Regulatory counsel | Uber Mexico
Valery Tapia
Regulatory counsel | Uber Mexico
How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?
In times of regulatory change or operational uncertainty, my approach is to anticipate risk and clearly communicate my point of view to the rest of the teams, while enabling the business to move forward with clarity and confidence. Throughout 2025, my work has been heavily focused on navigating the Future of Work (FoW) labour reform in Mexico – a complex legal and operational challenge for Uber.
This period of uncertainty reinforced the importance of early alignment and a collaborative, cross-functional approach to ensure business continuity. One of Uber’s core values, #OneUber, has been especially relevant in this context. It underscores the importance of collective commitment even when the chosen path may not align with every individual’s first preference.
While it’s important to foster open dialogue and encourage diverse viewpoints, once a decision is made, success depends on everyone rallying behind it and moving forward together. This mindset has been critical in driving progress on FoW and delivering outcomes that support both compliance and operational resilience.
What are the major cases or transactions you have been involved in recently?
I led the legal strategy for drafting the Algorithm Policies for both the Delivery and Mobility Lines of Business, ensuring compliance with newly enacted labour regulations while maintaining operational viability and safeguarding Uber’s intellectual property. This work required close cross-functional collaboration with Tax, Data Privacy, CommOps, Operations, and Ethics & Compliance teams. Together, we aligned on a policy framework that meets evolving regulatory expectations while preserving the integrity of Uber’s platform model. These policies were the first of their kind at Uber, and I’m proud to have played a key role in their development. They now serve as a foundational reference for similar regulatory initiatives in the future.
Beyond policy drafting, I played a lead role in the incorporation of two new legal entities that will support the administration of labor relationships. This required detailed legal analysis, close work with external counsel and a notary public, and careful drafting of bylaws to define corporate purpose. I was also involved in the end-to-end setup process, including Tax ID registration, KYC, and bank onboarding.
These initiatives strengthen Uber’s long-term compliance posture in Mexico, supporting the business through a period of legal uncertainty and ensuring resilience as the regulatory landscape evolves.
How do you prioritise diversity and inclusion within your legal department, and what initiatives have you implemented to foster a more inclusive and equitable work environment?
Diversity and inclusion are deeply embedded in the way our legal team operates. I’m proud to be part of a team predominantly led by women, where women not only contribute meaningfully, but also hold key decision-making roles. This representation at the leadership level sends a strong signal about the value we place on equity and inclusion.
Under the leadership of my manager, Sandra Monroy, we are consistently empowered to take ownership and accountability for the matters we lead. This culture of trust fosters a strong sense of belonging and encourages each team member to bring their full self to work.
Our team environment is collaborative and supportive; we focus on building each other up, leveraging our individual strengths, and helping one another grow in areas of opportunity. This not only enhances team performance, but also creates a space where diverse perspectives are genuinely valued and heard.
While formal D&I initiatives are important, I believe it’s the daily practices like inclusive leadership, shared ownership, and mutual respect that truly shape an equitable work environment. I’m proud to contribute to and help uphold that culture within our legal team.