Dominican Republic 2023 – GC Powerlist
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Dominican Republic 2023

Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel

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  • Industries

  • Powerlist

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Aided Ceballo-Santana

Legal counsel | Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana

Hotels

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Alba Marina Ceballos

Regional in-house legal counsel greater Caribbean Region | Colgate-Palmolive

Consumer products

Alexandra Gärtner

Regional legal and corporate regional vice president | Grupo MARTÍ

Energy and utilities

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Ana María Estrada Báez

Legal and compliance director | Bolsa y Mercados de Valores de la República Dominicana (BVRD)

Financials

Ana María Estrada Báez is the legal and compliance director of the Bolsa y Mercados de Valores de la República Dominicana, a Dominican securities market infrastructure company, whose mission is...

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Ana María Martínez Jiménez

Legal director, security and corporate affairs | Cervecería Nacional Dominicana

Food

Arlene Castro Ramírez

Senior legal manager | Humano Seguros

Insurance

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Bethania Diaz M.

Legal manager | Karisma Hotels & Resorts

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

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Carolina Pichardo Toral

Legal and compliance country chief officer | JMMB

Financials

Clara Peguero

Legal consultant | Asociación Popular de Ahorros y Préstamos (APAP)

Financials

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Claudia Gutierrez

Legal lead | Cervecería Nacional Dominicana

Food

Claudia Marianela Castro Ino

Director of legal documents | Ministerio de Hacienda de la República Dominicana

Public sector

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Dania Heredia

Legal director | Cemex Dominicana

Materials and mining

Denny Alexandra Hernández Cruz

Legal and corporate affairs manager | Grupo Ramos

Consumer products

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Dorys Rosalia Mejia

General counsel | IKEA Santo Domingo

Consumer products

Edgar Fuentes Gil

Head of legal | Gerdau Metaldom

Materials and mining

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Edward Barett

Senior legal counsel  | The AES Corporation

Energy and utilities

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Elianna Peña Soto

Legal director | Compañía Dominicana de Teléfonos (CLARO)

Telecommunications

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Eliaser Durán Tejeda 

Vice president of specialised legal services and corporate governance | Banco Múltiple BHD

Financials

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Elizabeth Cristina Mena Fernández

Vice president of legal, compliance, institutional relations, corporate affairs and human resources | Corporación Minera Dominicana (CORMIDOM)

Materials and mining

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Enrique A. Rijo Nadal

Legal director | Centro Cuesta Nacional (CCN)

Consumer products

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Esther Toral Garcia

Compliance and legal manager | Alpha Inversiones

Financials

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Farah Massiel Rodríguez Mazara

Legal manager | AFP Crecer y Seguros Crecer

Financials

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Giselle Marie Leger

Vice president of legal and government affairs | The AES Corporation

Energy and utilities

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Grisel Fernandez Herrera

Legal department manager | Magna Motors

Consumer products

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Guillermo Sicard

Legal director | Empresa Generadora de Electricidad Haina (EGE HAINA)

Energy and utilities

Harje Kjellberg

Vice president of business and legal affairs | Lantica Media

Sports and media

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Jarouska Cocco

Legal advisor | Ministerio de Hacienda de la República Dominicana

Public sector

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Jeele Marie de los Santos Noboa

Legal and compliance manager | Bolsa y Mercados de Valores de la República Dominicana (BVRD)

Financials

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Jennifer Alvarez Durán

Legal director | MAPFRE SALUD ARS MAPFRE BHD INSURANCE

Insurance

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Joan Francisco Alba Méndez

General counsel | Banesco Banco Múltiple

Financials

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Johana Ditrén

Assistant general counsel, legal operations - Latin America and Caribbean | Phoenix Tower International

Telecommunications

Johana Ditren graduated with honours in law from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), in 2016. During her time at PUCMM, she excelled academically and actively participated in...

José Antonio De la Cruz Suriel

Chief legal officer | BILLET

Financials

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José Edwin Durán Jiminián

Director of legal | Dirección General de Migración

Non-profit / public sector

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José María Acosta

Legal director | Barceló Hotels & Resorts

Hotels

José Miguel González G.

Legal counsel Caribbean Region | GILDAN

Consumer products

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Josefina Abreu

General legal director | Banreservas

Financials

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Junil Fermin

Legal director | Asociación de Bancos Múltiples de la República Dominicana (ABA)

Financials

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Karla Gross

Regional legal director Greater Caribbean Region and Latin America division compliance | Colgate-Palmolive

Consumer products

Karla Massiel Peña

Compliance manager | AFP Crecer y Seguros Crecer

Financials

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Kathrin Alicia Rojas Pfeufer

Legal manager of fiduciary business | Asociación Popular de Ahorros y Préstamos (APAP)

Financials

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Kirsys Reynoso

Legal manager | Grupo SID (MERCASID)

Consumer products

Larissa Piantini Hazoury

Vice president legal and compliance | Grupo Humano

Insurance

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Laura Dejardens Paniagua

Legal manager | Banco Múltiple Lafise

Financials

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Laura Troncoso Ariza

General counsel and vice president of legal affairs | Playa Grande Golf & Ocean Club

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

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Lidia Chávez

General counsel and regulatory complaince director | SmartEnergy

Energy and utilities

Liliana Indhira Torres Estévez

In-house counsel | Corporación Hotelera del Mar

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

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Lluvia García

Senior legal manager permits and litigation | Empresa Generadora de Electricidad Haina (EGE HAINA)

Energy and utilities

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Lorenzo Guzmán

Chief legal officer | Banreservas

Financials

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Mairení Rivas Polanco

Legal director | MAPFRE BHD SEGUROS

Insurance

Manuel Miguel Matos Gutiérrez

Vice president of legal area and regulatory compliance | Banco Popular Dominicano, Banco Múltiple

Financials

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Manuel Silverio

In-house counsel | The Sol Group

Energy and utilities

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Marcos Ortega Fernández

Legal director | InterEnergy Group

Energy and utilities

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Mariel Lluberes Luna

Legal manager greater Caribbean | Unilever

Consumer products

Marieloy Fernandez Sterk

Legal affairs and compliance manager | Industrias Banilejas

Food

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Mayra Jacobo

Legal manager | Barrick Pueblo Viejo

Materials and mining

Mayra C. Jacobo Troncoso has law degree from Iberoamericana University of Santo Domingo – Summa Cum Laude, and a Master of Law in American Law with a concentration in International...

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Michael Contreras

Vice president of legal, country counsel | Citibank

Financials

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Michelle Brea

Vice president, general counsel - Latin America | Phoenix Tower International

Telecommunications

Miguel Cano Nadal

Corporate legal counsel | Cesar Iglesias

Consumer products

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Miguelina Kelly Infante Colon

Legal manager | Banco Promerica de la República Dominicana

Financials

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Miriam Jocelyn Sánchez Fung

Legal division manager | Banco Popular Dominicano

Financials

Nathalie Vidal

Counsel – Caribbean and Central America Cluster | Philip Morris Dominicana

Food

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Natia Nuñez Curiel

Legal director | CODACERO

Materials and mining

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Nelson A. Arriaga Checo

Director of legal and regulatory affairs | Grupo Vimenca

Financials

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Nermis Andújar Troncoso

Legal director | Tesorería de la Seguridad Social

Public sector

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Nicole Cedeno

General counsel | Scotiabank

Financials

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Olga Morel

Legal director | Central Bank of the Dominican Republic

Financials

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Omar Bairan

General counsel and chief regulatory officer | Banco Santa Cruz

Financials

Pamela De Los Santos Franco

Legal and compliance manager | UC – United Capital Puesto de Bolsa

Financials

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Pamela Hernández María

Lawyer and compliance officer | Magna Motors

Consumer products

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Pamela Luna Russo

Legal manager | Consorcio Energético Punta Cana-Macao (CEPM)

Energy and utilities

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Paola C. Gonzalez Diaz

In-house counsel | Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

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Paola M. Molina Estévez

Legal director | Diesco Industries

Materials and mining

Pedro Javier Sepúlveda Mínguez

Legal manager | Banco López de Haro

Financials

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Petra Froxina Batista Soto

Legal sub-director | Ministerio de Turismo de la República Dominicana

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

Ms. Batista has fourteen years of experience practicing law, focusing her practice on providing advice in the areas of real estate, contracts, corporate and commercial law, civil law, banking and...

Rachel Cortés Gómez

Legal manager | TC Latin America Partners, Sociedad Administradora de Fondos de Inversión

Financials

Rachel’s journey began at the renowned law firm Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández, where she gained valuable experience as an associate in the corporate and M&A fields. It was during...

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Ralvin Gross

Legal director | Casa Brugal

Food

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Raul A. Peña Medina

Director of legal and corporate affairs | Grupo Carol

Healthcare

Raul Alejandro Peña Medina has a law degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), complemented by a master’s degree in legal practice from the same university, as...

Raysa Paulino Bretón

Head of legal | CDEEE

Energy and utilities

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Rosalía Mena Fernández

Director of legal advice | Grupo Globalia

Transport and infrastructure

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Santiago García Almonte

Notary lawyer | Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

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Sarah Maria Concepción

Legal and regulatory compliance manager, operational risk and continuity manager | AFP Popular

Financials

Shirley Acosta Luciano

Executive vice president legal | Banco BHD y Centro Financiero BHD

Financials

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Silvania Rosa Batista

Institutional legal manager | Banco Caribe

Financials

Soirée Cristina Fernández Melo

Legal manager | CARDNET - Consorcio de Tarjetas Dominicanas

Financials

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Tania Belloso

Legal BP corporate law and country platform PACA | Bayer

Healthcare

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Yissel Josefina De León Burgos

Corporate legal manager | AERODOM

Transport and infrastructure

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Yocasta Matías Almánzar

Director of the institutional legal department | Banco Caribe

Financials

Yudith Castillo Nuñez

Legal director | Grupo Punta Cana

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

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It was true delight to lead the research for The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Dominican Republic, 2023, covering the best in-house legal talent within the region. The great enthusiasm of the lawyers that we spoke to was outstanding and inspiring, but the sheer level of innovative work that has been carried out in this region is even more spectacular. Interviews in this edition touch on the recent work that has been carried out by the responders, how they stay up-to-date with changes to laws and regulations within their work, and particular causes that they are passionate about.  

In-house counsel in this edition, from a wide selection of industry sectors, shared their most recent work and experience within the past year. The responses varied greatly, but one trend that particularly stood out was the implementation of a digital transformation within their companies, a topic that is highly relevant in today’s environment, and one that requires intense legal support. For example, Elianna Peña Soto, legal director of Compañía Dominicana de Telefonos (CLARO), stated that ‘The legal team is also supporting the digital transformation, with the adoption of the digital signature in all its relationships and the digitalisation of its processes.’ Furthermore, Pamela De Los Santos Franco, legal and compliance manager at United Capital Puesto de Bolsa claimed that ‘Recently we have ventured in significant projects in the scope of digital transformation and data protection to optimise the experience of the brokerage firm’s clients and its expansion in the market.’ Seeing how the implementation of legal technology varied throughout different industries was truly insightful.  

In spite of the overall uncertainty of global and local markets, esteemed counsel in this publication were delighted to share how in-house counsel stay up-to-date with changes in laws and regulations. Examples provided included reading recent law articles, attending conferences, and seeking advice from external counsel. For example, Natia Núñez Curiel, legal director of CODACERO, stated that ‘This can be achieved through reading the Judicial Bulletins of our Supreme Court of Justice, through active participation in the associations of our union and our company’s union, through subscription to legal journals, and reading news and communication media in general.’ Further, Rosalía Mena Fernández, director of legal advice at Grupo Globalia, suggested that it is crucial to ‘participate actively in different debate forums in which the main bills that affect our sectors are discussed.’ 

In-house counsel also took the time to share a cause, business related or otherwise, that they care about and why. The answers to this question were truly insightful, showing the passions and personality of the in-house lawyers in the Dominican Republic. Responses included gender equality, ESG, diversity and inclusion, and health and safety within the business.  

We would like to congratulate and thank all the in-house counsel featured in this edition on their incredible achievements in the legal industry, and on joining the list of hundreds of the most trusted, effective and innovative in-house lawyers across the globe. It was a pleasure to speak to all included and gain insight into the markets of the Dominican Republic . 

 

Elena Lewis | Lead researcher: GC Powerlist Dominican Republic 2023 

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It is Pellerano & Herrera’s pleasure to once again host the prestigious GC Powerlist for the Dominican Republic, recognizing the valuable work of General Counsel within the institutions they represent. This role continues to go far beyond legal consulting and has become an exclusive profile that requires a set of skills and deep knowledge of businesses and industries.

We extend our warmest congratulations to all GCs for their innovation, professionalism, and contributions to raising local business standards, in an ever-changing environment.

This year, Pellerano & Herrera commemorates its 70th anniversary with great pride and celebrating with many of the firm’s alumni, many of whom are recognized in this year’s GC Powerlist, makes it even more special. For Pellerano & Herrera, sponsoring this event is a continuum of its belief in creating social value and actively contributing to the development of legal profession, being the proud alma mater of over 500 lawyers and maintaining the first and only alumni program in the country.

We once again congratulate The Legal 500 for maintaining this commendable initiative in the region and continuing its exhaustive analysis of the Dominican legal market.

GC Powerlist Japan 2025

The Legal 500 was proud to host the third edition of the GC Powerlist: Japan 2025 at the Capitol Hotel Tokyu, honouring the top General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, Legal Directors, and senior in-house legal professionals operating at the highest level of Japan’s corporate legal landscape. Held in Tokyo, this year’s reception welcomed around 100 of the most respected and senior corporate counsel from across Japan. It was an unrivalled success, and cements Legal 500’s status as the leading force in legal media supporting the achievements of in-house counsel in Japan. The GC Powerlist: Japan 2025 marks the continuation of our commitment to recognising excellence in-house, and this year’s edition represents the most competitive and selective list to date.

Joe Boswell, lead editor of the GC powerlist publication at The Legal 500, opened the evening with an introduction that reflected on the growing prestige of the Japan list. He emphasised how the Powerlist has grown stronger each year, both in scope and quality, making the task of selection more difficult. This year’s honourees emerged from a deeply competitive field, making their recognition even more meaningful.

Boswell extended heartfelt congratulations to all honourees and acknowledged the critical support of key partners and sponsors who made the evening possible. Special thanks were given to Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Morrison Foerster, iManage, JustLegal, and SS&C Intralinks for their generous sponsorship and ongoing collaboration.

In a moment of reflection, Joe paid tribute to Tim Mackey, chief legal officer at SoftBank, who sadly passed away unexpectedly earlier this year. Tim had contributed to the Powerlist in each of its three editions and was known not only for his exceptional legal acumen but also for his warmth and generosity.

The evening featured insightful remarks from distinguished speakers representing our partners and the broader legal community: Mischa Mulligan, Japan Director at SS&C Intralinks; Hiroki Kodate, Partner and Management Committee Member at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune; Jeremy White, Global Co-Chair of M&A for Morrison Foerster; and, representing those awarded in the Powerlist, Naoki Hamada, General Counsel for Japan at HSBC.

Each speaker provided reflections on legal innovation, leadership, and the evolving role of in-house counsel in Japan’s corporate landscape. Their remarks added valuable context to the achievements celebrated throughout the evening.

The formal awards segment celebrated this year’s GC Powerlist honourees. With assistance from long-time collaborator Isaac Uchiyama who read out awardees’ names, recipients were invited to collect their certificates, pose for photographs, and be formally recognised by their peers.

Certificates were presented on stage by Hiroki Kodate or Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and Jeremy White of Morrison Foerster, whose participation further underlined the deep support of the Japanese and international legal communities.

The GC Powerlist: Japan 2025 reception reaffirmed Legal 500’s commitment to spotlighting the very best of in-house legal talent. With record levels of interest and unmatched quality among candidates, the Japan edition continues to solidify its place as one of the most respected publications in the global GC Powerlist series.

We extend our sincere congratulations to all honourees and thank our partners, sponsors, and speakers for making the evening a success.

We look forward to returning to Tokyo again next year. As a parting gift, you can view Naoki Hamada’s excellent keynote address below, where he touches on a lot of issues and themes that many other GC, whatever country they operate in, will recognise:

‘Good evening, everyone. I am Naoki Hamada of HSBC. I am very pleased to be here speaking to you today. It is a great pleasure and honor, and at the same time, I feel a bit overwhelmed being surrounded by the busiest and most expensive lawyers in the industry—even if I know that nobody will be charging us for their time. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Legal 500 for organizing such a great event, and Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Morrison Foerster, iManage, SS&C Intralinks, and Just Legal for sponsoring and supporting it. And, huge congratulations on the recognition each of you is receiving, which is truly a great accomplishment and the result of your hard work and the accumulated trust the entire industry has placed in you.

It must be emphasized that this award is given only to general counsels. Being a general counsel means a lot more than just being a subject matter expert. You are a most reliable strategic partner for the business, and I am sure that you have distinguished yourself from the crowd by your ability to identify underlying risks, devise legal solutions, ensure the right processes and governance for corporate decisions, influence others, and educate the next generation of lawyers. This is what you are being recognized for.

Looking back on my career, I have been hugely helped by lawyers in other companies through various industry communities. When I joined the in-house world 12 years ago from a Japanese law firm, large international banks were all struggling with a huge wave of regulatory reform. Back then, I was relatively new to that particular area of finance, and my hiring was somewhat potential-based. Nonetheless, I was assigned to lead the regulatory reform efforts locally. My predecessor had left the bank before I joined, there was no sufficient handover, and I was completely lost as to what to do. What helped me most were the industry peer group discussions, where in-house counsels from major banks would get together to discuss common issues. I learned so much from what was discussed there and absorbed as much as I could. Without that network, I am sure that I wouldn’t have survived that time.

However, our situation today is far more difficult. The changes in the landscape we face today are unprecedented. Technological developments and the corresponding shifts in geopolitical and industrial landscapes are completely unpredictable, and the speed at which they happen is far faster than before. We might face a time that requires us to pivot, forcing us to redefine how we add value and rebuild the way we work. That is somewhat intimidating. But, I am confident that a way forward will be found through the collective wisdom and effort of the people in this room. I would like to be a part of that, and this network of people is enormously valuable and truly priceless.

Finally, let’s have a drink and celebrate our achievements for now – before your CEO calls asking you to join a call! Thank you so much.’