Key team members:

António Cunha Reis, General Counsel

Ana Duarte Ferreira, Senior Legal Counsel, Corporate & Regulatory

Maria Toscano Martins, Senior Legal Counsel, Contracts & International Operations)

Team size: Eleven

Jurisdictions your role covers: Portugal, Mozambique, Spain and the United Kingdom

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

Over the past year, The Navigator Company’s Legal Department has been deeply engaged in several strategic initiatives that reflect the company’s ongoing transformation and commitment to sustainable growth.

The team played a pivotal role in supporting international expansion efforts, ensuring the legal robustness of complex transactions and partnerships aimed at consolidating Navigator’s presence in the tissue segment. These endeavors involved cross-border coordination and the navigation of intricate regulatory landscapes, demonstrating the team’s capacity to align legal frameworks with ambitious business objectives.

In the context of industrial innovation and operational enhancement, the legal team provided full-spectrum legal support to major investment projects, such as the upgrade of core infrastructure at the Setúbal mill and the launch of a new molded pulp unit in Aveiro. These projects required integrated legal oversight — from early-stage planning and contract negotiation to regulatory compliance — ensuring timely execution and alignment with environmental and industrial standards.

On the labour relations front, the department successfully led negotiations across multiple jurisdictions, reinforcing stable industrial relations and contributing to a collaborative internal climate. This included navigating complex social dynamics while securing agreements that uphold both the company’s operational needs and its long-term people strategy.

What factors influence your team’s decision to use external legal services?

External legal counsel is retained selectively and strategically. The decision to outsource legal work is based on: the need for highly specialised legal expertise not available in-house (e.g., environmental law, energy, intellectual property); jurisdiction-specific requirements where local legal representation is essential; and, high-impact litigation and arbitration matters.

The selection is based on the relevance of team experience, technical merit of the proposal, and overall cost-effectiveness. This ensures transparency, quality, and value for money in all outsourced legal engagements.

How does your team contribute to the company’s overall business strategy?

The Legal Department is fully embedded in Navigator’s strategic decision-making process, ensuring that legal foresight and risk management are integral to the company’s growth and governance model.

One recent initiative led by the legal team involves an internal training programme for operational units. Designed to elevate legal awareness and autonomy across the company, these sessions cover practical subjects such as contract drafting, labour obligations, and forest management. This initiative strengthens the company’s legal culture and supports faster, more informed decision-making in day-to-day operations.

What are some of the biggest legal or regulatory challenges currently facing your industry, and how is your team preparing to address them?

The pulp and paper industry are undergoing intense regulatory transformation, particularly due to EU initiatives related to sustainability, carbon border adjustments (CBAM), circular economy (PPWR), and food contact materials (FCM).

In response, Navigator’s legal team has partnered with operational and compliance units to establish multidisciplinary task forces. These teams are responsible for anticipating changes, designing adaptation roadmaps, and delivering practical guidance. Legal is directly involved in the design and implementation of these responses, ensuring that Navigator remains compliant while proactively embracing regulatory-driven innovation.