Team size:  20+

What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

In the last five years, Softys, a CMPC group company dedicated to the production and sale of tissue paper and personal care products, has grown exponentially. With the acquisition of Panam in Peru, Sepac and Carta Fabril in Brazil, and PI Mabe during this year in Mexico, Softys has reached first position of tissue products in all Latin America, and the second position in personal care products. These acquisitions represented an investment of approximately US$1bn, and we were privileged to have the support of prestigious law firms across the continent, such as Latham & Watkins, Machado Meyer and Barros & Errázuriz. The constant exposure to due diligence processes also represents an interesting opportunity for improvement, both in substantive aspects such as best practices in international contracting, implementation of production expansion projects, transfer pricing between subsidiaries, and especially compliance practices. In addition, participation in relevant due diligence processes in mergers and acquisitions allows us to adapt best practices in terms of documentation and proper organisation.

For our legal team, the standardisation of processes is essential, as our presence in eight Latin American countries prioritises the need for uniform operating methods that enable efficient application in all countries, while recognising local particularities. We aspire to be a global player capable of executing local strategies in an agile way and with a deep knowledge of the market. Business knowledge is fundamental to our legal team. This year, one of the lawyers assumed the position of manager of a commercial business unit and two others became leaders in corporate affairs and sustainability, respectively. This demonstrates the importance of talent development at Softys, and as a team, we take great pride in these achievements.

The challenges for the legal team remain focused on risk prevention and the adoption of agile practices that enable the business to be strategic partners. We also prioritise the development of key areas for today’s business, such as personal data protection and implementing digital tools to improve efficiency and organisation. We enjoy the work we do and take pride in our status as a regional leader, it is both a privilege and a great responsibility.

What diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives have you and your legal department been championing within your company’s endeavours?

In our team we are privileged to have a blind lawyer who brings his human and professional qualities to the team and teaches us about resilience and how to face difficulties. Having Tomás with us has made us better people and professionals. The diversity of life experiences is a vibrant thing and, in truth, brings a lot of value.

How do you suggest in-house lawyers build strong relationships with business partners?

The only way to be strategic partners is to think like businesspeople. In-house lawyers are and must be business-minded people. It is true that we bring a different perspective, but always with the aim of generating value for the business and seeking sustainable profitability. To achieve this, it all starts with having a good understanding of the business, in our case, the consumers of our products, who are the reason we conduct our day-to-day work. Today, several lawyers from our team are working in different roles within the company, demonstrating the development opportunities Softys offers and the business-oriented approach of the legal team.