Spain: Latam Specialists 2022
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Global general counsel | Acciona Concesiones
Business and global coordination legal director, secretary of the compliance and audit committee | Iberdrola
Group head of corporate legal and vice-secretary of the board | Banco Santander
Director of legal advice and internal audit | Grupo Central Lechera Asturiana
Global counsel - regulatory compliance and disputes | Spotify
Global deputy general counsel, global corporate legal director, director to the board of directors | Distribuidora Internacional de Alimentación
General secretary and first deputy secretary | Iberdrola
Head of legal corporate and investment banking Germany | Banco Santander
General counsel, chief legal officer | Iberostar Group
Secretary general and global head of legal | Grupo Secuoya
Legal director Spain and Latam | Intelcia
General manager corporate governance and legal affairs, secretary of the board | Abanca
Directora de regulacion y servicios juridicos | Grupo Red Electrica
General counsel and secretary board of directors | Olympic Broadcasting services
General counsel and regulatory affairs | Telefónica
Leading research for the maiden edition of The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Spain: Latin America Specialists was a great honour. It was characterised by a high level of engagement, a variety of extensive interviews and an opportunity to identify and liaise with Latin America specialists based in Spain and beyond. I am certainly appreciative of the time spared by these brilliant in-house lawyers to share their plans for their organisations and the investments and transactions they are leading their companies through in Latin America.
Against a backdrop of vast political and regulatory changes in Latin America, GCs are committed to reinforcing their company’s presence within Latin America. In the words of Alejandro Rincón Nieto, chief legal officer of Almar Water Solutions, ‘we will maintain our investment targets, provided the exchange rates and inflation compared to dollar remains assumable, and regulatory changes, like in Chile and Perú, do not harm carrying out business in the country.’ Other GCs such as the group legal counsel of Urban Developers and Investors, agreed with the sentiments about their organisation’s plans too, ‘Urban Developers and Investors are actively looking for new potential projects in Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia with the aim of extending our presence in the region.’
Moreover, many general counsel interviewed confirmed that the context of the pandemic had given them unique challenges doing business in Latin America. The majority of interviews were characterised by GC’s innovative solutions to handling the gravity of the effects of the pandemic on the region, such as contractual shielding to protect their organisations. Succinctly put by David Burger, the legal department manager of GAM, ‘our strategy consists of inorganic growth taking advantage of the global market situation, focusing our operational growth on businesses without capex, especially the distribution, maintenance and training line of business and limiting our exposure to risk through contractual shielding of our commercial relationships.’
Despite the political and economic volatility that countries in Latin America experience, GCs in this edition of The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Spain: Latin America Specialists 2022 remain committed to leading their companies through hefty investments into the region. The relationship between Spain and Latin America remains fertile, with efforts being directed to increasing hiring efforts and interest in incorporating support from local companies. In the words of the director of legal advice and internal audit of CAPSA, Manual Morales Zapata, ‘We consider the LaAm market of maximum interest. We intend to continue the existing operations with the same clients and interlocutors, whom we already know, and to go little by little to increase the market.’
Summarily, these interviews conducted allowed for a brilliant and sound publication which sheds light on challenges in doing business in Latin America, pioneering solutions to these challenges and focuses on the historic relationship between the Latin American region and Spain.
We are glad to have such an esteemed list of leading legal professionals actively participating in this publication. It was such a pleasure to hear their highlights in their line of work and encapsulate their motivation in this publication. Tonight, they join hundreds of legal professionals globally located, in being recognised as Latin America Specialists in Spain and beyond. Congratulations to all the brilliant, innovative leading in-house counsel of The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Spain: Latin America Specialists 2022!
Melissa Yebisi| Research Analyst
On Thursday 9 October, Legal 500 hosted its first gala dinner in Athens to launch the GC Powerlist: Greece and Cyprus 2025, in partnership with Andersen Legal, IOANNIDES DEMETRIOU LLC and Nobel Trust.
The GC Powerlist celebrates the integral role of in-house counsel and acknowledges their achievements. Legal 500 was honoured, once again, to recognise an impressive group of leading General Counsel and senior in-house counsel from across the region.
Guests arrived at the idyllic National Garden in the heart of Athens for drinks in the courtyard of AIGLI ZAPPEIOU, before making their way inside for the perfectly crafted three-course dinner – accompanied by a gift from IOANNIDES DEMETRIOU LLC and Nobel Trust.
Isabel Caine, Event Content Editor at Legal 500, kicked off the evening with opening remarks. Theodore Pistiolis, Managing Partner at Andersen Legal, and Christina Ioannidou, Partner at IOANNIDES DEMETRIOU LLC, also took to the stage to welcome those in attendance and congratulate the honourees.
The keynote speech was delivered by Anastasia Petsinari, General Counsel and Head of Legal and Corporate Governance at Optima Banl. She spoke about the many facets of the in-house role and how General Counsel must lead with influence, judgement and trust. She highlighted that the success of in-house counsel is not only reflected in work completed, but also in the credibility and relationships built up within their organisation over time. And, of course, that behind every successful General Counsel is a great in-house team.
The dinner provided ample opportunity for networking and discussions. Across the ten tables, attendees were able to connect with colleagues, both former and current, peers and friends. Lively conversations carried on long into the evening, as guests moved to the foyer for espresso and post-dinner drinks.
Honourees then collected their certificates and gifts from Andersen Legal before having their photographs taken at the photowall to commemorate the occasion.
Legal 500 extends congratulations to each and every person who made it onto this year’s GC Powerlist: Greece and Cyprus and is honoured to celebrate such an impressive cohort of in-house counsel, along with Andersen Legal, IOANNIDES DEMETRIOU LLC and Nobel Trust.
