How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

Managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises requires a collaborative approach that integrates legal strategy with the broader business framework. In such scenarios, it’s important to foster partnerships across our various departments, including finance, IR, regulatory, operations, business, compliance, and risk management. Regular discussions with key stakeholders allow us to identify emerging issues early and address them promptly. Also, it facilitates a shared understanding of the challenges faced and the resources necessary to navigate these difficulties.

I also focus on the importance of adaptability in our legal frameworks. By maintaining a flexible legal strategy, we can respond quickly to new developments without compromising compliance or operational integrity. Legal teams must be agile, ready to pivot as circumstances determine, ensuring that we remain aligned with business objectives.

Another critical aspect of our legal strategy during crises is the alignment with the organisation’s broader objectives: we must integrate our goals with those of the business. Understanding the company’s strategic priorities is crucial.

A legal team can play a vital role in steering the company toward recovery and long-term success, enabling it to emerge from challenges not just intact, but stronger and more capable of facing future uncertainties.

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?

Artificial intelligence and data analytics are already present and are already impacting the legal profession. Working on a financial institution, which is also a full technology company, I stay updated on these developments through setting continuous technology goals for the legal department, interacting with our IT members, attending legal tech conferences, and engaging with industry experts, which enables our legal team to leverage technology for improved operational efficiency and service delivery. Technology is a core value at Inter.

In your opinion, what are the main trends that are salient in your country currently?

Currently, significant trends in Brazil’s financial industry include the rise of digital assets and the regulatory developments driven by the Central Bank of Brazil. The growing interest in cryptocurrencies and fintech innovations is reshaping the financial landscape, prompting regulators to establish frameworks that ensure security and compliance. Additionally, the Central Bank’s initiatives focussed on improving payment systems and promoting competition are key drivers that impact traditional banking and financial services.