Partner | Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Number of years practice: 11 Law school attended: George Washington University, University of Pennsylvania Law School Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Banking, Bankruptcy, Capital Markets, M&A, Project...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Clifford Chance
Number of years practice: 33 Law school attended: Cornell Law School Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Bank Finance, Capital Markets Admissions: New York Alejandro Camacho has been...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Number of years practice: 15 Law school attended: Universidad Iberoamericana, Northwestern University School of Law (Fulbright Scholar) Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Banking, Corporate Finance Admissions: Mexico, New...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Shearman & Sterling
Number of years practice: 21 Law school attended: Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (LLB), New York University School of Law Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Cross-border Finance,...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy
Number of years practice: 26 Law school attended: University of California, Berkeley Law School Languages spoken: English, French (conversational), German (conversational), Spanish (conversational) Principal practice areas: Project Finance and Development...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner (Energy and Natural Resources) and Chairman Mexico Desk | Squire Patton Boggs
Number of years practice: 21 Law school attended: Georgetown University Law Center Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Compliance, Cross-border M&A, Global Project Development Admissions: District of Columbia,...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Sidley Austin
Number of years practice: 23 Law school attended: Harvard College (BA), College of Europe, Diploma of Advanced European Studies, University of Michigan (JD) Languages spoken: English, French and Spanish Principal...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Number of years practice: 14 Law school attended: Yale College, University of Pennsylvania Law School Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Corporate, Cross-border Finance, Private Equity Admissions: New...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Regional Managing Partner | Shearman & Sterling
Number of years practice: 28 Law school attended: Yale University, New York University School of Law Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Capital Markets, Corporate Governance, Structured Finance...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner and Latin America Practice Global Co-chair | Latham & Watkins
Number of years practice: 22 Law school attended: New York University School of Law Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Corporate, Banking and Finance, Energy, M&A, Projects Admissions:...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Counsel | Debevoise & Plimpton
Number of years practice: 15 Law school attended: Escuela Libre de Derecho (Mexico City, Mexico), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven – Faculty of Laws (Leuven, Belgium), Columbia Law School (New York, USA)...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Paul Hastings
Number of years practice: 20 Law school attended: Harvard Law School Languages spoken: English, Italian and Spanish Principal practice areas: Capital Markets, Corporate Finance, M&A Admissions: New York Undertaking –...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Paul Hastings
Number of years practice: 32 Law school attended: Columbia Law School Languages spoken: English, French, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: Corporate, M&A, Project Development and Finance Admissions: New York...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Jones Day
Number of years practice: 22 Law school attended: University of Virgina Languages spoken: English, French and Russian Principal practice areas: Capital Markets Admissions: New York Boris Dolgonos has worked as...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Vinson & Elkins
Number of years practice: 32 Law school attended: Georgetown University Law School Languages spoken: English Principal practice areas: Energy Transactions and Projects Admissions: California, District of Columbia, New York, Texas...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner, Head of Latin American Practice Group | Proskauer Rose
Number of years practice: 30 Law school attended: State University of New York, Harvard Law School Languages spoken: English, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: Corporate Finance, M&A Admissions: New...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy
Number of years practice: 18 Law school attended: Universidad de Belgrano (Argentina), University of Virginia (LLM) Languages spoken: English, Portuguese (conversant) and Spanish Principal practice areas: Capital Markets, Finance Admissions:...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | White & Case
Number of years practice: 19 Law school attended: Yale Law School (JD), Yale University (BA) Languages spoken: English, French (proficient) and Spanish Principal practice areas: Acquisition Finance, Bank Finance, Project...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy
Number of years practice: 20 Law school attended: Stanford Law School (JD) Languages spoken: English, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: Energy Finance, Infrastructure Finance, Project Finance Admissions: New York...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Number of years practice: 20 Law school attended: Amherst College, Harvard Law School Languages spoken: English, French and Spanish Principal practice areas: Acquisition Finance, Leveraged Finance, M&A, Project Finance Admissions:...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | White & Case
Number of years practice: 26 Law school attended: Johns Hopkins University, New York University School of Law Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Asset Finance, Banking, M&A Admissions:...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Sullivan & Cromwell
Number of years practice: 26 Law school attended: Harvard Law School Languages spoken: English, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: Capital Markets, Leveraged Finance and Lending, M&A, Project Development and...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Mayer Brown
Number of years practice: 28 Law school attended: Oglethorpe University, Columbia University Languages spoken: English, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: Banking and Finance, Capital Markets, Corporate and Securities, M&A,...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner, Global Project, Energy and Infrastructure Finance Practice Group Leader, and Latin America Practice Group Co-head | Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy
Partner, Global Project, Energy and Infrastructure Finance Practice Group Leader, and Latin America Practice Group Co-head Dan Bartfeld is the practice group leader of the Milbank’s Global Project, Energy and...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Shearman & Sterling
Number of years practice: 28 Law school attended: Georgetown University Law Center Languages spoken: English Principal practice areas: Project Development Finance Admissions: District of Columbia, New York Denise Grant has...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Number of years practice: 19 Law school attended: University of Wisconsin, Columbia Law School Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Acquisition Finance, Capital Markets, Leveraged Finance, M&A, Private...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Shearman & Sterling
Number of years practice: 22 Law school attended: King’s College London Languages spoken: English Principal practice areas: Finance, Project Development Admissions: England and Wales, Hong Kong, New York Gregory Tan...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Dechert
Number of years practice: 26 Law school attended: New York University School of Law Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Corporate Finance, M&A Admissions: New Jersey, New York...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
Law school attended: Universidad Panamericana (Law Degree), University of Texas School of Law (LLM) Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: M&A, Corporate Finance, Government Investigations, Private Equity, White...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Number of years practice: 25 Law school attended: Cornell University, New York University School of Law Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Capital Markets, Corproate Governance, M&A Admissions:...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Sidley austin
Number of years practice: 25 Law school attended: Harvard University, Stanford Law School Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Litigation, Securities and Derivatives Enforcement, Regulatory Admissions: California and...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Mayer Brown
Number of years practice: 30 Law school attended: South Texas College of Law (JD), Catholic University of Peru (JD) Languages spoken: English and French Principal practice areas: Energy Projects Admissions:...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Paul Hastings
Number of years practice: 25 Law school attended: New York University School of Law Languages spoken: English Principal practice areas: Banking, Capital Markets, Corporate Finance, Restructuring Admissions: New York What...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Number of years practice: 18 Law school attended: Columbia Law School Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Cross-border Corporate Finance, M&A Admissions: New York Juan Francisco Méndez’s practice...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Ropes & Gray
Number of years practice: 14 Law school attended: Northwestern University School of Law Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Government Enforcement, White Collar Crime Admissions: District of Columbia,...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Hogan Lovells
Law school attended: Benjamin N Cardozo School of Law (JD), Clark University (BA) Principal practice areas: Asset Finance, Aviation Finance, Derivatives and Structured Products, Securitization, Structured Finance Admissions: New York...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Jones Day
Number of years practice: 23 Law school attended: Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (Spanish law degree), Southern Methodist University (LLM) Languages spoken: English, French, Portuguese (working knowledge) and Spanish (native) Principal...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner and Head of Latin America desk | Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Number of years practice: 15 Law school attended: Fordham University School of Law (LLM), Sciences Po Paris/Sorbonne University (Master of Law), Sciences Po Paris (JD) Languages spoken: English, French, Italian,...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner and Chair of Latin American Practice | Paul Hastings
Number of years practice: 37 Law school attended: Fordham University School of Law Languages spoken: English Principal practice areas: Banking, Capital Markets, Corporate Finance, M&A Admissions: New York Known as...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner; Co-head of the Firm’s Infrastructure, Energy, Resources, and Projects Practice | Hogan Lovells
Law school attended: Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, University of Illinois College of Law, University of Miami School of Law Languages spoken: English, Italian and Spanish Principal practice areas: Finance Admissions:...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Ropes & Gray
Number of years practice: 12 Law school attended: Georgetown University Law Center Languages spoken: English and Spanish (conversational) Principal practice areas: Anti-Corruption/International Risk, Government Investigations, Litigation Admissions: Illinois and US...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Number of years practice: 35 Law school attended: Harvard College, Harvard Law School Languages spoken: English, French, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: Capital Markets, Corporate Governance Admissions: New York,...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Squire Patton Boggs
Number of years practice: 28 Law school attended: University of Notre Dame Law School (JD), Georgetown University Law Center (LLM in International and Comparative Law) Languages spoken: English and Spanish...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Clifford Chance
Number of years practice: 17 Law school attended: Georgetown University Law Center Languages spoken: English and Spanish (proficient) Principal practice areas: Capital Markets, Corporate, M&A Admissions: New York What have...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Chadbourne & Parke
Number of years practice: 16 Law school attended: Universidad Iberoamericana, New York University School of Law Languages spoken: English, Hebrew, Portuguese and Spanish (native) Principal practice areas: International Finance, M&A,...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Kirkland & Ellis
Number of years practice: 13 Law school attended: University of Virginia School of Law Languages spoken: English and Spanish (conversational) Principal practice areas: Energy, Infrastructure, M&A Admissions: New York, Texas...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Office Managing Partner (Miami) | Hogan Lovells
Number of years practice: 21 Law school attended: University of Miami School of Law Languages spoken: English, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: International Arbitration, Litigation Admissions: Florida and US...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Number of years practice: 30 Law school attended: Duke University, LSE, Columbia Law School Languages spoken: English Principal practice areas: Bankruptcy and Restructuring, Finance, M&A, Private Equity Admissions: New York,...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Latham & Watkins
Number of years practice: 16 Law school attended: Harvard Law School Languages spoken: English, French, Italian and Spanish Principal practice areas: Capital Markets Admissions: Illinois, New York Roderick Branch is...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy
Number of years practice: 14 Law school attended: Hofstra University School of Law Languages spoken: English and Spanish (native) Principal practice areas: Energy Finance, Infrastructure Finance, Project Finance Admissions: New...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy
Number of years practice: 14 Law school attended: Hofstra University School of Law Languages spoken: English and Spanish (native) Principal practice areas: Energy Finance, Infrastructure Finance, Project Finance Admissions: New...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner and Practice Lead for Latin America Initiative | Covington & Burling
Number of years practice: 35 Law school attended: Harvard Law School Languages spoken: English, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: M&A Admissions: New York With well over three decades of...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Linklaters
Number of years practice: 21 Law school attended: Fordham University School of Law Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: Acquisition finance, Structured Finance, Asset-based Facilities, Private Equity, Trade...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Sidley Austin
Number of years practice: 19 Law school attended: Yale Law School Languages spoken: English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: M&A, Project Development, Project Finance Admissions: Texas Working...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Kirkland & Ellis
Number of years practice: 14 Law school attended: Escuela Libre de Derecho (JD – Mexico), Harvard Law School (LLM – US) Languages spoken: English (native) and Spanish (native) Principal practice...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Sullivan & Cromwell
Number of years practice: 32 Law school attended: Harvard Law School Languages spoken: English, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: Equity and Debt Capital Markets, FCPA and Anti-Corruption, Leveraged Finance...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Number of years practice: 21 Law school attended: University of Houston Law Center Languages spoken: English and Spanish Principal practice areas: M&A, Project Development, Project Finance Admissions: England and Wales,...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Shearman & Sterling
Number of years practice: 35 Law school attended: Villanova Languages spoken: English Principal practice areas: Capital Markets, Structured Finance Admissions: New York Over the course of his 35 year career...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Paul Hastings
Number of years practice: 30 Law school attended: University of Illinois College of Law (JD) Languages spoken: English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Ukrainian Principal practice areas: Cross-border Bank Finance,...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Law school attended: Columbia Law School (JD), Université de Paris IV Sorbonne (License d’histoire), Samford University (BA) Languages spoken: English, French, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: Capital Markets, M&A,...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Gibson Dunn
Number of years practice: 19 Law school attended: University of Texas, Boston University School of Law Languages spoken: English, Hebrew and Spanish Principal practice areas: Capital Markets, Project Finance Admissions:...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner of Counsel | White & Case
Law school attended: Haverford College, Princeton University, New York University School of Law Languages spoken: English Principal practice areas: Corprorate, M&A, Project Finance Admissions: New York White & Case Partner...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Linklaters
Number of years practice: 14 Law school attended: University of Georgia, Tufts University, Harvard Law School Languages spoken: English, French and Tamil Principal practice areas: Projects Admissions: New York One...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
Partner | Sullivan & Cromwell
Number of years practice: 11 Law school attended: Yale Law School Languages spoken: English, Portuguese and Spanish Principal practice areas: Capital Markets, Leveraged Finance and Lending, M&A, Private Equity Admissions:...
#GCPowerlist Private Practice Powerlist: US-Mexico 2017
For 30 years, The Legal 500 has been analysing the capabilities of law firms across the world. Now, with the Private Practice Powerlist, The Legal 500 initiates a new series identifying key individual practitioners with outstanding specialization in, and knowledge of, particular jurisdictions. Given the broader political context, the US-Mexico focus of this first Private Practice Powerlist could not be more timely: the lawyers named here will undoubtedly have a crucial role in what appears likely to be a relatively abrupt re-calibration of US-Mexico relations, particularly in the area of (bi-national) trade….read more
Future editions of the Private Practice Powerlist will, in a similar manner, seek to identify groups of key specialists with expertise in relation to other significant and critical jurisdictions.
Research of the Private Practice Powerlist has involved the canvassing of opinion from law firm partners and in-house counsel alike, as well as analysis of the career trajectories of the candidates considered for inclusion, so as to permit the identification of those practitioners with an engagement in the Mexican market that goes beyond just occasional involvement. In the undoubtedly complex, and quite possibly uncomfortable, process of bi-national re-accommodation that the US and Mexico are now facing, it is to this group of lawyers that we can look for the expertise to ameliorate the impact of the transformation. As such, they will be crucial in ensuring the continuity of business integration developed over the 20-plus years since the enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994.
Our team of experienced researchers has assessed the candidates, analyzing both current practice and historical data to confirm the inclusion of individual practitioners. The US-Mexico Private Practice Powerlist includes not only highlights reflecting the work of the attorneys who have made the final list, but also future-facing commentary indicating – as far as is possible in such a fluid scenario – which legal and industrial sectors they perceive as likely to remain active despite the recasting of bi-national relations. Certainly, it is these individuals who will be the quiet protagonists that ensure business (and indeed, public entities and sub-sovereigns) continue to find the constructive and creative practical resolutions required to overcome the obstacles that arise during the forthcoming period of change.
Tim Girven
Editor, The Legal 500 Latin America
2017, a year that we can safely anticipate is likely to fundamentally change the traditional rulebook and part ways with historical precedents and stereotyped tendencies in the fields of commerce, trade and investment, and certainly law, among many others. “Adapt or fail” is the trend with which political scientists and economists alike generally agree on these days. But adapt to what? No one really can legitimately predict the specific ways in which the international political and economic landscape is going to change in the next few years, but it would not be presumptuous to assume that it will; dramatically so in fact.
Mexico is not only not an exception, but is rather in the eye of the storm, as the most recent inclinations against globalization aim straight at the country’s projects and plans. Protectionism thus challenges the very philosophical foundations upon which Mexico’s economy has been constructed during the past three decades.
Previous discourses, undoubtedly valid at the time, as to our country’s stability, growth, location, competitiveness and potential are taking the back seat to a concept that as recently as a few months ago, was not necessarily a business driver, but is now the most frequent headline: global political uncertainty, even in the most developed of nations, which naturally takes the meaning of market volatility to a whole new level.
We thus find ourselves immersed in a completely new context in which decisions will need to be taken without the aid of features or conditions that may have been taken for granted. It is now, probably more than ever (at least in recent memory) that the international business community will require adopting and executing these decisions based on the advice of individuals and firms that have had the greatest levels of experience within specific sectors, industries or practices.
From a Mexican viewpoint, we believe there is hardly an international location that stands out as much as New York City to become, yet again, the convergence hub for what businesses are about to experience in terms of a new world order. US lawyers and law firms that have been exposed to our country due to their practices, many of them with extremely knowledgeable and sophisticated work forces, will play a critical role in reshaping the commercial arena between our two nations.
Gonzalez Calvillo, S.C. is thus particularly privileged to collaborate with The Legal 500 in sponsoring this publication, which features the most recognized lawyers working across the United States, with the highest degree of specialization on matters relating to Mexico. We wish every one of them and their teams great success in the years to come, as this will undoubtedly become a measure of how well our country is to perform. As an institution, we also hope to continue to honor our role as instrumental tools in protecting and defending the interests of those who place their trust unto our care.
On Tuesday 14th of March we were delighted to hold the second Legal 500 GC Roundtable in Medellín, once again in conjunction with Contexto Legal, at the Park 10 Hotel. Despite torrential rain a healthy quorum of GCs – including representatives of Andercol, FANALCO, Alión, Postobón, Grupo Santamaria, Grupo Éxito, Bancolombia and Isagen, among others, turned out to discuss a range of topics arising from the current wave of key reforms being enacted or under discussion in Colombia.
After words of welcome from Contexto Legal’s managing partner, Guillermo Villegas, the first topic of discussion was a consideration of how companies and businesses were responding to the considerable changes of regulatory and normative frameworks. Given the breadth of areas – tax, mining, labour, social security, health etc. – that these developments are affecting, there was particular consensus around not only the need to grasp the transversal points arising from all these reforms and to approach and respond to them with a singular voice (for example via the ANADE business chamber), but also to have confidence in the independence and resilience of relevant Colombian institutions, the Courts, etc. A valuable additional point was made regarding the need for the business community to reconsider its vocabulary and rhetoric in the ongoing negotiations that will undoubtedly take place as the year proceeds, adjusting to current realities so as to better make its points and ensure its voice as a stakeholder in current debates.
While the conversation would then touch on how the stresses of these reform processes are affecting GC/Board relations, it was the issue of crisis management – particularly as understood from the GC perspective – that particularly animated the assembled participants. Crisis management specialist Andrés Gómez (of consultancy ‘Laberinto’), set the frame for the discussion with his definition of a crisis as ‘ a negotiation in which one is obliged to participate but without having any degree of control. Effectively, there is little doubt that the current scenario is one in which the business community is being obligated to participate in just such a negotiation. The conversation ranged across the varying steps that need to be put in place to handle specific emergent crisis – having a media trained figure in place, for example – but the discussion highlighted that many of these steps were beyond the capacities of small-to-medium enterprises which the speed and range of reforms were pushing into crisis with immediate effect. What also increasingly became clear is that communication will be absolutely central to the business community’s collective health in the face of these changes, and that -in general- the extent of its activities on the social front, with communities, etc., as part of ongoing business activities has largely remained unacknowledged. Indeed, the depth and longevity of this social and community welfare activity must be given the prominence it deserves and can also constitute a point of commonality in the discussions to come.
A fine evening was brought to an end with some measured and well-weighed closing remarks by Contexto Legal partner Gustavo Cruz, whose optimistic realism before the challenges ahead were at once sober but heartening.
