Legal manager Dominican Republic | Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana
Legal and compliance manager | E.T. Heinsen
Head of legal document preparation department | Ministerio de Hacienda de la República Dominicana
Vice president of legal services and corporate governance | Banco Múltiple BHD
In-house legal manager | Agentes y Estibadores Portuarios (Ageport)
Legal and compliance director | Primma Valores, Puesto de Bolsa
Vice president, legal and governmental affairs | AES Dominicana
Legal and compliance director | Nestlé Dominicana
General counsel and corporate governance director | Banesco Banco Múltiple
Assistant general counsel, legal operations – Latam and Caribbean | Phoenix Tower International
Senior associate | GASA Consultores
Corporate legal manager | Banco de Desarrollo y Exportaciones (BANDEX)
Head of the verification of standards and legal compliance department | Ministerio de Hacienda de la República Dominicana
Corporate legal manager | Pasteurizadora Rica (Grupo Rica)
Manager external affairs Caribbean | Philip Morris Dominicana
Senior manager of regulation | Asociación de Bancos Múltiples de la República Dominicana (ABA)
Legal director | InterEnergy Group (Dominican Republic)
Legal affairs and compliance manager | Industrias Banilejas
Vice president, general counsel - Latam | Phoenix Tower International
Legal manager | Banco Múltiple Promerica de la República Dominicana
Vice president of financial intermediation unit, consulting | Banco Múltiple BHD
Legal director | Tesorería de la Seguridad Social (TSS)
Legal and compliance manager | UC – United Capital Puesto de Bolsa
Head of legal | Empresa de Generación Eléctrica Punta Catalina (EGEPC)
Legal counsel | Globalia Servicios Corporativos RD
In-House lawyer | Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club
Legal and regulatory director | Altice Dominicana
Legal counsel | Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (AERODOM)
General counsel | Banco de Desarrollo y Exportaciones (BANDEX)
Ena has more than 20 years of professional practice in different areas of law, with extensive experience in public and private management, handling highly complex cases throughout her professional career,...
Vice chancellor of foreign affairs and legal counselor | Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago (UTESA)
Legal director | Asociación de Bancos Múltiples de la República Dominicana (ABA)
Legal advisor | Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM)
Legal director | Corporación Hotelera del Mar
Liliana Torres has 19 years of experience mainly in the in the eastern region of the Dominican Republic (Punta Cana, Bávaro, Cap Cana)., and her main practice areas are civil,...
Vice president of legal affairs and regulatory compliance | Banco Popular Dominicano, Banco Múltiple
Graduated in Law cum laude from the Pontifical Mother and Teacher Catholic University, has completed master’s studies in Economic Analysis of Law with specialisation in financial operations at the Torcuato...
It has been a true privilege to lead the research for The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Dominican Republic, 2024, once again highlighting the outstanding legal talent and innovation within this dynamic region. The energy and enthusiasm of the in-house counsel we had the pleasure of speaking to was truly inspiring, but what stood out even more was the remarkable evolution in the scope and complexity of the work they are driving across various industries. This edition offers a closer look at the key projects they’ve been involved in, how they navigate the ever-shifting legal landscape, and the issues that matter most to them personally and professionally.
This year, a significant theme that emerged from our conversations was the role of sustainability and ESG initiatives, particularly in how legal teams are embedding these values into their companies’ strategies. Many of the in-house counsel shared how their legal departments are becoming critical partners in driving sustainable growth and adhering to global standards on environmental, social, and governance matters. For example, Lauren Vargas, Corporate Legal Manager at Pasteurizadora Rica emphasised that ‘our role as legal counsel is to ensure that every step in our sustainability roadmap aligns with both local and international regulatory frameworks’.
Another striking trend we observed was the continued acceleration of digital innovation across industries. Legal teams are not just supporting this transformation—they are often at the forefront, crafting the frameworks that allow these advances to take place securely and within the bounds of the law. Yudith Castillo shared how ‘digital transformation is a significant and fascinating challenge in many countries, as it will inevitably bring about new laws or modifications to existing ones, which cannot be delayed. I am a firm believer in staying updated with such developments, striving to be open-minded and objective in recognising and understanding what we once considered unthinkable.’
Despite the challenges posed by global uncertainties and shifting regulatory environments, the resilience and adaptability of the in-house counsel in this edition shone through. Staying informed and agile was a common theme, with legal professionals detailing how they consistently engage with updates to laws and best practices. This includes everything from attending international conferences to seeking specialised advice from external experts.
In addition to their legal achievements, the counsel we spoke with also shared their dedication to causes that resonate with them personally. This year’s responses ranged from diversity and inclusion to mental health advocacy in the workplace, reflecting the broader role that in-house lawyers are playing in shaping company culture and driving positive change within their organisations.
We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to all the in-house counsel featured in this 2024 edition of the GC Powerlist: Dominican Republic. Their innovation, dedication, and leadership continue to set new benchmarks in the legal profession, and it has been an honor to engage with such a talented group of professionals. We look forward to seeing their ongoing contributions and impact in the years to come.
Margherita Birri, Lead researcher: GC Powerlist Dominican Republic 2024
Legal 500 was proud to host the second edition of the GC Powerlist: East Africa 2025 in Nairobi, honouring the top General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, Legal Directors, and senior in-house legal professionals across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. This year’s reception brought together over 100 of the most influential and innovative corporate counsel from the region, and was an unrivalled success, cementing Legal 500’s role as the leading voice in recognising in-house legal excellence across Africa.
The evening was opened by Joe Boswell, lead editor of the GC Powerlist publication at Legal 500, who highlighted the growing prestige of the East Africa edition and the increasing challenge of selecting honourees from such a deep (and rapidly growing) pool of talent.
Guests were then treated to some particularly relevant insights from distinguished speakers. Rachel Musoke, Head of ENS Uganda, delivered a thoughtful welcome that reflected on the importance of collaboration between private practice and in-house teams. This was followed by a powerful keynote from Habil Waswani, Company Secretary & Director Legal Services and Regulatory Compliance at Kenya Airways, who shared reflections on leadership, regulatory stewardship, and the evolving role of corporate counsel in East Africa.
The highlight of the evening was the certificate ceremony, where this year’s honourees were formally recognised. Certificates were presented by senior representatives of ENS, including Désiré Kamanzi (Head of Rwanda), Rachel Musoke, Nigel Shaw (Head of Kenya), Donald Nyakairu (Executive, Uganda), Dieudonne Nzafashwanayo (Executive, Rwanda), Rahema Nakirya Ssemyalo (Executive, Uganda) and Binti Shah (Executive, Kenya) whose participation underlined the depth of the firm’s support for the GC Powerlist initiative.
The GC Powerlist: East Africa 2025 reaffirmed The Legal 500’s commitment to shining a spotlight on the region’s most talented in-house lawyers. With an even stronger field of candidates, this year’s edition stands as a powerful testament to the influence and expertise of East Africa’s legal leaders. Habil Waswani’s excellent speech, which got a raucous reception from those in the room, is reproduced below with his permission:
‘My name is Habil Waswani, and I have been an inhouse legal practitioner for the past 21 years in different sectors (having done law-firm practice for 2 years before that). Tt is indeed a true privilege and honour for me to be here tonight, surrounded by the sharpest legal minds and calmest crisis-handlers the East African corporate world has to offer.
First, let me thank the Legal 500 and ENSAfrica teams, for organising such a fantastic event and for bringing us together in such style. Congratulations to each of tonight’s honourees. You represent the very best of general counsel in this very dynamic corporate space the businesses we support operate in. Strategic, ethical, resilient, and, let’s be honest, often underappreciated leaders of industry.
I am so happy that this evening is not about contracts, or compliance checklists, or board packs. Tonight is about celebrating you, the people behind all of that. The steady hands guiding companies through complexities, uncertainties, and ensuring that the opportunities that lie within those difficult circumstances are lawfully realized.
We all know the role of GCs has evolved. We are no longer tucked away at the end of a corridor marked “Legal” or labelled the proverbial “cost centres”. These days, the GCs sit at the big table – helping drive corporate strategy, shaping desired culture, providing leadership and safeguarding business reputations. We have become indispensable partners to businesses, interpreters, navigators, protectors… and on some (many) days, therapists with law degrees. And yet, we mostly do it all so quietly. No victory laps, no press releases. Often, success for us means the expected disaster didn’t happen.
But tonight, we break that rule. Tonight, we raise a glass to the GCs who’ve blazed the trail courageously, with clarity, conviction, and tremendous resilience that only matches the expectations of the Leadership Guru John Maxwell when he said, “resilient leaders don’t wait for the storm to past — they learn to dance in the rain”. You have managed to balance growth and governance, risk and reward regularly. And, of course, always managed to deal with those 10pm messages: “Hey, just a quick question…Are you able to talk right now…?”
Let this evening serve as a reminder that you are not just experienced legal advisors. You are leaders — spear heads and enablers of execution — and without a doubt critical pillars of business strategy.
To all the honourees, congratulations once again for the well-deserved recognition. This is for the heavy lifting that you do, the standards you uphold, and the impact you make – quietly, consistently, and brilliantly so. You’ve earned this spotlight.