What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past twelve months?

I have been deeply involved in the regulation of lead in paints in Peru. Representing the private sector, I collaborated with the government to establish a functional regulatory framework aimed at eliminating lead pigments, which are known to cause significant cognitive impairments. Before this law, the societal impact of lead exposure translated into an estimated cost of $USD10 bn. in Peru alone.

Through our leadership in the Sustainability and Chemicals committees of the country’s leading industry association, we also successfully advocated for critical modifications to the draft regulation, ensuring the removal of extreme provisions that were technically or commercially unfeasible.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

The modern in-house counsel is no longer merely a ‘legal gatekeeper’, but a strategic influencer whose value lies precisely where AI falls short: in the nuances of human behaviour and the delicate art of consensus. While AI can process data at speed, it cannot detect the subtle shifts in a meeting’s atmosphere — the defensive posture of an operations manager or the unvoiced concerns of a board member. These non-verbal cues are often where the true risks and opportunities lie.

To influence effectively, counsel must master the art of listening to what is not being said, using empathy and connection to reconcile opposing views and find common ground that a machine would simply overlook. Furthermore, a strategic influencer must be multilingual in the corporate sense, possessing the clarity to translate rigid legal constraints into the ROI- and market-driven language of the commercial team. By bridging these distinct stakeholder perspectives, the legal leader transforms from a hurdle into a strategic architect of the company’s success.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

I am committed to establishing a robust national recycling framework in Peru. In my current role as Head of Legal, I serve on the Sustainability Committee of the country’s leading industry association. My objective is to bridge the gap between private sector interests and public environmental policy to create a sustainable, scalable recycling infrastructure.

In 2023, I was part of the team that led the implementation of packaging recycling regulations in Chile. This project required coordination with diverse stakeholders to ensure companies assumed full responsibility for their product life cycles. By 2024, these efforts had contributed to the recycling of 1.5 million tonnes of packaging.