Juan Verdú Lázaro is a highly qualified Spanish legal counsel with over 22 years of experience gained primarily in listed Spanish and Swiss multinational companies. Known for his ability to adapt to rapidly changing environments in various industry sectors, as well as for his exceptional communications skill and hands-on approach to legal management, Verdú has been extremely important during his three-year tenure as a general counsel, compliance officer and board secretary at LaFargeHolcim Spain Group.

Besides implementing a number of operational improvements, which have resulted in a value generation of the department exceeding €10m, Verdú has contributed to the closure of important M&A deals. The former includes the implementation of a strict cost discipline culture in legal expenses, the internationalisation of legal work in the team and a boost to compliance awareness at local level. Examples of significant corporate transactions completed by Verdú in the past three years include the divestment of the aggregate division of LaFargeHolcim through two distinct transactions, involving 20 quarries, acquisitions of controlling stakes in two cement distributing businesses in Gerona and the acquisition of a controlling stake in a cement grinding station on the Mediterranean Coast. Other achievements during Verdú’s period at LaFargeHolcim related to his work on litigations, antitrust, compliance, corporate and contract law.

Prior to the 2015 merger of Lafarge and Holcim, Verdú served in an analogous position at Holcim España for nine years. Before that, he spent a considerable amount of time serving in legal position at various subsidiaries of Nefinsa Group. His first in-house leadership role was with the Spanish cement manufacturer Mavike, where he served as head of legal between 1996 and 2000.