Career Biography

Manuel is a Chilean lawyer with over 16 years of experience in mining, corporate and energy law, currently serving as Legal Manager at ENGIE Energía Chile S.A.

Current Role

Since March 2019, Manuel has co-managed a team of over 10 lawyers within ENGIE’s legal department, under the general counsel, handling legal and regulatory matters across the company’s Chilean operations. He is responsible for all LNG and gas-related contracts and negotiations, as well as managing many of the company´s disputes, both local and international, throughout the supply chain.

Litigation and Dispute Management

Manuel has experience managing diverse disputes across the energy sector. His most significant case involved leading the legal strategy in an arbitration against ENGIE’s LNG supplier, where ENGIE was awarded more than 100 MUSD in an ICC arbitration. This matter required coordinating with international legal teams and managing technical and commercial arguments before the arbitration panel.

His dispute resolution experience includes contract breaches, regulatory compliance issues, and commercial disagreements throughout the energy value chain. Manuel works with external counsel on litigation matters and develops case strategies that align with business objectives.

In addition to his legal work, during significant legal proceedings, Manuel collaborates with ENGIE’s internal and external communications team and senior management on messaging strategies.

Project Development and Contract Management

Manuel oversees the legal aspects of project development and implementation, including traditional and renewable generation, transmission, and hydrogen ventures. He handles both greenfield and brownfield projects from conception through handover to implementation teams and throughout their operation. His work involves drafting and negotiating various contract types including TSA, LTSA, EPC, PPA, BOOT, and O&M agreements with a wide array of counterparties.

Regulatory Relations

In his current role, Manuel serves as ENGIE’s antitrust internal officer and manages relationships with pertinent regulatory authorities. This includes representing the company in regulatory proceedings, managing related matters, and developing internal policies. His experience spans traditional and renewable energy sectors, positioning him to support ENGIE’s operations across Chile’s evolving energy market.

Regional Experience

From 2016 to 2019, Manuel served as Senior Legal Counsel for ENGIE Latin America, participating in several M&A transactions on both the buy and sell side while coordinating external counsel across multiple jurisdictions. Most notably, he handled the legal aspects of ENGIE’s acquisition of Compañía Americana Multiservicios (CAM), with operations in Chile, Perú and Colombia, adding 10,000 employees to ENGIE’s regional operations. He also led the acquisition of Gas Stream, a company which supplies and operates Satellite Regasification Plants.

Manuel managed the legal integration of acquired companies throughout Latin America and provided legal support to ENGIE’s startup incubator and accelerator program Engie Factory. He also advised on the first natural gas export made from Chile to Argentina, utilizing ENGIE’s regasification terminal and gas pipeline in both countries, a milestone for Chile and ENGIE.

Education and Professional Background

Manuel holds a Master of Science in Public Policy and Administration (with merit) from the London School of Economics (2014-2015). He graduated with honors from the University of Chile Law School (2001-2006) and was admitted to the Chilean bar in 2011.