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, our legal department has played a key role in various strategic, high-impact projects. One of the most significant was the negotiation and closing of a trademark licensing agreement with a well-known company from the United States of America for the exclusive distribution of household appliances in the Dominican Republic. This transaction involved not only cross-border legal aspects related to intellectual property and local regulatory compliance (such as consumer protection, labeling, and electrical standards), but also the manufacturing of those products in a third country. That required additional exclusive manufacturing agreements aimed at safeguarding product quality, reliability, and the brand’s reputation in both markets.

We also led the design and implementation of the legal architecture for outsourcing the management of the company’s distribution center, a highly complex operation. This included the structuring of master service agreements governing the relationship with the external operator, development of logistics and inventory management clauses, as well as service level agreements. Given that the human resources of the operation are also outsourced, we carefully crafted risk allocation clauses and compliance requirements to ensure legal and reputational protection for the company. The project involved aligning operations with labor, tax, and logistics regulations while preserving efficiency and oversight.

In parallel, we have supported an ambitious expansion of warehouse infrastructure, including reviewing leasing contracts, environmental permits, workplace safety policies, and zoning regulations.

Additionally, our team played a central role in launching a new e-commerce platform, which involved the negotiation of agreements with technology providers, logistics partners, digital payment processors, and customer service vendors. As part of this initiative, we developed and implemented policies on data privacy, cybersecurity, warranties, and consumer rights, ensuring full alignment with both local legislation and international best practices.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

My approach during periods of instability is grounded in proactivity, clarity, and integration with the company’s broader business strategy. I view the legal function as a stabilizing force, providing both a framework for risk mitigation and a forward-looking perspective.

Following the COVID-19 crisis and amid global supply chain disruptions, we focused on contract resilience, reviewing and renegotiating key provisions such as force majeure, delivery obligations, and termination clauses. We implemented contingency protocols to protect critical operations and worked closely with finance and procurement to ensure continuity.

Open and ongoing communication with the executive team is a priority, as is supporting rapid but secure decision-making. We also invested internal training to help teams identify early signs of legal risk. By embedding legal safeguards into core operational processes, we strengthen the company’s ability to adapt without compromising compliance or stakeholder trust.

Given the current geopolitical shifts and growing uncertainties around international free trade, has your company’s risk profile evolved, and are you taking measures to address these challenges?

Yes, our company’s risk profile has certainly evolved. In an increasingly volatile global environment, we have had to anticipate and manage risks related to international supplier dependency, rising logistics costs, transportation restrictions, and non-tariff barriers that could impact the importation of goods into the country. From the legal department, we have reinforced the review of contractual clauses regarding regulatory compliance, delivery terms, penalties, and dispute resolution, especially in agreements with foreign suppliers. We have also worked closely with procurement and logistics teams to diversify sourcing countries and implement more flexible supply contracts, without compromising operational stability or product quality.

AI has been taken seriously as a potentially revolutionary technological change in the legal world for a number of years now. Has it had a meaningful impact in how your legal team works in this time?

Yes, artificial intelligence has begun to make a tangible impact on our legal operations, particularly in tasks involving analysis and document review. We are using AI tools to filter large volumes of contracts, identify key clauses, and generate drafts based on pre-approved models. This has helped us optimize time, reduce human error, and focus our team’s efforts on more strategic matters. AI has also become very helpful in our international operations, enabling more accurate translations of technical and legal documents in complex languages such as Chinese, which is particularly valuable in negotiations and contract reviews involving manufacturers in Asia. This context-aware language support enhances decision-making and reduces risks related to miscommunication or cultural misunderstandings. Additionally, as part of our company’s broader digital transformation efforts, we are collaborating on the development of internal policies for the ethical use of AI, ensuring alignment with local and international legal frameworks, especially concerning data protection, transparency, and accountability.

How does your team contribute to the overall business strategy of the company? Can you share an example of a recent legal-led initiative that had a significant impact?

Our legal team is fully integrated into the company’s strategic planning. We don’t just respond to risks, we actively contribute to value creation and key decision-making. The operation model, allocation of responsibilities, and control mechanisms were all designed from the legal department, which ensured a smooth and secure long-term implementation