Central America 2026
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Senior Director, Legal and Regulatory | Cable & Wireless Panama
Legal and government affairs manager Central America and Dominican Republic | AVON
Senior Legal Director Central American Markets | Colgate-Palmolive
Legal Lead for NA Media and Digital Portfolios and Guatemala Team Lead | Capgemini
Legal Director for Mexico and CASA (Central and South America) | Elanco
General Counsel | INCAE Business School
Legal, Compliand and Risk Director | Securitas Costa Rica
Managing Director, Deputy General Counsel          | New Fortress Energy
Legal and Compliance Officer | Nicaragua Energy Services
Legal Director & DPO for Central America & The Caribbean | ADIUM Central America & The Caribbean
Legal Regional Senior Manager Tax Controversy | Walmart de México y Centroamérica
General Counsel, Director | China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Americas Division and Consorcio Panama Cuarto Puente (CPCP)
General Counsel | Grupo Financiero G&T ContinentalÂ
Director of Legal, Ethics and Compliance | SUEZ International
Regional Legal Director TT and Compliance Officer, LATAM | Foundever
General Counsel and Corporate Governance Officer | Banco Promerica Guatemela
Senior Director, International Legal Affairs | SBA Communications Corporation
Vicepresident, Legal and Compliance | Banco Agromercantil Guatemala
Head of Legal and Compliance and Data Privacy Officer for Central America, the Caribbean, and Venezuela (CCAV) | Roche Pharma
Senior Legal Counsel (manager of Legal/Compliance Department and Tenders Department) | Boston Scientific
Vicepresident Legal | Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior
Legal Director, Corporate Secretary and Deputy CEO | Davibank (Costa Rica)
General counsel, senior vice president | Citibank, El Salvador
Legal Counsel / Legal Business Partner for Central America & The Caribbean | ADIUM Central America & The Caribbean
Latin America Area Business Counsel | 3M Transportation & Electronics Business Group
Legal and Regulatory Manager | MRO HOLDINGS
Regional Director of Legal Affairs | Torrecom Partners
Senior Legal Counsel for Central America, Caribbean and LATAM Development Markets | Procter & Gamble
Regional General Counsel Mexico and Central America | Enel Green Power
General Counsel or Chief Legal Officer | Grupo Salinas Guatemala
Legal, Corporate Affairs and Wholesale Business Director | Movistar El Salvador
Legal Director, Legal-regulatory control and corporate secretary | Banco Davivienda
Senior Legal Manager - Central America & The Caribbean (VeneCenCa) | Janssen-Cilag Farmacêutica
Central America, The Caribbean, Argentina, Uruguay Regional Legal Affairs Director | JCDecaux
Legal Director, Energy | CMI-Corporación Multi Inversiones
EVP Legal, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer & Corporate Secretary | Integra Capital Group
Central America is not standing still—and neither are its general counsel.Â
The GC Powerlist Central America 2026 recognises a group of in-house leaders operating at the sharp edge of transformation. Across the region, businesses are expanding, restructuring, digitising, and navigating increasingly complex regulatory and geopolitical environments. At the centre of it all sits Legal—not as a gatekeeper, but as a driver of progress.Â
What became clear throughout our research is that today’s standout GCs are deeply embedded in the business. They are helping to unlock growth, not just protect against risk. Whether advising on cross-border expansion, enabling new products, managing large-scale disputes, or shaping digital and AI strategies, they are influencing decisions at the highest level—and doing so with clarity, speed, and commercial awareness.Â
There is also a noticeable shift in mindset. Legal teams are building systems, not just solutions. They are investing in data, dashboards, and governance frameworks that allow organisations to move faster and with greater confidence. At the same time, they are fostering trust—translating complexity into action, and ensuring that innovation happens responsibly.Â
Perhaps most importantly, these lawyers understand their role as enablers. In a region where volatility is often part of the operating environment, they provide stability without slowing momentum. They work across functions, across borders, and often behind the scenes—making things happen without needing to be in the spotlight.Â
This year’s Powerlist is a reflection of that evolution. It celebrates lawyers who are not only keeping up with change, but actively shaping it.Â
Congratulations to all those featured.Â
Margherita Birri
Research Editor
The Legal 500Â
The recent news that elite US firm Sullivan & Cromwell had apologised to a judge over AI hallucinations in a court filing prompted a collective wince from the legal profession.
But while some lawyers remain wary of AI, others are striking a more open-minded note, and at the LexisNexis AI Forum hosted this Wednesday (20 May) by Legal 500 and Legal Business, panelists argued that the risks are far outweighed by the opportunities.
Barbara Zapisetskaya, principal technology counsel at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, made the case that hallucinations and other potential pitfalls can be overcome with a shift in mindset.
‘What makes a difference,’ she said, ‘is empowering your lawyers to take responsibility for AI output – helping them become active AI operators, not just passive AI users. You have agency to decide whether you agree with the output or not.’
Zapisetskaya was among a line-up of leading in-house figures speaking on two panels, which covered everything from practical steps for AI implementation to the key decisions GCs need to be making in the coming months.
Financial Times general counsel Dan Guilford began by stressing the importance of building the right culture for AI adoption. In addition to proactively upskilling himself, Guilford talked about how he had implemented a voluntary weekly ‘show and tell’ meeting for team members to share successful use cases – or an exercise that became a gratifying measure of progress.
Other panelists discussed how increased in-house productivity is altering the dynamic with their external counsel.
While some see the use of AI by law firms as a precursor for reduced fees, Russell Davies, head of global operations for legal and compliance at Dentsu, said that faster results – however they are delivered – are something to be valued.
GSK assistant general counsel Anthony Kenny agreed, saying that while there was an expectation that external counsel would be utilising AI, the focus should be on the value of the output, rather than an overemphasis on identifying AI use as a justification to reduce fees.
Speaking on the second panel, MUFG EMEA general counsel James Morgan stressed the critical importance of education, noting that educating the C-suite on the advantages and risks of AI is just as important as enabling large in-house teams to use these tools.
Shanthini Satyendra, vice-chair of the AI Committee, Society for Computers & Law, CEO and founder of Manisain, offered a reminder of the importance of making the connection between tasks and the purpose behind them, extolling the virtues of identifying use cases for AI that can solve a meaningful problem.
Zapisetskaya concurred, adding that one of the most important tasks for GCs across the next six to twelve months is to create AI playbooks and templates, noting that ‘it is easy for lawyers to see problems – much harder for lawyers to see opportunities.’
There was also broad agreement among panellists that GCs should focus on upskilling their junior lawyers on AI, rather than – as some may expect – cutting back their workforce. As Satyendra summarised: ‘Some people are replacing human capital with AI without thinking about what’s required to make AI work. Retain your people and train them up.’
The panels were moderated by Emma Millington, head of the UK Lexis+ Finance Group, and LexisNexis director of segment management Stuart Greenhill.
