Puerto Rico 2023 – GC Powerlist
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Puerto Rico 2023

Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel

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  • Industries

  • Powerlist

Amir Lastra de León

Senior legal counsel Electrification, Americas | ABB (Asea Brown Boveri)

Energy & Utilities

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Carina Puello Álvarez

Chief compliance officer and general counsel | PRICH Biotech

Healthcare

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Edna Marie Ríos González

Director of the legal advice office | Comision Industrial de Puerto Rico

Public sector

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Joel M. Eliza

vice presidnet, general counsel | Carribbean Financial Group

Financials

Attorney Joel M. Eliza joined Caribbean Financial Group (CFG) in February 2012. Currently serving as the general counsel, Joel is responsible for all legal and regulatory matters related to CFG’s...

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Jorge Juan Vélez Gutiérrez

General counsel | Hospital Español Auxilio Mutuo

Healthcare

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Jorge L Flores de Jesus

Vice president, general counsel | LUMA Energy

Energy & Utilities

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Luis A. Rodriguez

EVP, Chief legal and administrative officer | Evertec

Financials

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Luis Roberto Rivera-Cruz

Chief legal officer | AAFAF

Public sector

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María Cecilia Santos

General counsel | Infinigen Renewables

Energy & Utilities

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Mayra V Estrella Perez-Valdivieso

In-house counsel and risk management director | Ryder Memorial Hospital

Healthcare

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Oscar Arroyo-Arzu

P LEGAL AFFAIRS. GENERAL COUNSEL & SECRETARY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS | APEX (part of Grupo Mariposa)

Food

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Sara Alvarez Cabrero

EVP, General Counsel & Secretary of the Board of Directors | FirstBank Puerto Rico & First BanCorp

Financials

Ms. Alvarez is a Certified Public Accountant and attorney with over twenty-six (26) years of combined work experience in accounting, tax advisory, and specialized legal issues related to banking, corporate...

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Wilnerys Álvarez-Rivera

Chief compliance officer and general counsel | Parliament Capital Management

Financials

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Adriana Ramirez

Chief operating officer, chief legal and compliance officer, vice president | Abarca

Healthcare

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Angel Marrero

General counsel | MedPharm Services

Healthcare

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Aurelio Emanuelli

General counsel | QMC Telecom International

Telecommunication services

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Camelia Fernandez

General counsel, vice president organizational development and human resources | Universidad del Sagrado Corazón

Education

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Camille Álvarez

General counsel | The Strategic Funds

Financials

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Carla Framil-Ferran

General Counsel | Liberty of Puerto Rico

Telecommunication services

Carlos L. Rodriguez

Chief Legal Counsel | Triple-S Management

Consumer products

Carlos L. Rodríguez Ramos has been chief legal and compliance officer and corporate secretary of Triple-S Management (TSM) since September of 2021, when the compliance area was added to his...

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Christopher McClurg

Chief financial officer and general counsel | RoofMaxx Technologies

Materials and mining

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David Galarza-Sosa

Chief compliance and legal officer, country manager | Gamma International Bank

Financials

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Denise Rodriguez Flores

Legal department manager | TotalEnergies

Energy & Utilities

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Doira Díaz

General counsel and administrator | Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust

Non - profit

Edna Laura Pérez

General counsel | The Sol Group (Parkland Corporation)

Energy & Utilities

Edna Laura Perez is the general counsel for the international segment of Parkland Corporation, known as the Sol Group. The legal team led and managed by Ms. Perez provides support...

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Elaine M. Saldaña

Chief legal counsel | Óptima Seguros

Financials

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Francisco Silva

General counsel | Puerto Rico Telephone company - Claro PR

Telecommunication services

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Hecrian Martinez-Martinez

General counsel | Puerto Rico Office of Management and Budget

Public sector

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Heidi Rodriguez

General counsel | Hospitales HIMA

Healthcare

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Hilda M. Surillo

Executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary | MAPFRE Puerto Rico

Financials

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Hugh Gonzalez Robison

General counsel | OFG BANCORP

Financials

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Illich Omar Colon

General corporate counsel | Grupo Ferré Rangel

Sports and media

James M. Christian Snr

Senior vice president & general counsel | Caribbean Cage LLC and The CAGE Companies

Consumer products

As the chief legal officer of the corporation, James Christian Snr provides legal advice and counsel in a wide range of legal areas including corporate governance, contracts, intellectual property, real...

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Jan Carlos Rodriguez

Managing counsel | Toyota de Puerto Rico Corp

Consumer products

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Jessica Altreche

Senior Associate General counsel and SIU director | First Medical Health Plan

Healthcare

Joel O. Hernández – Alvarado

Deputy Director - Contracts Administration CDBG-DR/MIT Program | Puerto Rico Department of Housing

Public sector

Committed to the public service of Puerto Rico as well as its reconstruction, especially after the devastation caused by hurricanes Irma and María, Attorney Joel Hernández Alvarado has served as...

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Jose R Coleman Tio

Executive vice president and chief legal officer | Popular

Financials

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Jose Wilmer Meléndez Santiago

Chief legal officer | GENCO General Contractors

Transport and infrastructure

Jose Wilmer Meléndez Sanago, is well known for his sense of justice, listening skills, and fact-based opinions. His ability to argue and his assertiveness are among his most notable qualities,...

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Julio Benitez

Chief Legal counsel | PRIDCO

Industrials and real estate

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Lalisse Guillen Marty

Oversight Manager for Public Corporations of the Government of Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority

Public sector

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Laura Santana

General counsel | Island Finance

Financials

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Lorraine Juarbe

General Counsel | Inter American University

Education

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Miguel A. González Ramírez

General Counsel | Puerto Rico Ports Authority

Public sector

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Natalia López-López

Partner, General counsel | Semillero Partners

Financials

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Nelson Perez Dominguez

General counsel | Fulcro Investment Group

Financials

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Nimita L. Parekh

Chief legal officer | Infinite Capital

Financials

Nydin M. Watlington-Castro

Of Counsel and senior legal advisor | CEMEX

Materials and mining

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Omar Ortiz Bosch

VP Claims, central america and the carribbean | Chubb

Financials

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Patricia Lake

General counsel | Blackpoint Partners

Financials

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Rafael Arrillaga-Romany

General counsel and compliance officer | Dynamics Payments

Financials

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Rafael S. Bonilla

Senior Deputy General Counsel and Head of AML Compliance Operations  | Santander US

Financials

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Raquel Matos-Rolon

General counsel | PR Aqueduct and Sewer Authority

Public sector

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Raymond Perez Brayfield

First Vice president and general counsel | Antilles Insurance

Financials

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Rebeca F. Rojas Colon

VP & General counsel | Northwestern Selecta

Food

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Roxana Badillo Rodríguez

In-house Counsel | Health Alternative Advisors

Healthcare

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Sarah Brennan

General counsel | Delphi Digital

Financials

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Suheidi Krebs-Rivera

General counsel and senior policy advisor | Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration

Public sector

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Varlin J. Vissepó

Chief legal officer and corporate secretary | Aerostar Airport Holdings

Transport and infrastructure

Yarot T. LaFontaine

General counsel | Mercantile Global Holdings & Mercantile Bank International

Financials

Mr. Lafontaine is an experienced corporate, regulatory, and transactional attorney. Prior to joining Mercantile Global Holdings /Mercantile Bank International , Mr. Lafontaine was an associate general counsel at Noble Bank...

On behalf of The Legal 500, I am thrilled to introduce a new title within the The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Series, The GC Powerlist Puerto Rico, which highlights the work of 60 senior in-house counsel achieving amazing feats in Puerto Rico and beyond. Within this publication, you can expect to read about the impressive careers and challenges keeping Puerto Rico’s esteemed counsel occupied. This select group of individuals were chosen based on their merits, strong nominations received and desk research from our seasoned in-house research team at The Legal 500.

Our research team asked featured counsel their thoughts on succeeding as in-house counsel in their respective fields. Sara Alvarez Cabrero, EVP, general counsel and corporate secretary to the board at FirstBank highlights six qualities in sum needed for success as in-house counsel, ‘strong legal expertise, business acumen, risk management skills, communication and collaboration, ethical integrity and professionalism and adaptability and resilience.’ As you look through the profiles of featured individuals in this Powerlist, you will notice an embodiment of these qualities – individuals with a keen sense of business as well as strong legal expertise to the benefit of their organisations.

Luis A. Rodriguez, EVP and chief legal and administrative officer at Evertec also contributes to this thought by saying, ‘Any decent lawyer can review a contract or help with a partnership agreement or with any other legal matters that come up.  However, great lawyers can do that and more.  They can create value in negotiations where others see only roadblocks.’

Many general counsel report a significant increase in merger and acquisition activity, with the legal function being looped in to ‘align the legal structure with the growth’, according to Oscar Arroyo-Arzu, VP legal affairs, general counsel & secretary of the board of directors at Apex Global. In a time of many global legal functions witnessing drastic change and increased responsibility, the business landscape is no exception in Puerto Rico. Impressively, senior in-house counsel all over Puerto Rico are geared and ready for the challenges that may lie ahead.

On behalf of The Legal 500, I would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to you all on your recognition among the best in-house counsel in Puerto Rico. You are part of a global community of senior in-house counsel who celebrate this recognition. Thank you all for your keen participation over the past few months, and we look forward to embarking on this comprehensive research initiative again! Lastly, heartfelt appreciation for DLA Piper for supporting The GC Powerlist Puerto Rico research.

GC Powerlist: East Africa 2025

Legal 500 was proud to host the second edition of the GC Powerlist: East Africa 2025 in Nairobi, honouring the top General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, Legal Directors, and senior in-house legal professionals across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. This year’s reception brought together over 100 of the most influential and innovative corporate counsel from the region, and was an unrivalled success, cementing Legal 500’s role as the leading voice in recognising in-house legal excellence across Africa.

The evening was opened by Joe Boswell, lead editor of the GC Powerlist publication at Legal 500, who highlighted the growing prestige of the East Africa edition and the increasing challenge of selecting honourees from such a deep (and rapidly growing) pool of talent.

Guests were then treated to some particularly relevant insights from distinguished speakers. Rachel Musoke, Head of ENS Uganda, delivered a thoughtful welcome that reflected on the importance of collaboration between private practice and in-house teams. This was followed by a powerful keynote from Habil Waswani, Company Secretary & Director Legal Services and Regulatory Compliance at Kenya Airways, who shared reflections on leadership, regulatory stewardship, and the evolving role of corporate counsel in East Africa.

The highlight of the evening was the certificate ceremony, where this year’s honourees were formally recognised. Certificates were presented by senior representatives of ENS, including Désiré Kamanzi (Head of Rwanda), Rachel Musoke, Nigel Shaw (Head of Kenya), Donald Nyakairu (Executive, Uganda), Dieudonne Nzafashwanayo (Executive, Rwanda), Rahema Nakirya Ssemyalo (Executive, Uganda) and Binti Shah (Executive, Kenya) whose participation underlined the depth of the firm’s support for the GC Powerlist initiative.

The GC Powerlist: East Africa 2025 reaffirmed The Legal 500’s commitment to shining a spotlight on the region’s most talented in-house lawyers. With an even stronger field of candidates, this year’s edition stands as a powerful testament to the influence and expertise of East Africa’s legal leaders. Habil Waswani’s excellent speech, which got a raucous reception from those in the room, is reproduced below with his permission:

‘My name is Habil Waswani, and I have been an inhouse legal practitioner for the past 21 years in different sectors (having done law-firm practice for 2 years before that). Tt is indeed a true privilege and honour for me to be here tonight, surrounded by the sharpest legal minds and calmest crisis-handlers the East African corporate world has to offer.

First, let me thank the Legal 500 and ENSAfrica teams, for organising such a fantastic event and for bringing us together in such style. Congratulations to each of tonight’s honourees. You represent the very best of general counsel in this very dynamic corporate space the businesses we support operate in. Strategic, ethical, resilient, and, let’s be honest, often underappreciated leaders of industry.

I am so happy that this evening is not about contracts, or compliance checklists, or board packs. Tonight is about celebrating you, the people behind all of that. The steady hands guiding companies through complexities, uncertainties, and ensuring that the opportunities that lie within those difficult circumstances are lawfully realized.

We all know the role of GCs has evolved. We are no longer tucked away at the end of a corridor marked “Legal” or labelled the proverbial “cost centres”. These days, the GCs sit at the big table – helping drive corporate strategy, shaping desired culture, providing leadership and safeguarding business reputations. We have become indispensable partners to businesses, interpreters, navigators, protectors… and on some (many) days, therapists with law degrees. And yet, we mostly do it all so quietly. No victory laps, no press releases. Often, success for us means the expected disaster didn’t happen.

But tonight, we break that rule. Tonight, we raise a glass to the GCs who’ve blazed the trail courageously, with clarity, conviction, and tremendous resilience that only matches the expectations of the Leadership Guru John Maxwell when he said, “resilient leaders don’t wait for the storm to past — they learn to dance in the rain”. You have managed to balance growth and governance, risk and reward regularly. And, of course, always managed to deal with those 10pm messages: “Hey, just a quick question…Are you able to talk right now…?”

Let this evening serve as a reminder that you are not just experienced legal advisors. You are leaders — spear heads and enablers of execution — and without a doubt critical pillars of business strategy.

To all the honourees, congratulations once again for the well-deserved recognition. This is for the heavy lifting that you do, the standards you uphold, and the impact you make – quietly, consistently, and brilliantly so. You’ve earned this spotlight.

And now, let’s gather and celebrate this milestone. And while we’re at it I plead with you to stay away from your phones …you might just spot a message that says, “please quickly review this and we can discuss your views in the morning?”