Operating in eleven countries, Cimpor is Portugal’s largest cement group. Ana Paula Reis joined the company in 2004 and has been responsible for legal affairs ever since. Explaining her role, she said the following: ‘As legal director of Cimpor I am responsible for coordinating the legal activity of companies based in Portugal and Cape Verde. I coordinate and supervise the legal activity in the business units located in Africa (Egypt, Mozambique and South Africa) and I focus on the growth strategy of the group through, inter alia, the creation of corporate structures and partnerships in new markets.

I also assure the management of intellectual property rights and I am responsible for [legal aspects of] the international trading activity (trading /shipping and purchasing) carried out by the group’s trading company’. Being able to speak Portuguese, English, French and Spanish show Reis’s talent and intelligence, but also allows hers to cover the wide geographical remit she oversees effortlessly. Nominators speak glowingly of her with one saying, ‘[she] is very experienced in competition law, compliance, trade and litigation’, adding that, ‘she has a track record in dealing with and coordinating general business and litigation globally (Europe, North America, Africa and Asia)’. Highlighting the constant need to streamline issues before different management structures, cultures, regimes and operational needs as an enjoyable feature of her role, Reis demonstrates that in-house lawyers require a positive outlook towards challenges in order to rise to the top of their field. She has also been commended for implementing several tools considered essential for the management of legal activity at Cimpor.

She graduated in law from the University of Lisbon in 1990 and also has post graduate qualifications in financial management, regulations in the port sector as well as management and leadership.