Central America Teams 2017 – GC Powerlist
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Central America Teams 2017

  • Industries

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3M Central America

| 3M Central America

Industrials and real estate

3M’s highly significant global operations account for around $30bn in revenue and provide employment for over 90,000 people globally on the back of a highly diversified operation. The company’s revenue...

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adidas Latin America

| adidas Latin America

Consumer products

The Panama based legal function of the world-leading sportswear manufacturer Adidas provides commercial legal advice across Panama, the rest of Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. Working in...

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AES Dominicana

| AES Dominicana

Energy and utilities

US headquartered AES Corporation is a Fortune 200 company that generates and distributes electrical power, and supporting its AES Dominicana subsidiary is a high quality legal team led by general...

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AES Panamá

| AES Panamá

Energy and utilities

The AES Corporation is a US Fortune 200 company that generates and distributes electrical power operates in Panama through AES Panamá, which operates and manages the hydroelectric plants in the...

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Air Panama

| Air Panama

Transport and infrastructure

The second-largest airline in Panama, Air Panama serves a number of primarily regional destinations with a total fleet around 20 aircraft at any one time. Alongside routes within Panama, the...

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Amzak Capital Management

| Amzak Capital Management

Financials

General counsel Beatriz Beltranena oversees a team of three at the multifaceted Salvadorian capital and commercial investment firm Amzak Capital Management. The team supports Amzak’s abundance of private equity investments...

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ARS PALIC

| ARS PALIC

Healthcare

Dominican health insurance company ARS Palic offers a range of different health insurance plans for all of its customers across the country, and has a company mission of providing its...

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ASSA Compañía de Seguros

| ASSA Compañía de Seguros

Healthcare

The Panamian insurance company ASSA Compañía de Seguros was founded in 1982 and offers a wide range of life insurance and general insurance products in the Central American region. Important...

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Atlantic Bank

| Atlantic Bank

Financials

After 45 years of service in Belize, Atlantic Bank remains the leader in providing innovative financial services within the country. Established in 1971, the bank has expanded nationwide with a...

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Avianca Central America

| Avianca Central America

Transport and infrastructure

When Colombian airline Avianca merged with Transportes Aereos del Continente Americano (TACA) in 2009, the resultant company AviancaTaca Holdings instantly became one of the region’s largest airlines. In 2013 the...

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Avon

| Avon

Consumer products

The regional legal department at US beauty and personal care company Avon is headed by Jose Miguel Arellano, the company’s Mexico and Central America legal and government affairs executive director....

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BAC Credomatic

| BAC Credomatic

Financials

Currently made up of 90 employees, the regional legal team of BAC Credomatic is managed by legal director Daniel Pérez Umaña with the assistance of a highly qualified regional team...

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Banco Agrícola

| Banco Agrícola

Financials

Operating out of San Salvador, Banco Agrícola provide banking and finance services to its customers in the personal and business spheres and is a proud Salvadorian business. The legal team...

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Banco Atlántida

| Banco Atlántida

Financials

Founded over 100 years ago in 1913, Banco Atlántida offers corporate and retail financial services throughout Honduras with 270 locations. The company’s legal function is comprised of expert legal advisers...

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Banco Central de Costa Rica

| Banco Central de Costa Rica

Financials

In addition to its main objective of controlling inflation in Costa Rica, BCCR is also responsible for the issuance and administration of banknotes and coins and therefore plays a major...

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Banco Dominicano del Progreso

| Banco Dominicano del Progreso

Financials

Banco Dominicano del Progreso is at the forefront of the banking and finance sector in the Dominican Republic, and has over 40 years of experience in the industry providing solutions...

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Banco General

| Banco General

Financials

Panama’s position as the banking hub of Central America looks set to continue, with the nation featuring almost half of the top 100 ranking companies compiled by a banking intelligence...

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Banco Industrial Guatemala

| Banco Industrial Guatemala

Financials

Known as the most important financial organisation in Guatemala, Banco Industrial has a network of branches and service points throughout the country and is a highly ethical organisation in its...

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Banco LAFISE Bancentro

| Banco LAFISE Bancentro

Financials

The Nicaraguan unit of Lafise, which operates across Central America, Banco Lafise Bancentro provides a full range of financial services to both personal and corporate clients including insurance, savings and...

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Banco Nacional de Panamá

| Banco Nacional de Panamá

Financials

The national Bank of Panama, Banco Nacional de Panamá is notable among national banks in that it is unable to issue tender itself as the national currency of the country...

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Banco Popular Dominicano

| Banco Popular Dominicano

Financials

Taking charge of the legal team at private bank Banco Popular Dominicana, legal vice president Manuel M. Matos G. oversees a team of 25 lawyers and 12 non-legal staff. Ensuring...

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Banistmo

| Banistmo

Financials

Led by María Cristina Vilá de van Hoorde – who proudly describes the bank as ‘the second-largest in Panama’ – the 22-member Banistmo legal team is responsible not only for...

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Banpro Grupo Promerica

| Banpro Grupo Promerica

Financials

Founded in 1991, Banco de la Producción (Banpro) is one of the premier financial institutions in Nicaragua, and its legal team lives up to the same reputation. The legal function...

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Banreservas

| Banreservas

Financials

Banco de Reservas – also known by its trade name Banreservas – is a Dominican bank that is the second largest in the Central American region and is managed by...

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Baxter México, Central America, Caribbean and Venezuela

| Baxter México, Central America, Caribbean and Venezuela

Healthcare

Baxter, a multinational company that provides a broad portfolio of essential renal and hospital products, bought Gambro in 2013 and it was the legal team that was entrusted with ensuring...

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Bayer

| Bayer

Healthcare

Functioning with upmost integrity, flexibility and efficiency, the Bayer legal team are described by peers as successful leaders with ‘high aspirations, great courage and resilience’. Head of legal patents and...

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Belize Telemedia Limited

| Belize Telemedia Limited

Telecommunication services

Established in 1972 as the Telecommunications Authority, Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) rapidly became Belize’s leading telecommunication provider and today owns and operates an extensive telecommunications network throughout Belize encompassing landline,...

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BIC World Latin America

| BIC World Latin America

Consumer products

BIC is a family-owned company listed on the Paris Stock Exchange and for the last 60 years has become a world leader in stationery, portable lighters and shavers. BIC has...

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BICSA Panama

| BICSA Panama

Financials

Banco Internacional de Costa Rica (BICSA) is a Costa Rican bank incorporated in Panama that provides various banking products and services to personal and corporate customers in the country. Paola...

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Bolsa Nacional de Valores de Costa Rica (National Stock Exchange of Costa Rica)

| Bolsa Nacional de Valores de Costa Rica (National Stock Exchange of Costa Rica)

Financials

Characterised by strong elements of teamwork, knowledge of the company and efficient use of time, the legal team of Bolsa Nacional de Valores de Costa Rica consistently meet the demands...

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Caja de Ahorros

| Caja de Ahorros

Financials

Founded by an executive decree in 1934, Caja de Ahorros is a leading financial institution in Panama with over one million customers and is the only bank in the country...

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Cargill

| Cargill

Industrials and real estate

The American multinational Cargill has had a presence in Central America since 1969 and today its regional operations cover three business units with 11,000 employees, 39 facilities and an estimated...

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Cementos Progreso

| Cementos Progreso

Industrials and real estate

Cementos Progreso is a Guatemalan company that specialises in the production and commercialisation of cement, concrete, lime and integral solutions for the construction industry. The Cementos Progreso legal team has...

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Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI)

| Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI)

Financials

CABEI was founded in 1960 and serves as an international institution aimed at promoting integration and development among its founding countries, namely Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica....

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Central American Bottling Corporation (cbc)

| Central American Bottling Corporation (cbc)

Food, beverages and tobacco

Operating in more than 35 countries, beverage company cbc has the largest portfolio in Latin America. Helping the company with all legal matters is a department spearheaded by vice president...

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Central Bank of the Dominican Republic

| Central Bank of the Dominican Republic

Financials

Responsible for the implementation of the monetary, exchange-rate and financial policies of the Dominican Republic, the Central Bank requires the expert advice of the legal department, entrusted with ensuring the...

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Cervecería Nacional Dominicana

| Cervecería Nacional Dominicana

Food, beverages and tobacco

Founded in 1929 and currently owned by AmBev and Grupo León Jimenes, Cervecería Nacional Dominicana (CND) has established itself as the Dominican Republic’s primary beer producer. The company also produces...

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Citi El Salvador

| Citi El Salvador

Financials

Following Citi’s 2016 divestiture and consumer business sale, the bank’s stellar legal function in Central America has implemented leaner and more efficient processes in order to serve internal and external...

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Claro

| Claro

Telecommunication services

Claro Americas is part of América Móvil, a Mexican telecom group serving clients across Central and Latin America. Legal manager Carlos Nuñez is described as a ‘fantastic’ in-house attorney and...

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Coca-Cola FEMSA

| Coca-Cola

Food, beverages and tobacco

Operating in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama since 2003, Coca-Cola FEMSA currently has a substantial presence in the region with its five plants and 32 distribution centres that allow...

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Colgate-Palmolive (Centro America)

| Colgate-Palmolive (Centro America)

Consumer products

The Guatemalan-based legal team for US multinational consumer products company Colgate-Palmolive is tasked with handling matters across the Central American region and is comprised of three lawyers headed by Alfonso...

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Colgate-Palmolive (Dominican Republic)

| Colgate-Palmolive (Dominican Republic)

Consumer products

Assisting the legal operations for the greater Caribbean region at Colgate-Palmolive, a global leading manufacturer of oral care and personal care products, the legal team possess strong commercial acumen, overseeing...

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Consejo Nacional de Supervisión del Sistema Financiero

| Consejo Nacional de Supervisión del Sistema Financiero

Financials

Consejo Nacional de Supervisión del Sistema Financiero (CONASSIF) is Costa Rica’s national council of financial system supervision and its legal department has a key role in the overall strategy and...

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Copa Airlines

| Copa Airlines

Transport and infrastructure

The flag carrier of Panama and the largest airline in the country, with a total fleet of 84 aircraft, Copa Airlines has a long and proud history and is well-regarded...

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Corporación Cefa

| Corporación Cefa

Healthcare

Founded in 1985 Central Corporación Cefa is an active player in the Costa Rican market for the distribution of pharmaceuticals, self-care products, food and photocopying machines. Cefa’s legal function is...

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Corporación Multi Inversiones

| Corporación Multi Inversiones

Food, beverages and tobacco

Multinational conglomerate Corporación Multi Inversiones (CMI) is one of the most powerful corporations in Central America. With over 300 companies that operate across seven sectors, accounting for 30,000 employees in...

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Cuestamoras

| Cuestamoras

Industrials and real estate

Cuestamoras, a Costa Rican company committed to becoming a multi-business leader in the Americas across a range of industries and countries, is currently active in these sectors: healthcare, urban development...

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Davivienda El Salvador

| Davivienda El Salvador

Financials

Banco Davivienda is a Colombian bank, founded in 1972, that provides a range of financial services to individuals and companies across Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica and El Salvador and Florida...

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Del Monte Fresh Produce Group

| Del Monte Fresh Produce Group

Food, beverages and tobacco

As one of the world’s largest vertically integrated producers, marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables Del Monte Fresh Produce has operations in more than 100...

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Dell

| Dell

Information technology

Dell’s ‘flexible’ and ‘dynamic’ Panama based legal function provides full legal support to the company’s operation in Central America and also sporadically handles legal issues across the larger Latin America...

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DELSUR

| DELSUR

Energy and utilities

Salvadoran electricity company DELSUR is dedicated to the distribution, transmission and commercialisation of electricity. It provides energy mainly to the south-central zone of the country serving more than 300,000 customers...

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DHL Express

| DHL Express

Transport and infrastructure

Consisting of bright up-and-coming lawyers Mónica Muñoz Herrera and Melania Quesada, DHL Express’ legal team in Central America and the Dominican Republic supervises judicial and administrative cases carried out by...

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Dole Food Company

| Dole Food Company

Food, beverages and tobacco

Dole’s tropical fruit products, particularly its pineapples are known throughout the world. A significant portion of the company’s plantations that its fruit products are drawn from are located in Central...

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Dos Pinos

| Dos Pinos

Food, beverages and tobacco

For 70 years, the Costa Rican cooperative producer of dairy, beverages, and candy products Dos Pinos has sold products throughout Central America and the Caribbean. The company’s legal department is...

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Emerson Electric

| Emerson Electric

Industrials and real estate

With 18,000 employees and 25 manufacturing locations, the Fortune 500 company Emerson Electric commands a significant presence in the Latin American region. Its activities in Central America and Mexico are...

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Empresas Adoc

| Empresas Adoc

Consumer products

El Salvador based shoe manufacturers Empresas ADOC has a history dating back to the 1950’s and is advised by an outstanding team of legal professionals including Jose Polanco in the...

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Enel Green Power

| Enel Green Power

Energy and utilities

Enel Green Power, the renewable energy subsidiary of the multinational manufacturer and distributor of electricity Enel, develops and operates hydro, wind, solar and geothermal projects across Latin America. The legal...

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Energuate

| Guatemala

Energy and utilities

Offering electricity distribution services throughout Guatemala, Energuate provide services for approximately 1.6 million households in the country and distributes energy across an approximately 100,000 km2 area in Guatemala. The legal...

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Ericsson

| Ericsson

Information technology

Ericsson has been at the forefront of communications technology for the past 140 years and today employs more than 11,000 people in Latin America and the Caribbean across 34 different...

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Florida Ice & Farm Company (FIFCO)

| Florida Ice & Farm Company (FIFCO)

Food, beverages and tobacco

Florida Ice & Farm Company (FIFCO) is a Costa Rican food and beverages company with a catalogue of over 2,000 products sold in over 15 countries. FIFCO has operations in...

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Fox International Group Latin America

| Fox International Group Latin America

Sports and media

Fox International was the first company in Latin America’s Pay TV industry to set up a legal department with the sole purpose of fighting against piracy and illegal cable connections....

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GlaxoSmithKline

| GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)

Healthcare

GlaxoSmithKline is one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies committed to improving the quality of human life. The company’s Costa Rican based legal team is led by...

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Grupo Agrisal

| Grupo Agrisal

Industrials and real estate

Grupo Agrisal is a Salvadoran conglomerate with a primary focus on developing and operating hotels and commercial real estate projects in Central and South America. In El Salvador, Grupo Agrisal...

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Grupo Financiero Agromercantil (BAM)

| Grupo Financiero Agromercantil (BAM)

Financials

Banco Agromercantil de Guatemala was created from the merger of two large banking entities Banco Agrícola Mercantil and Banco del Agro and currently stands as the fourth largest bank in...

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Grupo Financiero Banrural

| Grupo Financiero Banrural

Financials

Following the privatisation of the country’s state-run bank in 1997, Banrural has quickly become one of Guatemala’s leading financial institutions and today has over 10,000 employees and 1000 branches. Led...

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Grupo Financiero Ficohsa

| Grupo Financiero Ficohsa

Financials

Founded in 1991 by a group of entrepreneurs, Grupo Financiero Ficohsa has grown rapidly in under 30 years and is able to boast a regional presence as a well as...

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Grupo Rey

| Grupo Rey

Consumer products

Grupo Rey is one of the main Panamanian groups in the consumer products industry selling fresh produce, food and dry goods in Panama, serving the needs of thousands of Panamanians....

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Grupo Roble

| Grupo Roble

Industrials and real estate

The real estate division of the prominent El Salvador-based conglomerate Grupo Poma, Grupo Roble offers real estate development and construction services for shopping malls, office spaces, hotels, entertainment areas and...

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Interairports

| Interairports

Administrative bodies

After taking on the challenge of converting the country’s airports into modern, efficient, and operational models according to international standards, Interairports manages and operates Honduras’ four international air terminals located...

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Inversiones Bahía

| Inversiones Bahía

Financials

With over a quarter of a decade of experience in the market, Inversiones Bahía is a company dedicated to the management of assets and private capital investment, and its in-house...

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JCDecaux

| JCDecaux

Commercial and professional services

The Central American legal team of global advertising giant JCDecaux has had a particularly productive last few years, and its exploits have not gone unnoticed by the wider legal community...

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Healthcare

Guatemala-based CENDIS, is a company whose main business has been for more than 40 years the distribution of pharmaceutical and consumer products. They are supported by a legal team that...

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Kimberly-Clark

| Kimberly-Clark

Consumer products

A world leading personal care corporation, Kimberly-Clark is at the forefront of paper based consumer products production. Its brand portfolio is comprised of names known throughout Central America including Kleenex...

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KIO Networks

| KIO Networks

Information technology

KIO Networks is an information technology infrastructure company headquartered in Mexico that provides highly robust mission critical services for both public and private clients. Alongside Mexico, KIO Networks has recently...

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Major League Baseball

| Major League Baseball

Sports and media

Professional baseball organisation, Major League Baseball (MLB) is the oldest of the four major professional sports leagues in the US. Leading its Central America and Caribbean legal operations, legal director...

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Mastercard

| Mastercard

Financials

Mastercard’s “LFI” (Law, Franchise and Integrity) team led by David Barajas is responsible for commercial law, regulatory and compliance matters, public policy, franchise development and integrity across Central America and...

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Metro Group

| Metro Group

Financials

Led by legal manager Hector Dotel, who currently serves as the legal director in the Dominican Republic, the legal team for Metro Group manages all legal matters for the Dominican...

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Millicom (Tigo)

| Millicom (Tigo)

Telecommunication services

Through its Latin American operations and under its Tigo brand, the leading telecommunications and media company from Luxembourg, Millicom operates in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The...

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Minera Panamá

| Minera Panamá

Materials and mining

The Panamanian subsidiary of Canadian mining company First Quantum Minerals, Minera Panamá owns the concession and aims to develop the Cobre Panama copper development project. The complex aims to produce...

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Mondelēz International

| Mondelēz International

Food, beverages and tobacco

‘The in-house team at San Jose, Costa Rica has vast experience in several legal matters and stand out for having a diverse background that, together, make a great combination’, is...

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Nestlé

| Nestlé

Food, beverages and tobacco

The world’s largest food and beverage company Nestlé have a footprint in Central America that extends to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. Legal support to the...

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Panama Canal Authority

| Panama Canal Authority

Administrative bodies

The general counsel office of the Panama Canal Authority provides full legal support to the operation, administration, conservation, maintenance, improvement and modernisation of the canal. Between 2009 and 2016 the...

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Panama Maritime Authority

| Panama Maritime Authority

Administrative bodies

As the world’s top registry of ships and maritime services, Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) has benefited immensely from its highly experienced knowledgeable legal team and relies heavily on its expertise...

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PepsiCo

| PepsiCo

Food, beverages and tobacco

The US food and beverage multinational PepsiCo has had a presence in Guatemala and the Central American region since 1942. 75 years later and PepsiCo has expanded to cover a...

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Pfizer Central America & Caribbean

| Pfizer Central America & Caribbean

Healthcare

Known the world over and with a recorded global revenue of $52bn in 2016, Pfizer is one of the largest biopharmaceutical companies in existence and today operates with around 100,000...

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Philip Morris International

| Philip Morris International

Food, beverages and tobacco

Philip Morris Dominicana is Philip Morris International’s (PMI) affiliate in the Dominican Republic. As the largest tobacco company in the country, Philip Morris Dominicana is proud to have been able...

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Philips Latin America

| Philips Latin America

Industrials and real estate

The Philips Latin America legal team, in keeping with its status as a premier global technology company, has a number of experienced and versatile in-house counsel supporting its operations in...

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Procter & Gamble

| Procter & Gamble

Consumer products

Multinational consumer products company Procter & Gamble is serviced by a legal team dedicated to providing support to its developing Latin American markets. Led by legal head Vanessa Vargas the...

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Publicar

| Publicar

Commercial and professional services

The Colombian marketing and advertising business Publicar commands a strong presence in Panama and supports the development of small, medium and large enterprises in the country through a combination of...

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Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo (RECOPE)

| Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo (RECOPE)

Energy and utilities

Since being founded in 1961, RECOPE has grown into one of Central America’s biggest companies in terms of annual sales revenues. To match its profile as a leading company in...

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Roche Central America and Caribbean (CAC)

| Roche Central America and Caribbean (CAC)

Healthcare

Swiss multinational healthcare company Roche has recently expanded its Costa Rican operations with a new service centre and a legal team to oversee its manoeuvres. Roche operates in Central America...

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Samsung

| Samsung

Information technology

Multinational conglomerate Samsung has a long established global recognition for its reputable telecommunications and electronics presence. Expanding its operations throughout Central America for decades, Samsung has recently launched virtual stores...

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Sanofi

| Sanofi

Healthcare

Present in more than 100 countries around the world and with a workforce of over 100,000 employees, Sanofi is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies globally and currently the leading...

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SBA Communications

| SBA Communications

Telecommunication services

SBA Communications is an owner and operator of wireless infrastructure for communication companies in Latin America, with the exception of Brazil. The legal division currently has a corporate counsel representative...

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Scotiabank República Dominicana

| Scotiabank República Dominicana

Financials

Scotiabank’s operations in the Domincan Republic date back to 1920 and today its business in the country encompasses a network of more than 2,000 employees, 90 ATMs, 74 offices and...

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Techint Group

| Techint Group

Materials and mining

International conglomerate Techint Group is supported in the Central American region by a Mexico based legal team that is overseen by legal director Pedro Enrique López Gutiérrez, and contains a...

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Telefónica Panamá

| Telefónica Panamá

Telecommunication services

Telefónica Moviles Panamá is a subsidiary of Spain’s telecommunications company Telefónica Móviles and operates under the brand name Movistar. Spun out of the merger of BellSouth and Telefónica Móvil, the...

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Unicomer Group

| Unicomer Group

Consumer products

Headquartered in El Salvador, Unicomer Group is a multinational retailing group founded in 2000 that has grown exponentially in short space of time through a number of strategic acquisitions of...

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Unilever

| Unilever

Consumer products

Possessing state of the art expertise in all applicable topics such as competition law, privacy, new technologies law and compliance, Unilever’s legal team in the Central American region has managed...

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Walmart de México y Centroamérica

| Walmart de México y Centroamérica

Consumer products

Headquartered in Costa Rica, Walmart de México y Centroamérica was established following the acquisition of Walmart’s operations in Central America by Walmart Mexico from Wal-Mart Stores Inc in 2009. Currently...

The economy of the Central America region started the decade as the eleventh largest in Latin America, with nominal GDP reaching a figure of $204bn in 2010 and remaining steady in the years since. The region mainly reaps the benefits of strong agriculture and tourism sectors, although the industrial sector is also a robust area of growth even in spite of the global financial crisis that has enveloped most world economies.

Within the seven countries of Central America, it is necessary to point out that there exists significant economic disparity. Nicaragua is considered to be the least developed of the seven countries, with the lowest minimum wage in Central America and regularly receiving financial assistance from the international community. In contrast, Panama and Costa Rica are more developed and can boast high economic growth due to strong international business relationships. Costa Rica is also considered one of the most developed of the Central American countries because it enjoys the best indicators for life expectancy at birth, adult literacy and infant mortality and as such, provides a more stable home for investment and enterprise.

The Dominican Republic is considered an important socio-commercial location within Central America owing to the close trade links it shares with regional and global superpower the United States. The Dominican tourism sector however – the most promising area in the economy – may see a drop in activity as a result of Hurricane Irma, which could cause a downgrade to the outlook of the region’s second-fastest growing economy.

Despite these challenges, Central American countries are blessed with natural agricultural resources and possess desirable produce for trade, and in these terms, all countries are expected to continue an upward trajectory in the coming years.

The legal teams contained within these pages, and on The Legal 500 website all possess excellent legal knowledge as a matter of course – they are all technically gifted and highly trained but this is not necessarily what sets them apart. Rather, it is their ability to utilise their legal knowledge strategically alongside keen business insight to make a positive impact towards their organisation’s success that place them among the top in-house legal counsel in the region.

I would like to express my personal thanks to our sponsors for supporting this publication, Arias, Mayora & Mayora, Pellerano & Herrera and Aguilar Castillo Love. A special mention must also be made for in-house lawyers that took time to speak to us throughout the process, and for the research team that worked on this GC Powerlist publication.

David Burgess

Publishing Director

 

Arias

Arias logo

One of the largest and most respected law firms in Central America, Arias has 75 years of experience providing accurate and timely solutions based on clients’ goals, a great team of professionals, award-winning client service and unparalleled innovation to the region’s legal market.

It has been named Law Firm of the Year by Chambers Global, Chambers Latin America, International Financial Law Review and the International Tax Review. It is considered as one of the pioneering law firms for its high participation in diversity, gender fairness – where 57% of its lawyers are women, and ethnic equality in the legal profession.

The firm has outstanding lawyers, with extensive experience in nearly all branches of law, and many of them with Masters and Ph.D. degrees in law, from US and European universities.

Arias is a full-service law firm able to provide advice in over 30 practice areas; among the most relevant are:

Arbitration and litigation: advises companies facing litigation of various types before administrative or judicial forums. This includes out-of-court settlements, alternative mechanisms for dispute resolutions and skillful litigation. The team also has a vast experience in international and local arbitration.

Antitrust: advises in concentrations, competition-related litigation, clearance, cartel investigation and litigation, compliance, counselling and training programmes, antitrust disputes, commercial disputes and judicial reviews, among others.

Banking and finance: structuring finance projects with multilateral financial institutions, local and foreign banks, counselling financial institutions, and multinational companies in financial transactions.

Corporate and commercial: start-up projects, establishment of operations, corporate governance, due diligence, contracts,
corporate immigration, and day-to-day legal needs.

Intellectual property: trademark registration, patents, oppositions, and all matters related to intellectual property protection.

Labour law: drafting and execution of labour contracts, internal labour regulations, registrations with employment authorities, changes in employment terms and conditions, terminations, labour controversies and negotiations of out-of-court settlements, labour dispute mediation, litigation of employment-related matters, and corporate immigration.

Mergers and acquisitions: negotiations and closings in selling and acquiring companies, joint ventures, acquisition of minority and controlling interest, businesses due diligence process, and identifying legal contingencies.

Tax planning and litigation: tax structuring, tax planning, tax litigation, transfer pricing, free trade zones and fiscal grounds, municipal taxes, customs, among others related.

Regulatory: with extensive knowledge of local regulations, the team provides regulatory advice in consumer protection, data protection and privacy, energy, environment, finance matters, telecommunications, media and technology, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, among others.

Energy: advice on the successful development of energy generation projects, from the initial investment phase to the beginning of their operations, as well as in the distribution sector and electricity market. Arias has experience in public tenders, regulatory compliance issues before different public entities, power purchase agreements, supply and other agreements necessary to enable the participation in the energy market.

Other practice areas include: administrative law, aviation, compliance, anti-money laundering and anti-corruption, franchising, government procurement, international trade, foreign investments, insurance and reinsurance, oil and gas, project and infrastructure finance, public private partnerships, real estate, among others.

With a legal team of 36 partners and more than 130 lawyers through their seven offices across all Central American countries, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, Arias reaffirms its commitment to continue serving clients with a strategic vision, generating value that allows clients to reach and surpass their objectives. Helping them in a unique approach, by having all their regional legal matters tendered by a single contact. They are truly, integral partners who clients can trust.

The firm has coordinated some of the largest multijurisdictional transactions crossing Latin America; it is the go-to firm for international corporations doing business in the region. The firm has grown and achieved innovation over the years in order to offer personalised, preventive, and strategic legal services to the business and the needs of its clients, with reliable and accurate legal solutions.

Arias’ heritage, passion for law, and commitment to quality allows them to grow along with the region and overcome new challenges in each country where they operate.

Aguilar Castillo Love

Aguilar Castillo Love logo

Pellerano & Herrera Attorneys at Law

Pellerano & Herrera Attorneys at Law logo

Mayora & Mayora S.C. Abogados

Mayora & Mayora S.C. Abogados logo

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.