Colombia 2022
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Principal counsel, corporate operations and rest of Latin America | The Walt Disney Company
Legal and compliance manager Colombia and Central America | Linde
Legal counsel contracts | Comcel - Claro Colombia
Legal director of corporate affairs | Hoteles Decameron
Executive vice president, general counsel | Inter-American Coal
Director of legal and corporate affairs | Oleoducto de los Llanos Orientales and Oleoducto Bicentenario de Colombia
Head of legal and corporate affairs, general counsel and compliance officer | Tecnoglass
Associate general counsel - Latin America | Trane Technologies
Advisor - legal vice president | Grupo Energía Bogotá
General counsel | Cenit Transporte y Logística de Hidrocarburos
Head of legal and compliance – compliance officer | Mazda
Corporate legal counsel and compliance officer, Andean and CCA-Caribbean and Central America Region | Avaya
Legal manager, corporate secretary | Distribuidora Nissan (Grupo Vardí)
Legal manager and compliance officer - LATAM | Cepsa Colombia
Director of legal, logistics and business | Biomax Biocombustibles
Legal vice president and secretary general | Arthur J. Gallagher Colombia
Chief legal and compliance officer | Teleperformance
General counsel and corporate affairs director | Grupo Empresarial Levapan
General secretary and legal director | Caracol Primera Cadena Radial Colombiana
Senior counsel Latam and third party risk, export controls team manager | Zoom Video Communications
Vice president legal | Cámara Colombiana de la Infraestructura
Legal vice president - general counsel | Hoteles Decameron
General counsel | Fondo Latinoamericano de reservas - FLAR
Legal and compliance manager Colombia and Panama | Bureau Veritas Colombia
Vice president of corporate affairs and secretary general | Ecopetrol
Chief counsel of private sector legal division and member of the board of directors | CAF - Development Bank of Latin America & CAF - Asset Management Uruguay
Legal director Colombia - data privacy advisor Latam | Unilever
It has been a privilege and an honour to conduct research for this year’s Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Colombia 2022, the first edition after the imposed hiatus caused by the pandemic. As lead researcher, I have had the opportunity to speak with the most outstanding in-house counsel in the region. Our interviews have touched upon several topics such as sustainability, technology and the impact of Covid-19 on business operations. Among other revelations, the overall picture that emerged is that Colombia-based in-house counsel have come out from the pandemic stronger than ever and ready to look ahead, working to bring added value to their organisations, harness technology to drive efficiencies, and make their operations more sustainable to promote the growth of the country.
Colombia’s position as one of the region’s most stable economies has allowed it to face the pandemic and overcome it without significant repercussions, and some statistics highlight this. Colombia’s GDP has expanded by 10.6% and is predicted to grow faster than any other country in Latin America. It continues to be an attractive destination for foreign investors, given the existence of multiple business centres and various sectoral demands. The strategic geographic position it enjoys at the centre of the continent allows for greater connection with every destination across the hemisphere.
Additionally, Colombia has been actively responding to international challenges, acting on sustainable development. It aims to reduce its greenhouse emissions by 51% by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. These are just some factors that make Colombia a solid place to do business and, in turn, a fertile environment for producing high-quality in-house counsel.
This year’s GC Powerlist Colombia highlights the role of general counsel in embracing change and innovation, working towards the development of their country — “my team and I work with the purpose of being seen as supporters of these initiatives, which requires an attitude towards change backed by the legal knowledge that allows seeking for responses, said Jorge Adrián Rincón Plata, chief legal officer in Grupo Aval. Technology will continue to demand in-house lawyers to drive efficiencies and work smarter. These pages reveal that in-house lawyers in Colombia are on top of their games when it comes to adapting to new scenarios and changes. As Fernando Victoria Peña, chief legal and compliance officer at Teleperformance, suggests: “the pandemic has brought many lessons to the legal profession. Our role can adapt and transform, and we can guarantee the same legal security through new technologies. We are opening the Pandora’s box to be more efficient and productive”.
I want to extend the most profound gratitude to every in-house lawyer who participated in this edition of the GC Powerlist. This issue of our worldwide publication acknowledges the most outstanding and impressive in-house lawyers who have tackled new challenges and have used their expertise and versatility to adapt to new scenarios and master the use of technology advancements to promote the success of their corporations. I am incredibly proud to be able to introduce this list of Colombia’s most outstanding, agile and acclaimed in-house lawyers.
Sara Maggi | Research analyst | GC Powerlist Series
On July 8th, Legal 500, in exclusive partnership with PLMJ, proudly unveiled a new edition of the GC Powerlist: Portugal, this time marking the first-ever Teams issue. Hosted at PLMJ’s Lisbon office, the highly anticipated event brought together the country’s most prominent and accomplished corporate legal teams to celebrate this important milestone.
Over 120 general counsel and senior in-house lawyers attended the evening reception, representing leading legal departments across Portugal. The event began with a warm welcome from Francisco Castro, Legal 500’s editorial lead for the publication. In his opening remarks, Francisco set the tone for the evening by emphasising the significance of this new format, which shifts the spotlight from individuals to entire teams. He noted that in today’s fast-evolving business landscape, in-house legal departments play a central role in their organisations’ success – and the publication seeks to reflect the strength and collaboration of Portugal’s in-house legal community.
Next to speak was Bruno Ferreira, Managing Partner at PLMJ, who delivered heartfelt congratulations to those selected for the GC Powerlist: Portugal Teams 2025. In his address, he highlighted the indispensable role in-house legal teams play in supporting business operations and advancing legal excellence. His words served as a strong endorsement of the value, resilience, and strategic insight these teams bring to the table.
Concluding the speeches was Daniela Silva e Sousa, General Counsel at Start Campus, who delivered a compelling keynote address. Speaking to her peers, she reinforced the growing importance of legal departments in shaping the future of their organisations and helping them navigate complexity and innovation.
Overall, the launch of the GC Powerlist: Portugal Teams 2025 was a resounding success – an evening of recognition, reflection, and celebration. It not only honoured the exceptional talent within the in-house legal community but also reaffirmed Legal 500’s commitment to showcasing the remarkable contributions of legal professionals across Portugal.
On behalf of Legal 500, we extend our sincere thanks to PLMJ for their continued partnership. We look forward to returning to Lisbon in October for the GC Summit: Portugal 2025.
