Team size: 20

Major legal advisors: Machado Meyer and Lefosse 

Jurisdictions your role covers: Latin America

What new pressures are you facing from the business as expectations for legal to act as a strategic partner continue to grow?

We are witnessing a notable transformation in how the Legal function is perceived and integrated within the business. There is an increasing demand for swift responses, heightened commercial awareness, and practical guidance. Legal is now expected not only to manage regulatory, reputational, and operational risks, but also to actively foster innovation and sustainable growth. Our team is involved earlier in business decision-making, especially regarding new initiatives, digital transformation projects, and complex cross-border operations. This evolving landscape requires us to move beyond traditional legal analysis and develop a deeper understanding of business objectives, value creation, and execution priorities.

Additionally, the growing complexity brought on by advances in data protection, artificial intelligence, digitalization, and shifting regulatory frameworks across multiple jurisdictions calls for a delicate balance between speed, flexibility, and robust governance—often under tight timelines and with limited resources. To meet these challenges, we have intentionally strengthened Legal’s strategic positioning within ADM do Brasil Ltda. This involves cultivating closer collaboration with business leaders and fostering a solution-oriented mindset. Our objective is to deliver clear, commercially aligned advice that supports informed decision-making while upholding high standards of governance and risk management. Ultimately, our credibility and influence are built upon our ability to anticipate risks, enable innovation, and contribute directly to business outcomes.

What strategies has your legal team adopted to manage disputes and mitigate risks in Brazil’s dynamic business environment? 

Our legal team employs a proactive, prevention-focused approach grounded in strong governance and close collaboration with the business. Risk anticipation during contracting and structuring is central to our strategy, ensuring clear allocation of responsibilities, robust contractual protections, and compliance alignment to minimize exposure before disputes occur. Continuous engagement with commercial, operations, and supply chain teams allows us to identify potential risks early—particularly in logistics, third-party relationships, and regulatory compliance.

Should disputes arise, we prioritize early assessment and resolution, actively exploring negotiation and settlement opportunities before considering litigation, while always weighing proportionality, cost efficiency, and reputational impact. Formal proceedings are managed through a centralized, disciplined framework to ensure consistency, effective cost control, and strategic alignment across the organization.

For less complex cases, we adopt standardized approaches and maintain a clear settlement policy for matters with a low likelihood of success, thereby optimizing resource allocation and enabling senior leaders to focus on higher-risk, higher-impact issues. A steadfast commitment to ethics, compliance, and internal controls underpins our strategy, reinforced through ongoing training, cross-functional coordination, and strong leadership. Our overarching goal is to serve as a trusted strategic partner, safeguarding the company’s reputation and assets while supporting sustainable and compliant growth in Brazil.