Team size: 28

Major legal advisors: In Portugal, Morais Leitão and Linklaters

Jurisdictions your role covers: Europe (Portugal, Spain, France, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Hungary and several other Central-European jurisdictions), Africa (Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde), Asia (Macao) and Americas (U.S.A., Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and Chile), among others

How do you manage and coordinate legal responsibilities across multiple jurisdictions from a Portugal‑based role, and what are the main challenges this presents in practice? 

Managing legal responsibilities across four continents and around 20 jurisdictions from Portugal demands a very organised yet agile approach. One of the main challenges is effective time zone coordination. Portugal’s location is particularly advantageous: mornings allow live communication with colleagues and partners in eastern jurisdictions, while afternoons and evenings are optimal for engaging with those in the Americas. This flexibility helps maintain momentum across global projects, but it also requires a careful management of time differences to avoid operational bottlenecks in urgent matters. 

Another key challenge is cultural adaptation. Each jurisdiction has distinct legal frameworks, business practices, and communication styles. Navigating these differences is key for building trust and ensuring seamless operations. Understanding local customs and legal nuances, which is achieved through close collaboration with local experts and counsel, is the basis of a successful management of complex legal issues. Selecting the right partners in each country is crucial, as their insights help bridge gaps in knowledge and facilitate smoother transactions. 

Is there a recent regulatory or legislative change in Portugal or at EU level that has had a broader impact across your international remit? How has your legal team responded? 

Two recent changes with genuinely cross-border impact have been on one side the EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and on the other side the AI Act. The first one, introduced a harmonised operational resilience framework for financial entities, including insurers, covering ICT risk management, incident reporting, resilience testing and (critically for a multinational group) an enhanced monitorisation of ICT third‑party risk. The second one, is well known for regulating the AI. 

More broadly, the legislative and regulatory environment for insurance companies is continuously evolving, alongside the wider compliance framework (including AML/CTF and governance guidelines). That reality means legal teams cannot operate in a segregated manner: we do work as an integrated “change engine” with IT, security, procurement, risk, compliance and the business to implement requirements quickly and embed best practices.

In what ways does your legal function contribute to international business strategy, transformation or growth, beyond traditional compliance or risk mitigation? 

Our legal team integrates seamlessly with business teams across all projects, beginning at the earliest stages of project conception and structuring, continuing through implementation, and supporting day-to-day operations thereafter. We maintain true global coverage, advising our business units in every jurisdiction where we operate. Where necessary, we partner with carefully selected local counsel, ensuring that our advice is both comprehensive and tailored to the specific legal frameworks and commercial realities of each country. 

Coordinating the legal functions across multiple jurisdictions from Portugal, as mentioned above, requires a blend of organisational discipline and adaptability. We work closely with business teams and senior management to anticipate legal risks and proactively address them, embedding ourselves in each project team so that legal considerations are factored into every key decision. Our team’s international mindset enables us to identify and mitigate cross-border risks, ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations while supporting business and commercial objectives. 

One of our main strengths is our ability to find creative solutions that support the success of business initiatives, even in face of complex or new legal challenges. By fostering open lines of communication and building trust with both internal stakeholders and external partners, we create a collaborative environment where legal advice is perceived as a business enabler, not an obstacle. Our approach is both pragmatic and innovative, and we are committed to helping the organisation navigate legal complexities and seize new opportunities worldwide. 

Ultimately, our role is to ensure that legal risks are managed effectively and efficiently, facilitating the smooth execution of projects and contributing to their long-term success.