Colombia 2023
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
In-house legal counsel SR | Comunicacion Celular Claro Colombia
Legal lead Colombia – contracting counsel senior manager | Accenture
Legal and compliance director, Colombia and Central America | SGS Colombia
General counsel, compliance officer and head of corporate affairs | Tecnoglass
General legal counsel of palm oil business | Aceites Manuelita
Senior advisor, legal vice president | Grupo Energía Bogotá
Legal vice president – Colombia and Perú | Cemex Colombia
Corporate and legal counsel for Andean, CCA and Mexico. Compliance officer for the Andean Region | Avaya Communication de Colombia
Global commercial and contract manager - SCM | Hitachi Energy Colombia
Coporate general counsel | Organización Espinosa
Legal and compliance manager | RIOPAILA Castilla
Legal director, general counsel - Colombia | Compass Group Services Colombia
Legal affairs executive | ISAGEN
Elizabeth Villa Mesa has a law degree from the Universidad de Antioquia, with a specialisation in private law and a Master’s degree from the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana of Medellín and...
Corporate counsel and ESG director | Grupo Empresarial Levapan
General secretary and legal director | Caracol Primera Cadena Radial Colombiana
Legal business partner | Betsson Latam Services
Having worked for different companies in highly regulated industries, Jorge Andrés Torres, Betsson Group’s legal business partner for Latin America, has been praised for his skilful handling of complex legal...
Vice president of corporate affairs and general counsel | Alianza Team
Legal vice-president, general counsel | Hoteles Decameron
Legal director Alsea Colombia | Gastronomia Italiana en Colombia
Head of law, patents and compliance for Bayer Andean, Central America and Caribbean Countries (PACA) | Bayer
Vice president of corporate affairs, legal affairs and sustainability | Amarilo
General legal counsel and corporate secretary | BBVA Valores Colombia
Legal counsel – team manager legal and corporate | Schlumberger
Legal and compliance manager LATAM | Bureau Veritas
Senior counsel, regulatory Mexico and antitrust counsel, LATAM | Uber
Legal director Colombia and Venezuela | PepsiCo Colombia
Chief business and legal officer | Dynamo Producciones
Paola earned her law degree from the Universidad del Rosario in 2000. She received a specialisation in commercial law from Los Andes University in 2003 and postgraduate studies in Legal...
General counsel and compliance officer | Nestlé Colombia
Phyllis Gleiser has nearly 20 years of experience advising companies in the FMCG sector. Her diverse experience in private practice at leading law firms in Colombia and as in-house counsel...
General counsel beauty and wellbeing LATAM, head of legal Andean region and data privacy and governance leader LATAM | Unilever
Head of legal Colombia | Steward Health Care International Colombia
Ana María Flórez Ocampo has more than 15 years of experience leading and managing legal areas and high-performance teams in the hospital sector. Ana graduated from the Universidad Externado de...
Associate Legal Director EPD & MD Colombia, Ecuador & Venezuela | Abbott
Legal vice president and general secretary | Scotiabank
Olga Varón Palomino, legal vice president and general secretary of Scotiabank Colpatria, is in charge of leading the legal vision of the Bank, in order to leverage business strategies, plans...
The Legal 500 takes great pleasure in introducing the latest edition of the GC Powerlist Colombia: 2023. In the contents of this publication, we embark on a thorough journey, delving deeply into the intricate interplay of legal innovation, regulatory changes, and the ever-shifting environment. These elements collectively sculpt the dynamic responsibilities of in-house legal professionals in Colombia.
In this distinctive landscape of political and regulatory evolution, the fires of legal technology are blazing new trails within in-house legal teams. Colombian legal professionals have graciously shared their experiences in enhancing team functionality through the savvy implementation of technology, all while achieving significant cost savings for their organisations. General counsel in Colombia adopted a different mindset towards innovation to ensure the success of their teams, as Jorge Mario Castillo, senior legal counsel at Automotores Toyota, suggests: ‘I used to have a manager that said as a joke: ‘If you want to kill a deal, call a lawyer’. This joke was enlightening to me. I hate this perception of lawyers. The kind of lawyer I always wanted to be was to be a facilitator and someone who can become a legal partner in all areas of the business. I believe this approach and this mindset have been my greatest contribution to the team. This is the way all members of the team act, which enables us to gain the trust of our peers and be more involved in the decision-making process, learn from other departments and people in the company and in the long run, will make us better professionals’.
Once constrained within traditional advisory boundaries, the role of in-house legal leaders in Colombia has flourished into stewardship that spans multiple domains, including the vital initiative of promoting diversity and inclusion policies within their teams. As Natalia Encinales, legal director of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, told us: ‘I prioritise diversity and inclusion, making a visible topic of it, improving knowledge, sharing and creating greater awareness, and building a common understanding and language. I have led many D&I initiatives these past few years’.
Throughout these pages, the sagacious advice of seasoned in-house lawyers resonates, serving as guiding beacons for their colleagues. Their insights underscore the paramount importance of solid foundational legal skills and a deep understanding of industry-specific nuances. Eminent legal experts featured here have discussed their passions, emphasising the significance of fostering workplaces where individuals are appreciated, and their work-life balance takes centre stage in organisational processes.
This edition highlights the remarkable in-house lawyers featured in The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Colombia 2023. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to these outstanding general counsel, whose indomitable spirit and expertise have firmly positioned them at the forefront of legal excellence in this extraordinary nation.
Sara Maggi| Deputy Editor The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Series
On 26 March, Legal 500 partnered with Portuguese law firm PLMJ to bring its renewed sustainability‑focused conference series to Lisbon with the ESG Forum: Portugal 2026. The half‑day event gathered senior leaders from the legal, financial, energy and sustainability spheres for a concentrated programme hosted at PLMJ’s offices. Throughout the sessions, speakers explored the regulatory, governance and enforcement forces reshaping ESG strategy in Portugal, offering a clear cross‑sector perspective on how organisations are adapting to an increasingly complex and fast‑moving landscape.
The event opened with some welcome remarks from Legal 500 editor Francisco Castro, who emphasised the value of events that bring the in‑house community together to learn, exchange experiences and build meaningful professional networks. In his welcome address, he highlighted the growing complexity of ESG obligations across Europe and the increasing pressure on organisations to adopt integrated, business‑wide approaches to compliance, risk management and strategic planning. By underscoring the need for practical, grounded discussion rather than abstract theory, he set the tone for a programme designed to deliver actionable insight and foster collaboration among practitioners navigating a rapidly evolving ESG landscape.
Followed an opening brief delivered by PLMJ’s Managing Partner, Bruno Ferreira, who provided a concise yet comprehensive overview of the ESG priorities defining Portugal in 2026. He outlined the expanding influence of EU regulatory frameworks on corporate reporting, due diligence and governance, noting how these requirements are reshaping expectations around data quality, transparency and accountability. His remarks positioned ESG not as a peripheral concern but as a central driver of corporate behaviour, capital flows and long‑term competitiveness in the Portuguese market.
The first panel, moderated by João Marques Mendes, Partner at PLMJ and joined by Cláudia Teixeira de Almeida of Banco BPI, Nuno Moraes Bastos of GALP and Diogo Graça of REN, explored how corporate governance and sustainable finance are shaping Portugal’s energy transition. The discussion examined how boards and executive teams are adapting oversight structures to manage transition‑related risks and how legal, compliance, sustainability and procurement functions are increasingly intertwined in project governance. Panellists described the growing influence of financing structures on project execution, noting that lenders’ expectations around ESG metrics, contractor performance and transparency now shape governance decisions from the earliest stages. They also addressed the operational constraints that continue to challenge Portugal’s transition ambitions, including permitting timelines, grid capacity limitations and delivery risk. While acknowledging the complexity of EU‑level frameworks, speakers emphasised that these standards also present strategic opportunities to harmonise practices, unlock investment and strengthen Portugal’s competitive position in the energy transition.
Following a short break, the second panel turned to litigation, liability and the emerging enforcement era surrounding sustainability claims. Moderated by Raquel Azevedo, Partner at PLMJ and featuring contributions from Carla Góis Coelho of PLMJ, Carlos Martins Ferreira of Jerónimo Martins, Filipa Rodrigues Carmona of Caixa Geral de Depósitos and Céline da Graça Pires of NOVA, the session examined the rapid rise of ESG‑driven disputes, investigations and regulatory actions. Panellists discussed the typical trigger points for scrutiny, ranging from sustainability reports and corporate websites to marketing materials and investor presentations, and highlighted how these touchpoints are increasingly tested by regulators, competitors, consumers and NGOs. They analysed recent case law developments and their implications for Portuguese organisations, noting the emergence of more stringent evidentiary standards around disclosures and due‑diligence obligations. The panel concluded that sustainability claims can no longer be treated as aspirational messaging; they now carry the weight of binding legal obligations, requiring more rigorous internal validation and cross‑functional coordination.
The forum concluded with closing remarks from Francisco Castro, after which attendees were invited to continue their conversations over a light lunch, providing a relaxed setting to deepen connections and reflect on the themes explored throughout the morning.
Legal 500 extends its thanks to PLMJ for its collaboration in bringing this conference format to Portugal’s in‑house legal community. The team looks forward to returning soon for the launch event of this year’s GC Powerlist: Portugal.
