Career Biography

Ignacio Faraldo is legal and compliance manager at Nova Austral S.A., a Chilean salmon farming company with operations in the Magallanes Region. He leads the company’s legal and compliance functions and advises senior management and the board on corporate, regulatory, commercial, litigation and governance matters.

Before joining Nova Austral, Ignacio worked in private practice at a corporate law firm, advising clients across the productive and services sectors. This experience provided him with a strong foundation in corporate and commercial law and an understanding of the legal challenges faced by companies operating in complex and highly regulated environments.

At Nova Austral, his role has evolved beyond traditional legal advisory work, with a strong focus on integrating legal considerations into strategic and operational decision-making. One of the most significant experiences of his career has been his involvement in the company’s restructuring and judicial reorganisation during a particularly challenging period for the business.

Working closely with senior management, the board, financial advisers and external counsel, Ignacio contributed to addressing complex legal and financial matters while supporting business continuity and the implementation of a sustainable path forward. This process required combining legal expertise with a practical understanding of financial, commercial and operational considerations.

He has also contributed to strengthening Nova Austral’s corporate governance and compliance framework, with a focus on anticipating legal and regulatory risks, enhancing internal processes and embedding legal and compliance considerations more effectively across the organisation. This approach has helped position the legal function as an active partner to the business, particularly in navigating the complex regulatory environment of the salmon farming industry.

His responsibilities also include managing significant litigation and administrative proceedings, advising on labour and corporate matters, and engaging with regulatory authorities.

Ignacio believes that an effective in-house legal function must be closely connected to the business and involved early in decision-making. Rather than focusing solely on identifying risks, legal teams should understand the commercial and operational context, anticipate potential issues and provide practical solutions that enable the business to move forward within a sound legal and compliance framework.

His experience at Nova Austral has reinforced his conviction that resilience, sound judgement and the ability to balance legal risk with commercial realities are essential qualities for an in-house lawyer. His focus is on continuing to develop a legal and compliance function that acts as a strategic partner to the business and contributes directly to Nova Austral’s governance, sustainability and long-term development.