Senior legal counsel, Iberoamerica | Securitas - Security Services Ibero America
Senior legal counsel, EU and LATAM | Eiffage EnergÃa Sistemas
Global head of legal and secretary general | Secuoya Content Group
Legal counsel, concessions division | OHLA Group
Senior regional legal manager, Brasil, HispAm and global projects | Telefónica
Chief legal officer and public affairs director | Acciona
General counsel and secretary of the board of directors | Hispasat
Head of legal, Iberia, Italy and LATAM | Majorel
Senior director, legal and compliance | Llorente y Cuenca
Legal director, concessions division | OHLA Group
General counsel and company secretary | REN - Redes Energéticas Nacionais
Senior vice president, compliance and data protection, International | Fresenius Kabi
General counsel and head of compliance | Eurodivisas (Global Exchange Group)
Legal counsel, project finance | Sacyr Concesiones
Group general counsel and company secretary | Distribuidora Internacional de Alimentación
Senior legal manager, Spain, Portugal and LATAM | Astellas Pharma Europe
Head of legal, procurement global contrats and tenders | Enel Group
General counsel, beauty and wellbeing LATAM, head of legal and data privacy leader, LATAM | Unilever
Head of legal Santander Corporate & Investment Banking Germany, Austria, Switzerland & Nordic countries | Banco Santander
Corporate counsel and company secretary | Vencorex France
General counsel, Iberoamerica | Securitas Seguridad España
Vice president and deputy general counsel, international legal (EMEA, APJ, LATAM) | Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Senior legal director Europe, Turkey and Africa, CIS and LATAM | Oriflame Cosmetics
Group head of legal and compliance and company secretary | PetrolValves
Vice president, deputy general counsel, EMEA | Baxter International
Legal counsel and board member | Ferrovial Airports International
Legal director, Spain and LATAM | INTELCIA
Senior director, associate general counsel, head of legal EMEA and LATAM | Adobe
Legal counsel and general secretary | Grupo Ortiz
Legal director | Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas
Global counsel, regulatory compliance and disputes | Spotify
Group executive committee member, group general counsel and commercial and contract management | Capgemini
Legal and finance director | Depuración de Aguas del Mediterráneo
Associate general counsel, head of legal for Europe, MEA and APAC | Sonova Group
Legal manager and compliance officer | UBE Corporation Europe
Lead legal counsel, M&A and corporate | NTT Data Europe & LATAM
Vice president, head of legal, Middle East and Africa | Stellantis
Executive vice president, general counsel international markets | MasterCard
We are thrilled to present to you the inaugural GC Powerlist: Europe Latin America Specialists 2023. This eagerly awaited publication marks a significant milestone, building on the success of its predecessor, 2022’s GC Powerlist Spain: Latin America Specialists.
This new release is a testament to the continuous commitment of recognising and celebrating the outstanding accomplishments of Europe’s leading in-house lawyers who dedicate their efforts to the dynamic and challenging Latin American markets.
As the legal landscape continues to evolve and globalise, the role of in-house lawyers becomes increasingly pivotal in navigating the complexities of international business. The focus on Europe’s top in-house lawyers with a specialisation in Latin American markets underscores the strategic importance of this region in the global business arena. Latin America, with its diverse economies, regulatory frameworks, and cultural nuances, presents unique challenges that demand specialised expertise.
The publication not only highlights the professional achievements of these lawyers but also serves as a platform for acknowledging their expertise in dealing with the intricacies of cross-border legal matters. Whether it’s managing mergers and acquisitions, navigating regulatory compliance, or addressing cultural considerations, these legal professionals play a crucial role in facilitating successful business operations between Europe and Latin America.
A key takeaway from our the exclusive content within the publication is that Latin America is a region with a rich and diverse cultural tapestry, and this diversity extends to the ways in which business is conducted across various countries. As brilliantly put by Enrique Rubio Ayala, senior regional manager at Telefónica, “Culture across Latin American countries is enormous. It is reflected in different the ways to work and different business tactics”. On this, Leandro Meneses, general counsel at Duro Felguera also states that “[t]he legal landscape in Latin America is very diverse, and each country has its own unique set of laws and regulations.” In all while it’s important to recognise that generalisations might not capture the nuances of each nation’s business culture, there are some common trends and characteristics that are often observed, essential to the way in-house lawyers conduct their operations in the region.
As businesses continue to expand globally, the need for legal expertise in navigating diverse legal systems and business environments becomes paramount. The GC Powerlist publication plays a crucial role in shedding light on the achievements of those at the forefront of this legal frontier, contributing to the broader dialogue on the intersection of European and Latin American legal practices.
There are many other relevant topics and challenges exclusively discussed in this publication, so we invite you to explore The GC Powerlist: Europe Latin America Specialists 2023 and discover the extraordinary stories of these exceptional individuals.
We would like to express our gratitude to all the in-house lawyers featured in this publication for their valuable contributions and for sharing their journeys with us. I am delighted to present to you this distinguished list of Europe’s most exceptional, diligent, and celebrated in-house lawyers with a focus on Latin American markets.
Francisco Faria e Castro | Lead researcher
Legal 500 returned to Bucharest to celebrate the launch of the GC Powerlist: Romania 2025, held in partnership with Țuca Zbârcea & Asociații. The event brought together leading in-house counsel from across the country for an evening recognising their work, leadership, and clear impact within their organisations.
The event opened with remarks from Stefan Damian, Deputy Managing Partner at Țuca Zbârcea & Asociații, who spoke about the ongoing development of the in-house legal role and its growing importance within companies.
This was followed by a keynote address from Gabriela Popescu, Corporate, External and Legal Affairs Lead for Central Europe and Interim General Manager at Microsoft, who spoke about the evolving role of the general counsel and the key factors that underpin a successful transition from a GC position to that of a general manager.
A reception followed, giving this year’s honourees the chance to connect with peers and exchange experiences.
We extend our thanks to Țuca Zbârcea & Asociații for supporting the recognition of Romania’s outstanding general counsel community, and congratulate all recognised general counsel on their achievements.