Team size: Four 

First, can you please give us an idea of the sort of work your team has done recently? 

Currently, together with my team, we are working on the development of four real estate tourism projects in the main tourist spots in the country. This new real estate division within our business group has represented a great challenge for our legal advice department. As a legal advisory department, we participated in the structuring of the four projects from their conception, carrying out surveying work, condominium regime, drafting of sales commitment contracts, contracts with suppliers, relations with different public entities, management of permits, and collection management.  

These four projects have definitely been challenging; together, they involve 1,200 apartments. Personally, it filled me with a lot of satisfaction to conclude a project like this, despite the difficulties that affected the construction sector, such as the pandemic and the rise in the cost of materials.  

Another challenge that we have faced this year has been our participation in the signing and implementation of the strategic alliance with an internationally renowned American hotel chain. We are working on the implementation of the project, which involves the management of the corresponding government authorisations for the necessary changes, corporate restructuring, union negotiation, tax planning, negotiation and subscription of payment agreements with suppliers, among other aspects.  

How do you stay up-to-date with changes in laws and regulations in the Dominican Republic relevant to your organisation’s industry? 

As a legal advisor to companies, it is essential to keep up to date on the recent laws and regulations, especially in the tourism, construction and real estate sectors. For this reason, I try to participate actively in different debate forums in which the main bills that affect our sectors are discussed. In this regard, I participate as a member of the legal committee of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of the Dominican Republic (ASONAHORES), and a member of the legal committee of the Dominican Association of Young Entrepreneurs. In these two institutions, possible legislative changes are discussed first-hand. I also try to keep myself updated at the training level by participating in different talks and courses given by different training institutions. This year, I participated with the team in the six-week course of the Institutionality and Justice Foundation (FINJUS) on risk management related to regulatory compliance and the prevention of money laundering.  

What is a cause, business related or otherwise, that you care about, and why?   

A social cause that has always genuinely caused me concern is the mistreatment of women, especially young women, in the world of work and equality (referring to the wage gap). Despite the belief that there is currently no such inequality between men and women, the reality is that, in the Dominican business world, the insertion and reintegration of women into the labour market is still a challenge. The lack of policies in this regard, and a clear differentiation between men and women in the regulations, for example, maternity or paternity leave, continues to be a challenge. Women are increasingly in companies, but at the salary level for multiple reasons we continue to be affected. For this reason, it is important to me that there are mentors who can accompany young professionals in their integration into the business world within organisations.