Colombia
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Legal director and general counsel | Ocensa - Oleoducto Central
Head of legal, compliance, corporate social responsibility, and government relations | Mazda Colombia
Legal director Colombia and Costa Rica | Rappi
Senior legal director Latin America North, Central America and the Caribbean | Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine Latinoamérica
Vicepresident of corporate affairs | Organización Carvajal
Co-CEO and vice president of legal and corporate affairs | Sanford Management
Arbitration counsel | Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura (ANI)
Legal director and company secretary | CARACOL PRIMERA CADENA RADIAL COLOMBIANA
Deputy general counsel and head of legal Latin America | McKinsey & Company
Head of Law, Patents and Compliance Andean, Caribbean and Central America | Bayer Colombia
Head of Legal Colombia & Ecuador | Hitachi Energy
Head of Legal Colombia & Peru – executive director | Banco J.P. Morgan Colombia
Senior litigation counsel (ACAC-Central America, Andean, Caribbean) | Uber
Vice president of legal affairs and general secretary | Scotiabank Colpatria
Legal Manager for Colombia and LSP (Cluster Chile, Perú and Ecuador) | GlaxoSmithKline
Chief legal officer and general counsel | Avianca
Legal director-private sector | Banco de Desarrollo de America Latina CAF
General counsel beauty and wellbeing– Head of legal Andean region | Unilever
Senior Legal and Compliance Director America, Andean Countries, Chile and Venezuela | Mondelēz International
Legal vice president | Steward Health Care International Colombia
Corporate and legal counsel | Avaya Communication de Colombia
Head of Legal Department Colombia, Perú, LatAm Export Markets, Panamá Operations, Americas HUB | Haleon
Vice President of Hydrocarbon Contracts | Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos
Corporate legal department | National Oilwell Varco de Colombia
Chief Counsel of Private Sector/Non-Sovereign Operations, Legal Affairs | Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF)
On July 1st, Legal 500 unveiled the fourth edition of the GC Powerlist: Portugal 2026, in partnership with PLMJ. Hosted once again on the rooftop terrace of the firm’s Lisbon office under a blazing summer sun, the event brought together many of Portugal’s most accomplished in-house lawyers to celebrate this distinguished community of legal leaders.
Returning to its individual-focused format, this year’s edition marked the reintroduction of the Rising Stars category, recognising some of the country’s most promising emerging in-house counsel. It also saw the world debut of the Transnational Leaders category, highlighting general counsel whose leadership and influence extend beyond national borders and whose responsibilities span multiple jurisdictions.
The evening commenced with a welcome address from Legal 500’s editorial lead Francisco Castro, who emphasised the importance of continuously evolving the publication to reflect the realities of Portugal’s in-house legal market. He highlighted the rigorous research and selection process behind the GC Powerlist series and congratulated the honourees for their outstanding contributions to the profession and the organisations they serve.
Following this introduction, Bruno Ferreira, Managing Partner of PLMJ, took to the stage to congratulate those recognised in this year’s edition. In his remarks, he underscored the increasingly strategic role of in-house counsel in supporting business growth, navigating complexity, and driving legal excellence. He also reflected on the transformative impact that AI is having on the legal function and the opportunities it presents for corporate legal teams.
Concluding the formal proceedings, Alexandra Reis, Senior Counsel at Tabaqueira and a recipient in the inaugural Transnational Leaders category, shared a few reflections on the significance of recognising in-house lawyers and the value of fostering a strong, connected legal community. Drawing on her own experiences, she spoke about the importance of networking, knowledge-sharing and celebrating a profession whose contributions often take place behind the scenes.
The launch of the GC Powerlist: Portugal 2026 proved to be a fitting celebration of the country’s leading in-house legal talent. The evening showcased the depth, expertise, and influence of Portugal’s corporate counsel community while reaffirming Legal 500’s commitment to recognising and championing its achievements. We extend our sincere thanks to all those who participated in this year’s research process, and to PLMJ for once again partnering with Legal 500 to provide a platform that honours these exceptional legal professionals.
