Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting? What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

A defining aspect of my career is that it has not been confined to traditional corporate and financial law. Over the years, I have deliberately stepped beyond my comfort zone to engage with diverse fields of knowledge and markedly different global realities.

On the one hand, I have built an extensive career as a corporate finance lawyer in private practice and as Deputy General Counsel at BBVA Peru. On the other hand, between 2011 and 2015, I worked with financial institutions focused on driving social impact by supporting sustainable businesses worldwide. This role gave me the opportunity to work on the ground in underprivileged regions across Latin America, Central America, and Africa. It was a formative experience, strengthening my resilience and enabling me to approach complex challenges from multiple perspectives.

I consider this background fundamental, as it connects directly with what I see as the most important attribute of a modern in-house counsel: deep empathy. Empathy is essential when working with diverse teams, navigating negotiations, and designing financial or commercial solutions with the end user in mind.

Closely linked to this is a second key attribute: a truly client-centric mindset. This goes far beyond the cliché of “putting ourselves in the client’s shoes”; it requires a strategic understanding of their specific context and priorities, placing their real interests at the centre of legal advice and decision-making.

More broadly, the role of an in-house legal team today extends well beyond strict regulatory compliance. We are continuously redefining our value proposition, striving to deliver not only legal certainty but also strategic insight, always under the highest ethical and quality standards — whether in designing complex products or structuring transactions.