a legal manager. Having more than 15 years of in-house legal experience and in financial institutions and top...

Leandro Escobar Silva

| Dommo Energia

Energy and utilities

With 15 years of legal experience in private practice and as legal coordinator at CETIP for seven years, Leandro Escobar Silva joined Dommo Energia in 2014 as a legal manager,...

Leandro Telles

Head of legal department – Investment Banking | Itaú BBA

Financials

Leandro Miana Telles has served as head of the legal department in the investment banking arm of Itaú BBA since 2009 and has been an in-house counsel within the financial...

Louangela Bianchini C. Colquhoun

General counsel | CIELO

Financials

Louangela Bianchini C. Colquhoun started her career as a professor at a federal public university teaching public law and other subjects. During this time she was invited to participate in...

Lucas Quevedo

General counsel | Rio Energy

Energy and utilities

Lucas Quevedo brought his extensive experience in the oil and gas industry to Rio Energy in May 2017 after stints at other major international oil producers, namely Total, OBX and...

Lucia Paolini

Vice president of legal and business affairs | Fox Latin American Channels

Sports and media

Since 2015 Lucia Paolini has served as vice president of legal and business affairs at Fox Latin American Channels bringing nearly 25 years of professional legal experience and media savviness...

Luciana Alvarenga O. Serafini

Legal manager | Banco Safra

Financials

Luciana Alvarenga O. Serafini brings 23 years of in-house experience spanning the banking and consumer goods industries, to her role as legal manager at Banco Safra. The bank is one...

Luciana Freire

Legal manager | Banco BMG

Financials

Luciana Freire is the executive superintendent of the legal department at Banco BMG, one of Brazil’s largest commercial banks. She has been in this role since 2013 having nearly 30...

Industrials and real estate

Luis Fernando Radulov Queiroz has been general counsel and integrity officer for ABB in South and Central America since 2014. Before joining ABB, he sat on the board of directors...

Marcela Nardelli

Tax manager | Braskem

Materials and mining

With nearly a decade of experience in private practice with a speciality in tax law, Marcela Nardelli is well-placed to lead the tax management team within the legal department at...

Marcelo Lucon

Executive legal director | Ecorodovias Infraestrutura e Logistica

Transport and infrastructure

After 10 years developing his legal career in domestic and international law firms, in 2006 Marcelo Lucon moved in-house. In 2009 he assumed the general counsel role at Ecorodovias Infraestrutura...

Márcio Bonfiglioli

Managing director and general counsel | J.P. Morgan (Brazil)

Financials

Márcio Bonfiglioli has served as managing director and head of the legal department at J.P. Morgan Brazil since 2006, having re-joined the company after serving as associate general counsel from...

Marcos Bruno Oliveira

Senior legal counsel | Aperam South America

Materials and mining

Senior legal counsel at Aperam South America since May 2011, Marcos Bruno Oliveira joined with nearly 20 years of experience, both in-house and in private practice, in the steel and...

Mariangela Daniele Maruishi Bartz

General counsel | Fibria Celulose

Materials and mining

Mariangela Daniele Maruishi Bartz is an expert in-house lawyer with eighteen years of experience in the legal field at leading Brazilian companies Vale and Fibria Celulose, and law firms in...

Marina de Lima Draib

Legal manager | Sistema Brasileiro de Televisao

Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão (SBT) is one of the largest television networks in Brazil with a whole variety of programming including news, children’s shows, soap operas, game shows, movies and...

Mauricio Joffily Pinheiro

Legal vice president for Latin America | Shire

Healthcare

Nominated by numerous sources, Mauricio Joffily Pinheiro is recognised again for his continued leadership of the legal department at Shire, a global pharmaceutical colossus, in Latin America. Based in Brazil,...

Michele Ischiara

Global general counsel – Banking and Payment BU, general counsel Latin America | Gemalto

Information technology

Michele Ischiara was promoted to Gemalto’s general counsel Latin America in July 2010, at the age of 29 years, and built the team of six lawyers and one paralegal from...

Patricia Cristina Medeiros

Senior legal manager | Syngenta Proteção de Cultivos

Food, beverages and tobacco

Since January 2011, Patricia Cristina Medeiros has been senior legal manager of Syngenta Proteção de Cultivos, a world leading agribusiness company in Brazil, with revenue of nearly US$3bn. She covers...

Patricia Garcia

Senior legal counsel | Vinci Airports do Brasil

Transport and infrastructure

When Patricia Garcia joined the VINCI Group, an international airport management company, in 2013, she describes it as, ‘boosting its internationalisation strategy and therefore was looking for a lawyer that...

Patricia Ulian

General counsel – legal director South America | Archer Daniels Midland

Food, beverages and tobacco

Patricia Ulian joined Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) as the general counsel and legal director for South America, in May 2018. She has 25 years of in-house and private practice...

Paula Camila Cocuzza

Legal manager | TOTVS

Information technology

Since 2017, Paula Camila Cocuzza has been the legal manager of TOTVS, a Brazilian multinational software, services, platform and consulting company. It has 41 locations around the world and is...

Pedro Flach

Head of legal | Thoughtworks Brazil

Information technology

Pedro Flach is an accomplished and experienced in-house lawyer in the financial and corporate sectors with past experiences at EY, as general counsel at GSI Brazil – AGCO Group, legal...

Pilar Perez

Legal and compliance manager | Lorinvest Gestão de Recursos

Financials

Pilar Perez has been part of the Lorentzen Group for 15 years. For over 60 years the Lorentzen Group has invested in shipping and logistics, biomass, among other investments. In...

Plínio Pistoresi

Senior legal manager | Banco Modal

Financials

After his education at top universities in Brazil with speciality post-graduate studies in corporate law and business management from the Business School São Paulo and an MBA from Fundação Getulio...

Priscila Becker M. Hermeto

Senior in-house counsel | Rede Globo

Sports and media

Rede Globo is the largest television network in Latin America, based in Rio de Janeiro, and covers a wide range of diverse programming from news, soap operas to full coverage...

Rafael Martins

Legal manager | Galvani Indústria, Comercio e Serviços

Materials and mining

Despite his relatively young age, Rafael Martins has been in important legal leadership positions for the past six years. He started working in a number of prestigious law firms in...

Renata Willens Longo Ferrari

Head of legal, compliance and IR | Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineraçao (CBMM)

Materials and mining

As head of legal since October 2011, Renata Willens Longo Ferrari has led the legal department of CBMM with skill and experience. With 20 years of experience as an in-house...

Ricardo Genis Mourão

Managing director – head of legal Brazil | Goldman Sachs

Financials

Ricardo Genis Mourão joined Goldman Sachs in 2011 and was named managing director in 2015. Prior to joining the firm, Mourão was an external counsel in banking and securities in...

Ricardo Sasaki

Corporate legal director | Ajinomoto do Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Alimentos

Consumer products

Ricardo Sasaki has lead the legal team at Ajinomoto do Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Alimentos, as corporate legal director, and general director of the legal department, intellectual property and...

Richard Alexander Lekitsch

Head of legal department | International Industria Automotiva da America do Sul (MWM)

Industrials and real estate

Bringing over a decade of experience in the motor industry and rising up through the organisation Richard Alexander Lekitsch serves as head of the legal department at International Industria Automotiva...

Roberto Fontes Federici

General counsel and corporate governance officer | Norte Energia

Energy and utilities

Roberto Fontes Federici is general counsel, compliance officer and corporate governance secretary at Norte Energia, in charge of all legal and compliance matters referring to the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Plant....

Sandra Gebara Boni

General counsel, compliance and corporate affairs director Brazil | Grupo Lala

Food, beverages and tobacco

Sandra Gebara Boni began her career working almost exclusively for Group Saint Gobain covering all legal areas. After 11 years, she moved to Grupo Pão de Açúcar (now Groupe Casino)...

Selma Azevedo

Legal manager | Grupo Positivo

Industrials and real estate

In 1999, Selma Azevedo joined Grupo Positivo as legal manager and has guided the company to new heights. Positivo is a large publishing, software and education service company in Brazil,...

Shirley Meschke Mendes Franklin de Oliveira

Legal director | Laboratórios Pfizer

Healthcare

After three years in the position of legal director of Pfizer Brazil, Shirley Meschke Mendes Franklin de Oliveira was designated to perform additional roles of cluster legal lead position for...

Suzana Fagundes

Vice president human resources, legal, institutional relations, sustainability and compliance | ArcelorMittal Brasil

Materials and mining

Since being featured in earlier editions of the GC Powerlist: Brazil, Suzana Fagundes has continued to impress peers whilst developing her professional skills by extending her remit at ArcelorMittal Brasil....

Tagiane Gomide Guimarães

Legal and compliance manager | Unidas

Commercial and professional services

An accomplished corporate lawyer with nearly 20 years of experience in private practice and in-house counsel in Brazil, Tagiane Gomide Guimarães is the legal and compliance manager at Unidas, one...

Túlio Marco Gonçalves Barros

Legal and institutional relations manager | Netshoes

Consumer products

After a five year stint in private practice, Túlio Marco Gonçalves Barros first moved to an in-house role at Arinos Química, and developed his talent for commercial litigation with a...

Valéria Camacho Martins Schmitke

Regional general counsel Latin America | Zurich Insurance

Financials

Valéria Camacho Martins Schmitke has 18 years of experience as a local general counsel starting in 2000 at Real Previdência e Seguros (ABN Amro Bank in Brazil). Afterwards, she moved...

Vanessa Boer

Legal and compliance director | Bemis Latin America

Materials and mining

Vanessa Boer has served as legal and compliance director at Bemis Latin America since 2017, bringing her almost 20 years of experience of in-house legal positions with particular expertise in...

Vinícius Oliveira da Silva

Legal director | Eletropaulo

Energy and utilities

With nearly 20 years of experience at top level Brazilian law firms, Vinícius Oliveira da Silva has served as legal director of Eletropaulo since November 2017. Prior to that he...

Brazil has weathered tough times since the 2007 global economic crash, with the latest recession between 2015 and 2016 dropping the nation’s GDP by almost 8%. The country has also witnessed political upheavals and issues involving industrial action and protests over pension reform in 2018, but despite the instability these issues have caused, the country’s markets have demonstrated tremendous resilience with the OECD reporting that that the Brazilian economy has in fact grown from 2017 to 2018.

Despite its economic and political difficulties, Brazil remains Latin America’s largest economy with particular strength in the manufacturing, energy, finance and telecoms industries. These factors provide the country’s in-house lawyers with significant challenges and opportunities as they continue to assist their respective organisations in remaining profitable, by driving internal efficiencies and providing their expert advice on business strategy.

The leaders of Brazil’s in-house legal community identified in this list typify the outstanding legal innovation present in Brazil. They are tenacious and provide resilience to their companies while continuing to grow the business and deserve to be recognised for their achievements. As such, we are very pleased to present the GC Powerlist: Brazil 2018, returning for a third time to the country highlighting the top 100 individuals in the in-house legal industry.

Castro Barros Advogados

Castro Barros Advogados logo

Dear colleagues. By the time this short message reaches you, Brazil has already a newly elected president. She or he certainly has a difficult task ahead, especially when it comes to recovering the trust of the nation in the figure of the president, mitigating the extremism that has taken over in recent years and mending the economy. It is a tough job indeed.

And we ought to continue doing our part towards said goals as legal practitioners, regardless of being self-employed, working in law firms or companies.

You have been chosen by your peers and by outside counsels all over the country and abroad as the finest members of the Brazilian GC community in 2018. We trust this nomination will give you even more energy and incentive to achieve your own and your respective team’s objectives.

We, at Castro Barros Advogados, are happy and feel honored to combine efforts with The Legal 500 to make GC Powerlist: Brazil a reality again.

Congratulations!

Jones Day Hong Kong Roundtable 2024

The Legal 500 was thrilled to join a selection of top Jones Day partners and a hand-picked group of 15 the most prominent GCs in Hong Kong for a freewheeling and no-holds-barred discussion on geopolitical risk management at a time of global transition. Steve Brogan, managing partner of Jones Day from 2002-2022 flew over to lend his considerable expertise to the discussion, as did Partner-in-Charge Hong Kong Joelle Lau. Joining them to give expert briefings on the topics of the day were partners Peter Wang, Dr Qiang Xue, James Fidler, Samuel Ngo and Charles Chau. The conversation moved from sanctions and counter sanctions, to the increasing pre-eminence of the Asian economy, to the philosophy of the rule of law in times of crisis.