Paraguay 2025 – GC Powerlist
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Paraguay 2025

Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel

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  • Industries

  • Powerlist

Adriana Ocampos Villate

Legal Business Partner Soybean ConoSur and CropScience Business Paraguay | Bayer

Healthcare

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Adriana Ramos Amarilla

Directora General de Asesoria Juridica | MITIC Paraguay

Public sector

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Alberto J. Andrada Argaña

Gerente de Servicios Juridicos y Secretaria General | Banco GNB Paraguay

Financials

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Alice Ferreira Fretes

General legal counsel | Equifax

Financials

Ana Elizabeth Garrido González

In-house lawyer | Constructora Heisecke

Industrials and real estate

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Ana Mariel Molas Céspedes

Coordinadora de Asuntos Legales y Compliance | Yguazú Cementos

Materials and mining

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Anibal Gomez De La Fuente

Director Jurídico | Frigorífico Concepción

Food

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Arce López Carlos José

Director de asuntos juridicos | PETROPAR

Energy & Utilities

Bruno Lafarja

Asesor legal - Jefe del departamento de Legales | Raízen Paraguay

Energy & Utilities

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Carlos Cazaña Portella

Head of legal affairs | Enex Paraguay

Energy & Utilties

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Cecilia Aguilera

Asesora Jurídica | Banco Río

Financials

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Cesar Alejandro Loza

Jefe de legales | Konecta

Commercial and professional services

Claudia Vanessa Cáceres Careaga

Legal Manager | Cervepar

Food

Diego José Rolón Barrail

Abogado Corporativo - Senior | Telecel (Tigo)

Telecommunication services

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Diego Sebastián Valiente Torales

In-house counsel | Grupo Hoeckle

Materials and mining

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Dilma Mabel Vallejos Coronel

Legal Coordinator | Hidrovías do Brasil

Industrials and real estate

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Emilia Paulina Lagun Mesquita

Head of Legal & Compliance | Banco Itaú Paraguay

Financials

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Esmilce Romina Estigarribia Larrea

Head de Jurídico & Compliance | Itaú Paraguay

Financials

Esmilce Romina Estigarribia Larrea, Head of Legal & Compliance – Itaú Seguros Paraguay, is currently responsible for the legal department, regulatory compliance, and corporate policies. With a strong academic and...

Ezequiel Gill Robbiani

Legal Manager Paraguay/Uruguay | ADM

Food

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Francisco Arturo

Senior Legal Counsel - Regional Director | Tetra Pak

Food

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Gabriel Ibghy

General counsel | Hive Digital Technologies

Information technology

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Gonzalo Garcia de Zuñiga Olmedo

Director General de Asesoria Juridica | SENABICO

Public sector

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Gonzalo Rovira

Director Of Intellectual Property and Licensing | Bayer

Healthcare

Graciela Isabel Benítez Álvarez

Senior Lawyer | SODRU Paraguay and SARCOM

Food

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Grecia Ornella Centurion Ferreira

Corporate Lawyer-head of legal | Terminal Occidental

Industrials and real estate

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Humberto Osnaghi

Asesor jurídico | Tecnoedil

Industrials and real estate

Inés Cáceres

Compliance Manager | Cervepar

Commercial and professional services

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Iván Andrada

In-house Legal Advisor | Bolsa de Valores de Asunción

Financials

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Iván Mauricio Filártiga Cantero

Advisor to the Presidency at PETROPAR | Petróleos Paraguayos (PETROPAR)

Energy & Utilities

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Jacques Martín Parra Fuentes

Legal Advisor | Sudameris Securities Casa de Bolsa y Sudameris Asset Management

Financials

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Jezabel Pando

Gerente de Legales | Cadiem

Financials

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Juan Da Silva Bernal

Head de Jurídico & Compliance | Itaú Asset Management

Financials

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Juan Guiñazú

Legal affairs manager | Ocho A

Transport and infrastructure

Julieta Carron De Gásperi

Legal and Compliance Analyst | Farmacenter Paraguay

Consumer products

Karina Piñeiro

In-house counsel | Unilever

Consumer products

With twenty years of experience, Karina Piñeiro began her career within the Law Firm BKM, BERKEMEYER in the world of Intellectual Property, providing support to both local and international clients...

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Leticia Escauriza

Asesor legal superior | Grupo MAO

Industrials and real estate

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Lucila Preite

Director, Legal & Compliance, South Cone | Beiersdorf

Consumer products

Luis Marcio Torales Oviedo

Gerente de Legales y Cumplimiento Corporativo | Casa Boller

Healthcare

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Macarena Duarte

Jefa de Asuntos Legales | TOCSA

Transport and infrastructure

Macarena Duarte is a lawyer and notary with over ten years of experience in the public and private sectors. She specializes in administrative law, public procurement, and infrastructure—an area where...

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Marcela Agustina Santos

Regional legal, compliance, governance and business partner | Noventiq

Information technology

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María Alejandra Benítez Dietrich

Senior Legal Manager CAS (Central, Andean and South American) Region | American Tower

Industrials and real estate

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Industrials and real estate

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María Claudia Fernández Serrudo

Responsable Juridico | MAPFRE

Financials

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Maria Fernanda Molina

Senior legal manager | Pfizer

Healthcare

Maria Ines Gomez Jimenez

Senior legal counsel | PedidosYa (Delivery Hero Paraguay)

Information technology

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Maria Sol Palacios

Senior Legal Manager | Kenvue

Consumer products

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Mario Ardissone

Director de Asuntos Legales y Marco Regulatorio | Telecom Personal

Telecommunication services

Mario Manuel Arrúa León

Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, LATAM | Equifax

Financials

Mario is a highly accomplished legal professional specialising in international regulatory issues, with a strong focus on data transfer, technology, financial inclusion, and innovation. He currently leads the Legal and...

Maylen Costa La Hoz

Head of Trademark Department | COPALSA

Food

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Miguel Ángel Almada Frutos

Chief legal director | Grupo Vázquez

Industrials and real estate

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Nicolás Alberto Acha Mendoza

Gerente de Asuntos Legales | Tigo (Millicom Paraguay)

Telecommunication services

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Oscar Andrés Alejandro Maximiliano Rotela Fisch

Legal and Documentation Manager | ZUBA

Industrials and real estate

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Pamela Dahiana Lezcano Sachelaridi

Legal counsel | AMX Paraguay (Claro)

Telecommunication services

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Paola Raquel Sapienza Urbieta

Director of legal operations | Torrecom Partners

Telecommunication services

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Patricia Raquel Figueroa Noguera

Junior Corporate Lawyer | Grupo Hoeckle

Materials and mining

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Rubén Darío Fernández Jara

Senior Lawyer | LHG Navegación

Materials and mining

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Sebastián Irún Croskey

Head of legal | Grupo Alkan

Transport and infrastructure

Sofía Margarita Suárez

Gerente de Legales | Sacyr Concesiones Paraguay

Transport and infrastructure

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Susana Christensen

Abogada In-house | Baxter

Healthcare

Tamara Cañete Chadra 

Legal Manager- South Cone | Akzo Nobel Argentina

Consumer products

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Tamara Maria Serrati Benza

Abogada Senior | Cargill Agropecuaria

Food

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Tanya Elizabeth Palacios Bolla

Abogado sénior | Civis Soluciones Inmobiliarias

Industrials and real estate

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Vandi Mikael Zacarin

Legal counsel - Latam | Corteva Agriscience

Food

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Veronica Escobar Rey

Head of Legal & Corporate Affairs for Paraguay. | BAT

Food

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The GC Powerlist Paraguay 2025 marks a significant milestone as the inaugural edition dedicated exclusively to Paraguay. This edition celebrates the achievements of the country’s most influential and forward-thinking in-house counsel. Although this may be one of the more smaller editions in the GC Powerlist series, it carries the same weight and intent: to spotlight and recognise outstanding legal talent, wherever it may be found.

For this edition, The Legal 500 engaged in extensive interviews with senior legal professionals working across an array of sectors. From multinational giants such as American Tower, BAT, MAPFRE, and Baxter, to distinguished national enterprises like PETROPAR, SENABICO, and Yguazú Cementos, the legal leaders we spoke to are not only safeguarding the interests of their organisations but also actively shaping the evolving legal and regulatory landscapes in Paraguay.

One prevailing theme among contributors was the measured yet impactful transformation underway across industries, particularly within the telecommunications sector, where legal departments are increasingly involved in strategic, cross-border initiatives. Equally noteworthy was the influence of artificial intelligence (AI), with many general counsel citing its role in redefining workflows, risk management, and operational efficiency within their teams.

Throughout our research, a clear consensus emerged: being an effective legal adviser in Paraguay today requires much more than technical legal expertise. General counsel are expected to function as strategic business partners, individuals who are relatable, trustworthy, and capable of bridging the gap between legal complexities and commercial realities. Their ability to communicate across diverse teams and functions has become a defining trait of their value to the business.

We extend our warmest congratulations to all the individuals featured in this year’s list. We look forward to returning to Paraguay for future editions and continuing to document the remarkable growth of this legal community.

GC Powerlist Japan 2025

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.’