Country Counsel, Colombia, Costa Rica & Ecuador | IBM
Juan Pablo Ovalle
Country Counsel, Colombia, Costa Rica & Ecuador | IBM
How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?
By living in Colombia, you get used to live in constant crisis environment. During my professional practice, I have seen periods of economic instability, political uncertainty, violence and social disturbance. So, legal practice has always been challenging and on the spot to support the business with creative, accurate and on-time juridical support. Also, a good sense of practicality and doses of humour are extremely relevant to do this job.
I believe that being adaptable and flexible to different environments and circumstances is key. Business acumen is also fundamental when it comes to supporting a large company business strategy. Lawyers need to understand their internal clients, their needs and implement that into the way they approach daily challenges and external clients, Lawyers have to become business facilitators.
What are the major cases or transactions you have been involved in recently?
I have been involved in three M&A global deals, supporting the incorporation of companies into IBM, but leading these integration procedures in different jurisdictions. This has forced me to learn about different regulations and special regimes applicable, to be able to encompass these particular regulations within the global corporate procedures. This has been one of the most challenging situations I have faced in the past years, due to the complexity and the need to leverage my own knowledge of foreign legislation.
I also took over the responsibility to support IBM Ecuador’s business, which has allowed me to get familiar with a different business environment, costumers, different regulations and ways to work.
What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?
GEN AI is definitively changing the way lawyers work: it simplifies routine tasks and allows you to focus on really important and strategic matters. It is key to understand that this type of technology will not replace the lawyers’ work, experience, field knowledge, expertise and know-how of a particular business or industry. A willingness and change of disposition will be essential to embrace the use of these new tools, without fear of being replaced, but with the certainty you could do a better job.
In your opinion, what are the main trends that are salient in your country currently (these can be legal, political, economy or business-based)?
Currently, local congress just passed a labour reform that impacts all economic actors. It definitively is challenging to adapt your business model to this new regulation, which has a direct impact on delivery costs as well as on company policies and employee relations.
We are also under a very tense political environment and juridical stability is something foreign companies and investors are looking at closely. The upcoming 2026 election is also a matter that is relevant not only for local, but also for international companies.
Country counsel and LCR | IBM
Country counsel and LCR | IBM
Country counsel Colombia and LCR | IBM de Colombia
Legal Counsel (Colombia) | IBM
As the Colombian head of legal at one of the world’s largest companies, it would be inaccurate to describe Juan Pablo Ovalle Arana as a “rising star”. Nonetheless, Ovalle Arana’s...
Country counsel Colombia and Latin Caribbean Region (LCR) | IBM de Colombia
Since July 2011, and after spending more than five years at Huawei Technologies’ legal department, Juan Pablo Ovalle has been the country counsel for Colombia and the LCR at IBM...
Country counsel Colombia and Latin Caribbean Region (LCR)
IBM de Colombia
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