What are the most significant cases and transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

A total restructuring of the company due to a failed sale, and renegotiations of all real estate and suppliers’ contracts due to the pandemic. We have also seen the return to classes on site with students among many protocols, after two years of closure.

How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?

I worked under a hybrid model before 2020 for many years, due to my constant trips and responsibilities within the Andean region, but I recognise that we have shrunk the office space considerably as we rely more on virtual meetings.

What are some of the key developments – legal, geopolitical or otherwise – that have affected your business over the past year?

Regulatory and political positions have always affected the education industry, but we experienced an exceptional rebound in 2021 for enrolments.  Another current challenge now is getting adapted to new ways of doing business and a gradual return to the office. Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most? I have always felt that it is better to be paperless in the legal department, and so we have made advancements in contract management, but the country and legal requirements of a civil law country do not help.  The pandemic created a needed change in the government and we are advancing towards those trends.