LATAM legal counsel and GC of Mexico and Colombia | Trinasolar ISBU
Assistant general counsel Latam | IPG Mediabrands
Legal and compliance manager | Navistar Financial México
Corporate and labor affairs legal director | General Motors Mexico
Legal manager and head of data privacy Latam | L’Oréal America Latina
Legal associate, ESG manager and compliance officer | Capital Índigo
Senior legal manager of regulatory compliance and corporate affairs | Jaguar E&P
Senior legal manager | Kueski
Emmanuel Flores Ferrusco is a lawyer with 12+ years practicing corporate law. Over the last six years he has worked in the Legal & Compliance department at Kueski, one of...
Latam division compliance and commercial legal counsel | Colgate Palmolive
Senior legal and compliance counsel | Element Fleet Management Corporation México
Group legal counsel region Americas | DNV
Legal manager for Mexico Central America and Caribbean | Reckitt Benckiser Group
Senior legal manager – supply, contracts and litigations | Reckitt / Mead Johnson
Lead litigation and regulatory counsel for spanish speaking Latam | Meta
Director, legal counsel Latam | The Coca-Cola Company
Head of subcontractor contracts and IMSS | Gaya Sinergia Constructiva
Senior legal consultant | Element Fleet Management México
Director of transactional legal affairs | FINSA
Vice president associate general counsel | Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Legal business manager, north division, north and north-center regions | Banco del Bajío, Institución de Banca Múltiple
Legal manager and data protection officer | L´Oréal México
Senior legal counsel México and Central America and GEOS | Orbia Building & Infrastructure (Wavin)
Legal counsel México and Central America | Aptiv
Regulatory, real estate and GPSC Lead Counsel | General Motors México
Counsel, Latin America and the Caribbean, IP and innovation | Diageo
Senior manager corporate legal | American Tower México
Head of legal and compliance Mexico, Centroamerica | Innomotics
It has been a true honour to lead the research for the GC Powerlist Mexico: Rising Stars 2024, showcasing a group of exceptional young legal professionals whose talent, innovation, and ambition are shaping the future of the Mexican legal landscape. Throughout this process, we had the privilege of engaging with rising stars who are not only excelling in their legal careers but are also driving significant change within their industries.
What sets this group apart is their adaptability and willingness to embrace new challenges, whether they be in complex regulatory matters, digital transformation, or sustainability initiatives. These rising stars are tackling diverse projects that demonstrate both their legal acumen and their leadership in navigating fast-evolving business environments.
A recurring theme in this year’s research was the increasing role of sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. It is clear that these young legal professionals are taking proactive steps to embed these values into their companies’ strategic frameworks. Their work is not only ensuring compliance but also helping their organisations lead in areas that are now essential to long-term success.
Moreover, the digital revolution is another area where these rising stars are proving indispensable. Whether through the development of legal frameworks that foster innovation, or the navigation of new regulatory challenges posed by emerging technologies, these professionals are at the forefront of a legal transformation that promises to redefine industries across Mexico.
In the face of regulatory complexities and evolving business demands, the resilience and creativity displayed by this new generation of legal talent are truly remarkable. They are driving innovation and continuously adapting to the ever-changing legal landscape, offering fresh perspectives and solutions that are already leaving a lasting impact.
We are thrilled to highlight the remarkable achievements and contributions of these individuals in this 2024 edition of the GC Powerlist Mexico: Rising Stars. Their dedication, vision, and leadership are a testament to the bright future of the legal profession in Mexico. It has been a pleasure to connect with such an inspiring group, and we eagerly anticipate their continued success and influence in the years ahead.
Margherita Birri,
Lead Researcher: GC Powerlist Mexico Rising Stars 2024
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.’