Europe: Latin America Specialists 2024 – GC Powerlist
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Europe: Latin America Specialists 2024

Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel

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Agnes Csavlek

Senior legal counsel | Endava

Information technology

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Alberto Llompart

General counsel and chief legal officer | Iberostar Group

Hotel

Alejandra Sánchez Crespo

Corporate legal counsel | Satlink

Telecommunication services

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Alejandro Mejías

Legal Director, EMEA and Latin America | Netskope

Information technology

Alejandro Rincon Nieto

Chief legal officer | Almar Water Solutions

Energy and utilities

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Amy Alter

Senior vice president, general counsel, EMEA and LATAM | American Tower

Telecommunication services

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Ana Mascate

Head of legal, Mediterranean and Latin America | AXA Partners

Insurance

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Antonio Guillamón

Head of legal and secretary of the board | Sacyr

Industrials and real estate

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Arthur Ribeiro Vinau

Legal director, Americas | Heineken

Food

Azhanty Desiree Jheman Martinez

Senior legal counsel, EU and LATAM | Eiffage Energía Sistemas

Industrials and real estate

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Belen Dominguez Domech

Head of global legal deparment | Minsait

Information technology

Borja Rodriguez Garcia

Legal advisory corporate director | Grupo Azvi

Industrials and real estate

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Carlos López Martín de Blas

Global head of legal and secretary general | Secuoya Content Group

Sports and media

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Carmen Mera Fuentes

Commercial attorney, EMEA and Latin America | Instructure

Information technology

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Christina Marakas

Assistant general counsel | Vyaire Medical

Healthcare

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Chus Coco Fernández

Senior legal counsel | CSI Leasing Europe

Financials

Cristina Pinedo Sendagorta

Legal counsel | OHLA Group

Industrials and real estate

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David Bürger

Corporate legal manager | GAM Maquinaria

Industrials and real estate

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David Damián López

Senior legal counsel | Vestas

Energy and utilities

Dmitry Alekseev

Head of legal, LATAM | Havas

Sports and media

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Dolores Lojo

General counsel, Iberoamerica | Securitas Seguridad España

Commercial and professional services

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Doris Martinell

General counsel, international | Teladoc Health

Healthcare

Eduardo Coutinho

Group general counsel | Viridien

Information technology

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Eduardo De Cos Gracia

Head of legal, Europe and Latin America | Risen Energy

Energy and utilities

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Eduardo Ruiz Montoya

Vice president and deputy general counsel, international legal (EMEA, APJ, LATAM) | Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Information technology

Eduardo Tunchel

Senior legal manager | Genesis Global

Financials

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Elena Herrero

Legal director, Latin America | Ormazabal

Consumer products

Enrique Rubio Ayala

Senior regional legal manager, Brasil, HispAm and global projects | Telefónica

Telecommunication services

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Enrique Sánchez Fernández

General counsel | Avanza

Transport and infrastructure

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Eric Stein

Vice president, legal | Palo Alto Networks

Information technology

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Erick Gómez Roy

Senior legal director Europe, Turkey and Africa, CIS and LATAM | Oriflame Cosmetics

Consumer products

Estefania Lopez del Tio

Senior director of legal department, Iberia and LATAM | Tenerity & Webloyalty Group

Commercial and professional services

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Eva Olano Kälin

Head of legal, new markets | Cintra

Industrials and real estate

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Fabiana Muzi

Head of legal and company secretary | PetrolValves

Energy and utilities

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Federico Steegmann Zaforteza

Executive director, legal, for Latin America and global retail | Johnson Controls

Industrials and real estate

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Francisco Manrique

Associate general counsel | Insud Pharma

Healthcare

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Ilka Buehler

Vice president and general counsel international, EMEAI, APAC and LATAM | Olin

Materials and mining

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Ingrid Abigail Obregón Garín

Head of legal and compliance | Healthanea by AXA

Healthcare

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Jan-Willem Gerooms

General counsel | Ontex

Consumer products

Javier Folguera

General counsel and secretary of the board of directors | Hispasat

Telecommunication services

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Javier Telleria

Legal counsel | Acciona

Energy and utilities

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Javier Usero Fernández

Legal director, Spain and LATAM | INTELCIA

Commercial and professional services

Joan Gutiérrez Calvo

Senior lega counsel and compliance manager, Spain and LATAM | YouHodler

Financials

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Jonathan Gaw

Senior director, associate general counsel, head of legal EMEA and LATAM | Adobe

Information technology

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Jose Aizpurua

Legal director, distribution LATAM | Warner Bros. Discovery

Sports and media

José María Balboa

General counsel, Spain and LATAM | Inetum

Information technology

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José Mariano Rivas Ruiz

Head of legal services | Grupo Puentes

Industrials and real estate

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Juan Blanco Dávila

General counsel, international | Ferrero

Consumer products

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Juan Stembert Segura

Legal director | Grupo Aldesa

Industrials and real estate

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Juan Vales

Legal director and company secretary | Mapfre

Insurance

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Julián David Padilla Vivas

Business director | Reckitt

Consumer products

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Julio Acinas Villanueva

Chief legal officer, Spain and LATAM | SAUR

Industrials and real estate

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Karina Becerra

Legal director | Nordex Group

Energy and utilities

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Katharina Reus

General counsel, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa | Mundipharma

Healthcare

Katia Bennadji

International legal counsel, commodity trading and compliance officer, MENA and LATAM | Snetor

Industrials and real estate

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Laura Aymerich Corominas

General counsel, EMEA and LATAM | Spencer Stuart

Commercial and professional services

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Luis Elias

General counsel and head of corporate services | Grupo Planeta

Sports and media

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Margarita Mínguez

General counsel, international | Veepee Group

Information technology

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María del Carmen Salgado Troya

Senior legal counsel, LATAM | Nestlé

Food

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María Martín Hernández

Head of legal department | UST

Information technology

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Maria Suarez

Head of legal and compliance, Iberia and Latin America | Seres

Information technology

Martina Hoyos

Legal director, Iberia, LATAM and Africa | Cegid

Information technology

Miguel Escalona de Molina

General counsel and company secretary, Europe and LATAM | Sanitas

Healthcare

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Miguel Hernández Barrios

Senior legal manager, Latin America | Repsol

Energy and utilities

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Neil Curtis

Group general counsel | Séché Environnement

Energy and utilities

Nieves Polanco

Project finance legal counsel | Sacyr

Industrials and real estate

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Nina Cronstedt

Chief legal officer | Verisure

Commercial and professional services

Ondřej Ležatka

Group legal counsel | Urban Developers and Investors

Industrials and real estate

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Pablo M. Pozuelo de Felipe

Head of legal | Grupo Rover

Industrials and real estate

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Pablo Martin-Pliego Lopez

Chief legal officer | Capital Energy Group

Energy and utilities

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Pablo Olivera Masso

General counsel | Aleatica

Transport and infrastructure

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Patrícia Borges

General counsel, Latin America | McDonald's

Food

Patricia Mancebo García

Legal counsel, EMEA and LATAM | Veritas Intercontinental

Healthcare

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Patrick Bergot

General counsel, EMEA and LATAM | Hays

Commercial and professional services

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Pepe Rangel

Head of legal, Europe and LATAM | Jinko Power Technology

Energy and utilities

Rafael Lorenzo Maseda

Legal head of CM&E global business | Merck

Healthcare

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Ramón Almoguera de Asís

Regional legal counsel, Iberia and LATAM | Howden

Insurance

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Richard Hamilton

Deputy general counsel | Stryker

Healthcare

Roberta Cordeiro

General counsel for LATAM and Portugal | Capgemini

Information technology

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Roberta Salvador dos Santos

Legal director for market development | L'Oréal

Consumer products

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Rosa Rodriguez Rico

General counsel, Iberia, Italy and LATAM | Securitas Direct by Verisure

Commercial and professional services

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Rubén Delgado Corral

Lead legal counsel, M&A and corporate | NTT Data Europe & LATAM

Information technology

Santiago González Pérez

Director and legal counsel | American Express

Financials

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Santiago Martínez Garrido

General counsel and company secretary | Iberdrola

Energy and utilities

Sebastián Chames

Executive vice president and general counsel | Paramount

Sports and media

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Sebastián Maggio

Head of legal, LATAM | Puma Energy

Energy and utilities

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Sergio Hormigos

Legal director, Latin America and USA | Globalvia

Transport and infrastructure

Sergio Salluh

Head of legal, procurement global contrats and tenders | Enel

Energy and utilities

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Sofia Idehn

Legal director, EMEA and LATAM | Tarkett

Industrials and real estate

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Stefano Rosati

Vice president, chief counsel, EMEAR and LATAM | Element Solutions

Materials and mining

Susana d’Almeida Farinhas

Manager commercial legal, EMEA and LATAM | OutSystems

Information technology

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Thibaut Gregoire

Executive vice president, general counsel international markets | MasterCard

Information technology

Timo Matthias Spitzer

Head of legal SCIB - Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Nordic Countries | Banco Santander

Financials

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Tobias Reiter

Senior legal counsel, data protection officer, EMEA and LATAM | Pure Storage

Information technology

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Vanessa David

Head of legal | Sagemcom

Telecommunication services

Victor Amado

Regional general counsel, Spain and LATAM | SoftwareONE

Information technology

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Victor Buqueras

Legal manager, Latin America | Menarini España

Healthcare

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Vincent Pringiers

General counsel | Maxion Wheels

Consumer products

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Virginia Beltramini

Legal director | Cepsa

Industrials and real estate

Yana Yankova

Associate general counsel, LATAM and APAC | Bandwidth

Information technology

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Zahorí Martínez Calva

General counsel | Siemens Mobility Spain

Transport and infrastructure

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Building on the success of last year’s inaugural edition, The Legal 500 is proud to present the second edition of the GC Powerlist: Europe Latin America Specialists, a special issue of the series 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, in-house lawyers play an increasingly crucial role in navigating the complexities of international business. This edition’s focus on Europe’s top legal professionals specialised in Latin American markets reflects the strategic importance of the region on the global stage. Latin America – with its diverse economies, regulatory frameworks, and cultural nuances – demands a nuanced skill set that only the most dedicated experts can provide. Each country within the region operates under its own set of economic conditions, legal systems, and regulatory standards, often requiring legal experts to be agile and well-versed in a variety of local laws and practices. The frequent shifts in regulatory landscapes, combined with rapid economic development and socio-political dynamics, mean that legal professionals must not only stay informed about ongoing changes but also anticipate potential shifts that could impact business operations.

This publication goes beyond listing professional accomplishments, as it offers a platform to acknowledge the unique expertise required to manage cross-border legal matters. From overseeing mergers and acquisitions to ensuring regulatory compliance and bridging cultural differences, these in-house lawyers are essential to successful business operations between Europe and Latin America.

As global business expands, the need for skilled legal professionals who can navigate diverse legal systems and business environments becomes indispensable. This special edition of the GC Powerlist celebrates those at the forefront of this legal frontier, adding to the wider dialogue on the intersections of European and Latin American legal practices.

We invite you to explore the GC Powerlist: Europe Latin America Specialists 2024 and discover the extraordinary stories of these outstanding individuals. We extend our deepest gratitude to all the in-house lawyers featured in this publication for their invaluable contributions and for sharing their journeys with us. It is my pleasure to present this distinguished list of Europe’s most dedicated, insightful, and celebrated in-house lawyers focused on Latin America markets.

 

Francisco Faria e Castro | Research Editor | GC Powerlist series

GC Powerlist: East Africa 2025

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 ENS Rwanda), Rachel Musoke, Nigel Shaw (head of ENS Kenya), Donald Nyakairu (Partner, ENS Uganda), Dieudonne Nzafashwanayo (partner, ENS Rwanda) and Binti Shah (Partner, ENS 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.

And now, let’s gather and celebrate this milestone. And while we’re at it I plead with you to stay away from your phones …you might just spot a message that says, “please quickly review this and we can discuss your views in the morning?”