Vice president, associate general counsel, head of Latin America | Everest Insurance Chile
General counsel and external affairs officer | SMU
Director, Legal, Sustainability, and Corporate Affairs | Softys
General counsel Chile and Latam | Sodexo
Co-Director of Legal Department | Compañía General de Electricidad- CGE
Chief legal officer and chief compliance officer | Grupo Sencorp
General counsel, sustainability and corporate affairs | Sierra Gorda SCM
Lead legal counsel, Andean and South Cone Region | FedEx
General Counsel and Compliance Officer | Sociedad Austral de Electricidad - SAESA
Senior manager, international legal affairs | SBA
General counsel, Chile and lead counsel for Latin America | EY
Director, Legal, Sustainability, and Regulatory Affairs | Statkraft Chile
Human Ressources and Legal Manager | IANSA
Legal, Compliance and Sustainability Manager | ESVAL y Aguas del Valle
On behalf of The Legal 500, I am delighted to introduce the GC Powerlist: Chile 2025.
This edition recognises the general counsel and in-house legal teams who play an important role in shaping Chile’s legal and business landscapes. Through our research, we met with professionals who not only provide professional advice but also influence strategies, drive transformation, and help businesses thrive.
Today’s general counsel are stepping well beyond traditional roles. In Chile, they are central to business planning, navigation of complex regulations, supporting digital transformation, and guiding organisations with commercial foresight. The GC Powerlist: Chile 2025 celebrates those who pair deep legal expertise with the vision and leadership to create a lasting impact.
Paola Cifuentes, General Counsel at Anglo American, shares her perspective:
‘Legal work goes far beyond contracts; it can be a lever for transformation and impact.’ She also emphasises strength and adaptability: ‘It’s not just about reacting to events; it’s about shaping resilient pathways.’ For her, this extends to her team: ‘We often talk about diversity as a goal, but I see it as a condition for good leadership.’
Her words reflect a wider shift across the region. As Macarena Vargas Losada, Legal Vice President and General Counsel at Codelco, explains:
‘Remarkable lawyers need to think out of the box and shift from confrontation to collaboration, built on transparency, trust, and shared vision.’ She adds: ‘Empowering people to lead and thrive is a strategic imperative; because when individuals flourish, so do the organisations they belong to.’
We are proud to present this year’s GC Powerlist: Chile, a celebration of legal professionals who are redefining the future of corporate law and connecting local insight with global impact.
On Tuesday 30th September, Legal 500 returned to Dublin to launch the GC Powerlist: Ireland 2025. In partnership with Matheson, it was an honour to welcome so many leading legal practitioners from across the country to celebrate in-house counsel.
The 2025 edition of the Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Ireland recognises a stellar cohort of senior in-house counsel, highlighting the integral role that they play in today’s complex and fast-evolving legal environment. The Powerlist initiative reflects the vital, and often industry-shaping, work that in-house teams carry out on a daily basis.
Isabel Caine, Editor – Corporate Counsel, opened the evening, before handing over to Michael Jackson, Managing Partner at Mathesons, to present his final Legal 500 Powerlist: Ireland. As his time as Managing Partner draws to a close, Jackson reflected on how the in-house role has transformed over the course of his tenure. He celebrated the productive relationship between in-house and external counsel, one that remains essential as both adapt to an ever-changing legal landscape.
Miriam Nagle, Group General Counsel at AIB, then delivered the keynote address. She shared the series of events that led to her transition in-house, the steep learning curve she faced when stepping into a company as its first in-house counsel, and what legal teams should consider as they look to the future. Nagle delivered a compelling reminder that in-house teams must always stay one step ahead, whether that’s in relation to sector trends, AI or cyber challenges.
The evening concluded with networking and canapés, as attendees reconnected with friends and former colleagues and engaged in lively discussion, making for a vibrant and memorable celebration.