Colombia 2024
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Legal director and general counsel | Ocensa - Oleoducto Central
Legal and GR senior manager | Mercado Libre Colombia
In-house legal counsel SR | Comunicacion Celular Claro Colombia
Legal lead Colombia – contracting counsel senior manager | Accenture
Legal vice president Colombia | Steward Health Care International Colombia
Legal and compliance director, Colombia, Central America and the Caribbean | SGS Colombia
General counsel, compliance officer and head of corporate affairs | Tecnoglass
General legal counsel of palm oil business | Aceites Manuelita
Advisor legal vicepresidency | 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
Coporate counsel - legal, compliance and sustainability | Organización Espinosa
Legal and compliance manager | Riopaila Castilla
Legal director, general counsel - Colombia | Compass Group Services Colombia
Chief legal officer | Teleperformance Middle Americas
Head of legal and corporate affairs | Gases de Occidente - GdO
General secretary and legal director | Caracol Primera Cadena Radial Colombiana
Legal business partner Latam and acting lead compliance manager Latam | Betsson Group
Managing counsel for Latin America | McKinsey & Company
Associate legal director Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela | Abbott Laboratories
Legal vice president, general counsel | Hoteles Decameron
Subdirector jurídico | Grupo Alsea Colombia
Head of law, patents and compliance for Bayer Andean, Central America and Caribbean Countries (PACA) | Bayer
Gerente corporativa de asuntos legales | Darnel Group
Gerente de estrategia y asesoría legal | Ocensa - Oleoducto Central
Head of legal Colombia and Ecuador | Hitachi Energy Colombia
Vice president of corporate affairs, legal affairs and sustainability | Amarilo
Legal manager of Investment Banking | Investment Banking at Bancolombia (BIB)
General legal counsel and corporate secretary | BBVA Valores Colombia
Legal director Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela | Abbott Laboratories
Senior regulatory counsel, Mexico; antitrust POC Latam; women of CLO global co-chair | Uber
Legal director Colombia and Venezuela | PepsiCo Colombia
Corporate legal manager LATAM | Manuelita Corporativa
Chief business and legal affairs officer - CBO | Dynamo Producciones
Corporate legal manager | Sociedad Administradora de Fondos de Pensiones y Cesantías Porvenir
Chief legal officer | Sociedad Administradora de Fondos de Pensiones y Cesantías Porvenir
General counsel beauty and wellbeing Latam, head of legal Andean region and data privacy and governance leader Latam | Unilever
General legal counsel sugar business | Manuelita
Legal manager for Andean countries | Mercado Libre Colombia
Legal and corporate governance vice president | Grupo Colpatria
Legal affairs manager - Colombia and Dominican Republic | Air Liquide
Legal and compliance vice president | Grupo Energía Bogotá
General counsel and compliance officer | Nestlé Colombia
Chief counsel of non-sovereign operations, legal affairs | Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF)
Rosalía Roman-Urcuyo is chief counsel of non-sovereign operations, legal affairs at the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), leading the division within the legal department that supports...
Senior Counsel illicit trade prevention for Latam, Canada and the US | Philip Morris International
I am a dual-authorised lawyer in Colombia and Venezuela, with over thirty years of international experience as a business lawyer. My expertise lies in leading legal projects and navigating complex...
The Legal 500 is thrilled to announce the release of the latest edition of the GC Powerlist: Colombia. This eagerly awaited publication celebrates the outstanding achievements of the country’s leading in-house lawyers.
In this edition, we highlight the pivotal contributions of in-house counsel to Colombian businesses, showcasing their expertise, leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence. The 2024 edition shines a spotlight on the extraordinary accomplishments and innovative approaches of these legal professionals as they navigate the intricate landscape of Colombian law. From managing crises and adapting to regulatory changes to implementing artificial intelligence and advancing sustainability and diversity initiatives, these leaders exhibit remarkable resilience and adaptability in a rapidly evolving legal environment.
This publication includes detailed profiles and exclusive interviews with the most influential and esteemed in-house lawyers across various sectors in Colombia. These professionals excel in formulating legal strategies, managing risks, and offering strategic advice to their organisations. Their achievements not only serve as inspiration to the legal community but also demonstrate the significant impact in-house lawyers have on shaping their organisations’ business strategies and success.
Our research underscores the growing importance of aligning legal departments with senior management, highlighting the evolving role of general counsel as crucial business partners. As Ana María Navarrete Frías, Legal Lead Colombia – Contracting Counsel Senior Manager at Accenture, observes, “Maintaining a positive attitude is essential. Work with the business and leadership to develop strategies for navigating periods of instability or crisis, and align the legal function with that strategy. Encourage closer communication between business and legal departments, and support your legal team in staying calm and resilient during challenging times.”
In-house lawyers are also at the forefront of integrating sustainability measures within their organisations. Adriana Londoño Ángel, Legal Director and General Counsel at Ocensa – Oleoducto Central, highlights, “My legal team is instrumental in embedding sustainability into Ocensa’s governance framework. In addition to providing expert advice on sustainability reporting and regulatory compliance, we focus on creating robust contractual frameworks to support ESG strategic objectives. This includes developing clauses related to the circular economy, water management, social responsibility, and stringent HSE and human rights protections in our supplier contracts.”
This publication provides exclusive insights into the challenges and opportunities facing in-house legal teams. Delve into the GC Powerlist: Colombia 2024 to uncover the remarkable stories of these distinguished individuals. Through their experiences, we aim to offer a comprehensive overview of Colombia’s legal landscape, underscoring the vital role of in-house legal teams.
We extend our sincere gratitude to all the featured in-house lawyers for their invaluable contributions and for sharing their professional journeys with us. We are proud to present this distinguished list, celebrating Colombia’s most exceptional, dedicated, and esteemed in-house lawyers.
Sara Maggi| Lead editor – The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Colombia 2024
It has been an absolute pleasure for Legal 500 to host the launch of the GC Powerlist Switzerland 2025 at the iconic Baur au Lac in Zürich, honouring Switzerland’s most accomplished general counsel and senior in-house legal professionals across industries.
Taking place in one of Europe’s leading financial and innovation hubs, the reception convened the nation’s foremost corporate legal minds for an evening of reflection and celebration. It spotlighted the growing influence of in-house counsel as strategic partners who balance innovation with integrity, and who drive sustainable transformation within Swiss and international organisations alike.
Opening the event, Carmen Godoy, lead editor of the Legal 500 GC Powerlist Switzerland 2025, welcomed the guests and reflected on the strength and forward-thinking nature of the Swiss in-house community. She highlighted that the research behind this year’s edition revealed a profession characterised by integrity, innovation, and a strong sense of responsibility: one that continues to evolve with agility, foresight, and humanity.
According to Godoy, three core themes stood out during this year’s research. Firstly, resilience and governance, as Swiss legal teams continue to act as stabilising forces within their organisations. Secondly, digital transformation, with legal departments embracing technology, data analytics, and AI to become more proactive and future-ready. And, finally, sustainability and inclusion, as in-house counsel increasingly embed ESG principles and
diversity into corporate culture, leading with both purpose and empathy.
The evening also featured insightful remarks from Daniel Hayter, vice president Europe at Axiom Law, and Alexander Wyss, managing partner at Baker McKenzie Switzerland. Both shared their views on the evolving role of general counsel as strategic partners and innovators within their organisations. They highlighted the critical importance of in-house
legal teams learning to integrate and work alongside AI, an ally that enhances, rather than replaces, the strategic and human leadership of general counsel. Their reflections reinforced the essential role of collaboration between firms and in-house teams in fostering a resilient and forward-looking legal ecosystem.
This year’s GC Powerlist Switzerland 2025 honourees had the opportunity to share their experiences and perspectives with the Legal 500 team and their peers, engaging in energizing conversations that highlighted the strength, ethics, and forward-looking approach of the Swiss legal community.
On behalf of the entire team at Legal 500, we extend our warmest congratulations to all those included in the 2025 edition of the GC Powerlist: Switzerland. Your leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence continue to set the benchmark for the profession both within the country and internationally.
We also wish to express our deepest gratitude to our sponsors, Axiom Law and Baker McKenzie Switzerland, for their continuous support in helping us celebrate the remarkable in-house legal talent driving progress across Switzerland.
