Ecuador 2022 – GC Powerlist
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Ecuador 2022

Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel

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  • Industries

  • Powerlist

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Alejandra Salazar Parada

Legal chief and corporate affairs | Quala

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Alfonso Eduardo Robles Alcivar

Legal director | Unicomer de Ecuador

Consumer products

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Alfredo González Garavito

Legal and corporate affairs director | Sumesa

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Alfredo Morla Béjar

Legal counsel | Comandato

Consumer products

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Ana Cristina Lapentty

Legal and government affairs manager | Productos Avon Ecuador

Consumer products

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Ana Maria Salas Arevalo

Legal director | Las Lomas Ciudad Industrial y Comercial

Industrials and real estate

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Andrea Peñarreta Gallego

Legal counsel and compliance officer | Nutreco

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Andrea Torres

Corporate counsel | SBA Communications Corporation - Ecuador

Telecommunication services

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Andrés Sánchez Pullas

Senior legal counsel | Banco Pichincha

Financials

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Arantzazu Torres Mendoza

Legal director | Grupo AJE

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Arody Perdomo Fernández

Head legal and compliance EC-PE | OLX

Consumer products

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Beatriz Tato

Compliance officer | Telefónica

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Camila Peña Arellano

Chief legal | Banco Internacional Ecuador

Financials

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Carla Hernandez

General Legal Counsel Venezuela and Ecuador | Unilever

Consumer products

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Carlos Alberto Cabezas Delgado

Legal manager | Duragas Abastible

Energy and utilities

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Carlos Briceño Martinez

Legal manager | Lundin Gold

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Carlos Crespo

Legal manager | Inproel

Energy and utilities

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Carolina Burgos

Corporate lawyer | Coheco

Energy and utilities

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Claudia Pernas Pavisic

Legal director | Chubb

Financials

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Cristian Troya Flores

Legal manager Candean region | Novartis

Healthcare

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Cristina Lazo

Legal and corporate affairs director | DP World

Transport and infrastructure

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Dana Benitez

Legal manager | Pronaca

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Denisse Cardenas

Head of legal advice | Banco de Machala

Financials

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Diego A. Calderón C.

Gerente legal and apoderado especial | Directv Ecuador

Telecommunication services

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Diego Martinez

Legal manager | Banco Guayaquil

Financials

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Diego Medina

Legal director | Cobiscorp

Information technology

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Fernando Donoso

Director legal ecuador and legal counselor | Huawei Technologies

Telecommunication services

Gabriel Solís Vinueza

Legal director | Grupo Sudinco

Industrials and real estate

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Gabriela Bajaña Rivadeneira

Legal manager | El universo

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Galo Fernando Chávez Pérez

Legal manager | Fresenius Medical Care

Healthcare

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Giancarlo D’Aniello

Director jurídico | Concentración Deportiva de Pichincha

Non-profit / public sector

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Guillermo Daniel Domínguez Cueva

General counsel | Seguros Unidos

Financials

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Hans Cremieux

Gerente legal and asuntos corporativos  | Tesalia CBC

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Héctor Almeida

Gerente legal | Bolsa de Valores de Quito

Financials

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Jean Carlos García Toro

Legal manager | Corporación Fernández

Consumer products

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Jenny Peñaherrera

Legal counsel Ecuador | Pluspetrol

Energy and utilities

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Jessica Medina

Jefe legal corporativo | Grupo Pichincha

Financials

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Jose Mena

Gerente legal  | ToniCorp

Food, beverages and tobacco

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José Antonio Paulson

Lawyer | Netlife

Information technology

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José Ignacio Mena

Legal manager | Tonicorp

Food, beverages and tobacco

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José Javier Rodríguez Acosta

Legal manager | Reybanpac

Food, beverages and tobacco

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José María Gordillo Morales

Legal manager - Ecuador | SBA Communications

Telecommunication services

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José Ortega Amoroso

Legal manager | Unión Cementera Nacional UCEM

Industrials and real estate

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Juan Dousdebes

Legal director | Teojama Comercial

Financials

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Juan Carlos Domínguez

Legal manager | Santos CMI

Industrials and real estate

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Juan Fernando Noboa

Legal vicepresident | Banco Guayaquil

Financials

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Juan Francisco Salvador

Corporate manager of management control and risks and legal | Corporación GPF - Grupo Fybeca

Consumer products

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Juan Francisco González

Legal transformation and compliance manager | Banco Pichincha

Financials

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Juan Pablo Rojas

Head of legal | Ecuavisa

Information technology

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Julissa Vásquez Muñoz

Legal manager | Banco Amazonas

Financials

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Karina Aguirre

Head of legal | Difare

Healthcare

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Karina Alexandra Larrea Rodríguez

Legal counsel GM Ecuador legal department  | Fresenius Medical Care

Healthcare

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Karla Ortiz Mora

Senior counsel | Phoenix Tower International

Telecommunication services

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Leonardo Viteri

Vice President of Legal and Corporate Affairs | Reybanpac

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Lisa Abcarius Racines

Chief legal counsel | Banco Capital

Financials

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Lorena Montesdeoca

Chief legal counsel | Puntonet

Telecommunication services

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Lucía Negrete

Legal manager | KFC Ecuador

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Luis Eduardo Narváez Aguirre

Head of legal Latin America | Synlab

Healthcare

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Luis Vernaza

General Counsel | Dole Food Company

Food, beverages and tobacco

Marco Andrés Espinoza

Corporate legal counsel | Arca Continental Ecuador

Consumer products

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María Belén Freire Prado

Legal chief and corporate affairs | Corporación El Rosado

Consumer products

María de Lourdes Ortiz Tovar

Legal counsel | TMF Group

Commercial and professional services

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Maria del Carmen Burgos

Legal director | Claro

Information technology

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María Gabriela Jijón

General counsel and chief compliance officer | Holcim

Industrials and real estate

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María José Escarcellé

Abogada | Telefónica

Telecommunication services

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María Paula Grijalva

Chief legal counsel | Barka Capital

Financials

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Mariela Anchundia Mieles

Legal assistant manager | Latam Airlines Ecuador

Transport and infrastructure

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Martín  Espinosa

Legal and corporate affairs director | Cervecería Nacional

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Michael Alexander Medina Cevallos

Director jurídico | Grupo Empresarial Espinoza - GES

Energy and utilities

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Nicolas Castro

Legal director | Grupo Almar Ecuador

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Nicolás Emilio Ruiz Bravo

Legal counsel GM Ecuador legal department  | Motors del Ecuador

Consumer products

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Oscar Javier Niquinga Salazar

Legal manager | Andes Petroleum

Energy and utilities

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Pablo Andrade

Head of legal and compliance andean cluster (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) | Alcon

Healthcare

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Pablo Javier Del Pozo

Senior corporate counsel, LATAM | Lumen Technologies

Telecommunication services

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Patricia Villamarín Andrade

Gerente legal y relaciones publicas  | UNACEM Ecuador

Industrials and real estate

Patricio Viteri

General counsel and chief compliance officer  | DK Management Services

Commercial and professional services

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Paul Rolando Leon Altamirano

Legal manager | Grupo Consenso

Commercial and professional services

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Paulina Zambrano

Legal manager | Liberty Seguros Ecuador

Financials

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Rafael Garcia

Legal manager | Samsung

Information technology

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Rafael Serrano Barona

Chief legal officer | Location World

Information technology

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Ricardo Dávalos Cornejo

Gerente legal and compliance Ecuador, Puerto Rico, República Dominicana, Aruba and Curazao | Linde

Energy and utilities

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Roberto Dipinto-Cafiero

ECP senior legal counsel | Schlumberger

Energy and utilities

Roberto Moreno Arévalo

Legal manager | Cervecería Nacional

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Roberto Naranjo Merizalde

Corporate legal manager | Asesoría y control

Commercial and professional services

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Roberto Rada Salazar

Legal manager | LG Electronics Ecuador

Consumer products

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Roberto Vargas Romero

Corporate legal chief | Interoc Custer

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Santiago Armijos Valdivieso

Legal manager | Banco de Loja

Financials

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Shannyra Gordillo

Legal manager | Automotores y Anexos

Consumer products

Sofia Almeida

General counsel | Zurich Seguros Ecuador

Financials

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Teodoro Maldonado

General counsel | Conecel

Telecommunication services

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Vicente Egas

Counsel EC | Philip Morris International

Food, beverages and tobacco

Vivian Hernández Pico

Director of legal affairs | Mapfre Ecuador

Financials

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Xavier Granja Cisneros

Chief legal counsel | Yanbal

Consumer products

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Ximena Beatriz  Espinosa Barrera

Gerente legal  | Banco Solidario

Financials

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Ximena Espinosa Barrera

Legal manager | Banco Solidario

Financials

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Yoandy Vega

Legal director | Wayra Energy

Energy and utilities

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Yuri Velázquez

Legal counsel | Santa Priscila

Food, beverages and tobacco

Ecuador has a rich natural endowment which if combined with climate-friendly policies has the potential to be a source of the country’s sustainable economic development. With the government initiatives on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) such as the Green Bonus scheme, Ecuador’s in-house lawyers have been proactive in navigating their organisations by encouraging eco-friendly policies and socially responsible governance. Despite the challenges the country has faced through the unprecedented pandemic crisis, the legal teams serving the companies in Ecuador demonstrably helped businesses to drive success while mitigating risks and reducing potential legal issues.  

This year’s GC Powerlist: Ecuador highlights the role of in-house counsel playing a vital part in promoting global initiatives including Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Taking the lead in implementing corporate agendas with social accountability, in-house counsel in Ecuador promoted diversity and inclusion as well as community engagement into their corporate governance   internal model. Recognised as business partner, the in-house legal role in Ecuador continues to evolve as strategic advisor, leading the latest opportunities and challenges.  

Remaining abreast of the latest legal technology, legal functions demonstrated their increasing efficiency and productivity over the pandemic. Technology will continue the push for in-house lawyers to work faster and smarter. Driving further efficiencies in processes, the counsel contained within these pages have utilised their legal knowledge strategically alongside business insight to make a positive impact towards their organisation’s success.  

It was my pleasure to speak and extensively interview the most agile, innovative, and exceptional in-house lawyers in Ecuador spanning international and domestic business titans and organisations at the cutting edge of technology and the future of work, each with their own priorities and challenges. I would like to extend the sincerest gratitude to all the general counsel and in-house lawyers who participated in this edition of the GC Powerlist: Ecuador. This edition identifies the most impressive counsel who have tackled new challenges caused by the pandemic as well as the development of eco-friendly regulations and policies. 

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.’