Executive legal director and chief compliance officer - Latin America | Bridgestone Brazil
Executive vice president, corporate and external affairs | Vale
Legal and corporate compliance director for Latin America | Volvo Brazil
General counsel and chief compliance and governance officer | Inter
General counsel for Latin America | Scania Latin America
Legal manager | TPI - Triunfo Participações e Investimentos
Corporate legal manager, institutional and governmental relations and compliance | Grupo Tigre
General counsel, grains and oilseeds, Brazil | COFCO International
Legal vice president of corporate affairs and regulation | AES Brasil
General counsel and compliance director | Contabilizei
Senior legal manager for Brazil | The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Legal manager on institutional compliance | Multiplan Empreendimentos Imobiliários
Head of legal department, member of the compliance committee | Cobra IS
Executive vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer | Embraer
Legal director for Brazil, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean | Janssen
General counsel and chief compliance officer | Eve Holding
Executive legal director and organizational culture PMO | Minerva Foods
Senior legal manager for Brazil, Central America and the Caribbean | Janssen
Associate general counsel, global litigation for Latin America, the Caribbean and United States | Shell Brasil Petróleo
Head of legal and compliance | Santos Brasil Participações
Managing director and director of legal services for Brazil | Accenture
General counsel and compliance officer | Hidrovias do Brasil
Legal and international relations vice president | Ipiranga Produtos de Petróleo
Head of legal for East Coast of South America | Maersk Group
Group chief legal and compliance officer and general counsel | Natura & Co
Legal director, compliance officer and data protection officer | Equatorial Energia
Director of legal, governance, risk and compliance | VLI Logística
Legal manager, compliance, data protection and ESG for Latin America | SmartFit
Vice president of legal and business affairs | Warner Bros Discovery
Chief legal, ethics and compliance officer | Ambev
Vice-President, Legal, Government Affairs & Sustainability | Siemens
Senior legal manager | Bimbo QSR (left in February 2023)
Legal affairs director for South America | Volkswagen Brazil
Vice president, legal, Brazil | Kinross Brasil Mineração
Legal superintendent of renewables and new businesses | Neoenergia
General counsel, ice cream Latam and legal marketing lead for Brazil | Unilever
Director and associate general counsel for APAC and LATAM | Meta
General Counsel and head of compliance and audit for Latin America | Panasonic Latin America
Regional director of legal, brand protection, privacy and corporate security | Diageo
Legal director and data protection officer | Valeo
Corporate legal manager, business development | WEG ON
Corporate, M&A, contracts, IP and civil legal director and data protection officer | Via
Legal, governance and compliance director | Companhia Brasileira de Aluminio
Legal and compliance director | MWM International
Legal manager of renewables and corporate development | Neoenergia
Legal director, chief risk and compliance officer for Latin America | Orpea Groupe
Regional general counsel for Latin America and the Caribbean | Biogen
Chief legal and institutional relations officer | Localiza Rent a Car
General counsel and compliance officer | Generali Brasil Seguros
General counsel, governance, risk and compliance officer | Eneva
Regional general counsel for Latin America | Zurich Latin America Serviços Brasil
Legal, compliance, public policy and purchases director | Loggi Tecnologia
It is with great pleasure and excitement that we, on behalf of The Legal 500, extend a warm welcome to the GC Powerlist: Brazil 2023. This highly anticipated publication is dedicated to recognising and celebrating the exceptional accomplishments of the top in-house lawyers in the country.
This publication showcases the remarkable contributions made by in-house legal professionals to businesses in Brazil. It serves as a testament to their expertise, leadership, and dedication to excellence. This year’s edition highlights the outstanding achievements and innovative approaches adopted, as those selected navigate the complexities of the Brazilian legal environment, tackling issues such as the Covid-19 pandemic, technological advancements, relationship with business partners, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and many others.
Within the pages of this edition, you will find detailed profiles and exclusive interviews with the most influential and respected general counsel across a diverse range of industries. These individuals have consistently demonstrated their ability to drive legal strategy, manage risks, and provide strategic guidance to their respective organisations. Their accomplishments serve as an inspiration to the legal community and exemplify the impact that in-house lawyers can have on their organisations’ business strategy and success.
This research brings to light several key findings, including the resilience and adaptability of companies during the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the numerous challenges faced, business operations did not come to a halt. This was made possible through the remarkable efforts of in-house counsel, who worked tirelessly to navigate new regulations and guidelines, ensuring business continuity during these testing times. With growing concerns about the effects of the pandemic on mental health, several legal departments acted on it, including Petrobras’ legal team who, in the words of its general counsel, Taísa Maciel, ‘created a diversity, inclusion and welfare committee, to discuss relevant topics that affect our employees and society as a whole. This way, we are attentive to the care of people, without forgetting to look at the company’s business.’
Furthermore, the research emphasises the ongoing need for improvement in the relationship between the legal team and business partners. While in-house counsel demonstrated their value during the pandemic, there is still room for progress in fostering stronger collaboration and understanding between legal and business functions. As Carolina De Nardi, senior director and chief counsel for Latin America at Zoetis, affirms: ‘putting yourself in the shoes of your business partners is key to understand their priorities and needs. Once this happens, an in-house lawyer will have the ability to anticipate most concerns and questions. As a result, the relationship will develop and become strong with good level of communication and trust.’ As this research has recognised, by enhancing communication and alignment, companies can leverage the full potential of their legal teams to drive strategic decision-making and risk management.
The research also underscores the importance of embracing technology for the benefit of companies. With the ongoing acceleration of digital transformation, the introduction of technology has proved invaluable in ensuring business continuity. Interviewed in-house counsel emphasise the need for continued encouragement and adoption of technology to optimise efficiency, streamline processes, and unlock new opportunities for companies. As voiced by many interviewees, echoed by Fernando Borges Porelo, general counsel at AIG Seguros Brasil, ‘a technological advancement that I believe will greatly impact the role of any in-house legal team in the future is artificial intelligence. This technology presents itself as an important milestone for any employer of any industry to perform their work, and the legal sector is no exception to that rule. I believe AI will be a very useful tool, making our work more cost effective, simplifying tasks, and automating other duties that we find timewasting and unproductive.’ Technological advancements are inevitable and legal departments should embrace them and use them to maximise their efficiency as, like Ciro Azevedo, head of legal at Braskem, states, ‘it is up to managers to constantly monitor new technologies and functionalities that can improve the management of legal departments’.
There are many other relevant topics and challenges exclusively discussed in this publication, so we invite you to explore The GC Powerlist: Brazil 2023 and discover the extraordinary stories of these exceptional individuals. Through their experiences and insights, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape in Brazil and the invaluable role played by in-house legal teams.
We would like to express our gratitude to all the in-house lawyers featured in this publication for their valuable contributions and for sharing their journeys with us. I am delighted to present to you this distinguished list of Brazil’s most exceptional, diligent, and celebrated in-house lawyers.
Francisco Faria e Castro | Lead researcher | GC Powerlist Series
The Legal 500, in partnership with Cescon Barrieu, held the long-awaited launch event of the GC Powerlist: Brazil 2023, on June 13th, at the Palácio Tangará, in São Paulo. Welcoming over 140 guests, the reception received the most renowned and diligent in-house lawyers in Brazil, celebrating their incredible and well-deserved achievement.
The Legal 500’s editorial lead for the GC Powerlist: Brazil 2023, Francisco Castro, started the ceremony with opening remarks, before introducing Cescon Barrieu’s founding partner, Maria Cristina Cescon, who brilliantly congratulated those selected. Speeches ended with guest speaker, and selectee, Lara Piau, executive legal director at Neoenergia, providing some remarks on the challenges and accomplishments of an in-house lawyer in Brazil, as well as highlighting the comeback of the GC Powerlist series to Brazil and the positive impact the publication has on the professional growth and recognition of those selected.
