Career Biography

Ainhoa leads ISDIN’s global Legal, Compliance and Public Affairs functions. In this role, she drives a model that places these areas at the core of business strategy, not only as a protective function, but as a key enabler of value creation, anticipation of uncertainty, identification of opportunities, and strengthening of corporate reputation.

With over 25 years of experience, she has built her career across leading international law firms, including PricewaterhouseCoopers (Landwell) and Garrigues, before moving in house at ISDIN. This background allows her to maintain a strong technical foundation with a deeply business oriented mindset. Early in her career, she also served as a university law lecturer, an experience that strengthened her ability to communicate complex concepts clearly, build trust with diverse audiences, and maintain a strong commitment to continuous learning, qualities that continue to shape her leadership style.

Throughout her career, she has contributed to redefining the role of legal counsel, promoting a transversal approach that integrates legal, regulatory and reputational considerations into strategic decision making. In recent years, she has led the transformation of the function through Project Polaris, positioning it as a strategic business partner and a centre of operational excellence. This transformation has involved redesigning organisational models, building agile and multidisciplinary teams, and evolving processes and tools, including the integration of artificial intelligence as a structural element of day-to-day operations.

Her scope of responsibility spans corporate governance, risk management and regulatory compliance, as well as reputational protection, institutional relations, and regulatory anticipation and lobbying across multiple jurisdictions. She plays an active role in crisis management and in building high value relationships with key stakeholders, contributing to the company’s positioning and long-term sustainable growth.

Ainhoa is a member of ISDIN’s Executive Committee and serves as a director and secretary of several companies. Her leadership is grounded in the belief that Legal, Compliance and Public Affairs must evolve beyond a purely protective role, becoming functions that actively influence decision making, anticipate uncertainty, and transform regulatory complexity into a competitive advantage. She is particularly known for combining strong legal judgement with a strategic mindset and a clear focus on business impact.