Rising Stars Mexico 2022
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Senior legal counsel | Comisión Federal de Electricidad
Legal and Government Relationships – Senior Legal Counsel. | Samsung Electronics Mexico
Senior legal counsel operations for the Americas | Patrón Spirits México - Grupo Bacardi
Senior legal and commercial counsel - Mexico and Carribbean GE Power | GE Power
Senior legal counsel for Mexico and ethics compliance Latin America | Weatherford
Group legal counsel - Region Americas | DNV
Labour legal corporate manager | Servicios Administrativos Peñoles
Legal counsel for Mexico, Central America, Caribbean and Andean Region | Reckitt Benckiser
Legal manager strategic projects and litigation | Estafeta Mexicana
Head of financial services legal support | Sura Asset Management México
Senior corporate legal counsel, Mexico and Central America | Deloitte Mexico
Deputy director of labour | Grupo DeAcero
Contract and legal senior regional manager - México, Central America, Caribbean and Andean Region | Reckitt Benckiser / Mead Johnson
Talent, Marketing and Music Head Counsel | TelevisaUnivision
Contracts and new business manager (legal) | PISA Farmacéutica
Director Ejecutivo Jurídico Bursátil y Contratos | Grupo Financiero Banorte
Senior counsel for Mexico | Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Associate counsel – Latin America legal department | Kyndryl México
Gerente Corporativo Jurídico Ambiental y Contencioso | Servicios Administrativos Peñoles
Corporate and compliance attorney | The American School Foundation
Senior legal counsel for Latin America | Iron Mountain Mexico
Senior legal counsel | Manpower Group
Legal manager and local compliance officer | Nordex Group
Legal manager for Mexico, Central America and the Carribbean | General Motors
Gerente divisional contencioso de la dirección jurídica de Grupo Coppel | Grupo Coppel
Senior legal director and trademark counsel for LatAm | PepsiCo
Legal counsel and contracts and claim manager | Siemens
It was an honour to lead the research for The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Rising Stars Mexico 2022, which highlights promising in-house counsel based in Mexico. This edition features in-house lawyers well on their way to being at the top of their field and is an offshoot from our usual research in Mexico; The GC Powerlist Mexico, a publication identifying senior in-house counsel within Mexico. Interviews in this edition spotlight the support up-and-coming lawyers give their legal functions, and the risks that organisations are facing post-pandemic and the legal team’s contribution to their circumvention.
Despite the overall uncertainty of global and local markets, esteemed counsel in this publication were delighted to share their respective successes in assisting their organisations. In the words of manager and counsel at American Express, Gerardo Camacho Fong, ‘A successful in-house counsel needs to have a 360° vision; this means that they can provide support to the business, while understanding their needs and priorities. They must consider not only the legal and regulatory requirements, but also bear in mind the customer experience, and reputational risk, among other things.’ Stressing on the legal team’s significance within their organisations, Jaime Pintado, legal associate at Costa Palmas comments, ‘Business has never been more interlinked with the legal department.’
Looking forward, Nanelly Flores Rodriguez, the corporate, legal, and environmental manager at Grupo Peñoles says the aim in her legal department, ‘…is to create an environment of trust and mutual respect that allows the team to be highly productive, able to communicate, cooperate and innovate.’ Roberto Fraustro Sanchez, legal counsel at Klar also includes that the attitude of the legal team is vital as, ‘it is essential that all members of the legal team have a thorough understanding of the business to which the company is engaged.’
On the topic of business post-pandemic in Mexico, Rodrigo Flores Manzanedo, director and head of legal sheds some light on the state-of-play at WeWork, ‘The pandemic was a difficult time for us. We quickly went from a promising business in Mexico to having the lowest historic occupancy in our buildings, and then starring one of the greatest comeback stories in the business world, surpassing our highest historic occupancy in record time.’ There is a general sentiment of flexibility and dedication from in-house lawyers in this edition, as they work within this volatile period. There is much change to the regulatory and economic landscape of business in Mexico, especially due to global supply chain issues and immense, and sometimes conflicting, regulation from the government.
Mexico is also no exception to the ESG policies which are shaping other companies globally. Anna Carolina Sepúlveda Salinas, legal manager of FINSA admits ‘applying these non-financial factors [ESG] to identify material risks is always a challenge and with the help of my business partners, we are constantly analysing and improving our compliance policies, that will guide and lead the way to better and more innovating practices, boosting economic development and sustainability.’
I would like to congratulate all in-house counsel featured in this publication, on this amazing feat of joining hundreds of Powerlisters, across the globe in chalking up this achievement. The in-house community in Mexico has always been a delight to research, because of the willingness to engage with us and their characteristic warmth.
Melissa Yebisi | Lead researcher GC Powerlist Mexico Rising Stars 2022
For the launch of the GC Powerlist: Rising stars of Mexico, recognised inhouse lawyers gathered at the St Regis in Mexico City to celebrate and receive their certificates. Some GC Powerlisters and other members of their teams also joined in support of the up-and-coming members of their departments.
The event was hosted together with our supporting partner Baker McKenzie, and Pepe Larroque, Managing Partner of the firm in Mexico City, as well as Anna Bauböck, editor at The Legal 500, made some opening remarks to kick off the evening. This was followed by a speech by leading GC Elena Robles from Estafeta, who gave her perspective to our rising stars on how to succeed and continue their path of excellence.
The evening continued with lots of networking over drinks and canapés.
The GC Powerlist: Rising stars of Mexico highlights promising in-house counsel based in Mexico. This edition features in-house lawyers well on their way to being at the top of their field. Interviews spotlight the support up-and-coming lawyers give their legal functions, and the risks that organisations are facing post-pandemic and the legal team’s contribution to their circumvention.
