About

Fernando Junguito performs a key role in leading some of the most impressive transportation projects in Colombia and overseas, in Impala Terminals a global logistics provider that is part of Trafigura, one the world’s largest commodities and logistics groups. He is praised for having provided risk analysis and practical solutions to the business in ‘complex environments’, ensuring successful results for the company and guaranteeing best practice in legal, regulatory and compliance matters. With a management role in the company, Junguito is responsible for all legal aspects of the projects that he is assigned. Currently Junguito oversees a group of lawyers from external law firms who work on the day to day business matters of a specific project and is also in close cooperation with 10 administrative level directors, who report directly to him. During his time at the company, Junguito has provided a more cost efficient process to comply with the requirements of the different licenses to operate, based on permanent regulatory reviews, rapid identification of legal risks and immediate response in case they are identified, and strategies to approach and discuss different matters with the governmental entities. Over the years Junguito has evolved into a lawyer who is said to be a permanent and proactive actor in the decision making process of the company, who has helped shape the direction of the company, allowing management to take decisions in the most rapid and efficient manner. Last year, Junguito made a vital contribution to a 400 km railway project in the southwest of Colombia, to transport coal and other hydrocarbons. With a modification implemented by the government, the project was not viable, due to the increased costs imposed by the new regulations. ‘After several discussions with the environmental authorities, we demonstrated that the new regulations only applied if the project required new areas and tracks, which was not our case because we were only adapting the current tracks and facilities for the products we were willing to transport’, Junguito explains. ‘This position was approved by the authority and the project could continue’. Prior to joining his current employer in 2014, Junguito’s career alternated between private practice and government positions, with roles held at Ministry of Mines and Energy, Gran Tierra Energy, Yañez & Abogados Asociados, The Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Ministry of Interior and Justice.