Billet legal manager | Banco BHD
Jose Antonio de la Cruz Suriel
Billet legal manager | Banco BHD
What are the most significant cases, projects and/or transactions that you and/or your legal team have recently been involved in?
Over the past year, we have played an active role in strengthening the payment ecosystem in the Dominican Republic by promoting and participating in key interactions with financial sector supervisors and regulators, as well as government entities, on matters related to taxation, user protection, and regulations concerning payment systems. Special emphasis has been placed on proposed amendments to the Payment Systems Regulation and the Regulation on User Protection for Financial Products and Services. Additionally, we have been involved in the implementation of new financial sector regulations, as well as the development and rollout of new products and services.
How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?
In the fintech sector, legal management during times of crisis requires anticipation, agility, and strategic coordination. We have prioritised the early identification of legal risks in key areas such as tax compliance and payment systems regulation. We work in an integrated manner with commercial, operational, and technological teams to ensure swift, well-documented decisions aligned with business continuity. We also maintain ongoing dialogue with regulators to anticipate regulatory changes and promote viable solutions for the ecosystem. Additionally, our active participation in ADOFINTECH allows us to influence the development of more resilient regulatory frameworks that are better adapted to innovation.
What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about? Why is this?
I am fully committed to financial inclusion, recognising it as a driver of a country’s development and a catalyst for change in the lives of traditionally marginalised individuals. Considering that equitable access to financial services fosters entrepreneurship and reduces social inequality, I advocate for regulatory frameworks that promote financial inclusion and ESG principles from a legal standpoint — enabling the creation of solutions that empower without excluding, innovate without causing harm, and connect progress with purpose.
Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on that you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful of?
I closely follow the transformation of regulatory compliance into a competitive advantage — one that is about building trust rather than merely avoiding violations and penalties, especially in the fintech sector, where users value transparency as much as technology. I also closely monitor the rise of ESG criteria as a cross-cutting axis in strategic decision-making. As lawyers, we must evolve from risk gatekeepers to creators and promoters of sustainability, integrating legal frameworks with social purpose and aligned with ESG principles.
Chief legal officer | BILLET
Legal manager | Banco BHD León
