Rafael Coelho – TSEA

Rafael Coelho’s path to becoming head of legal at TSEA reflects a deliberate blend of technical legal training and strategic business vision, shaped by years inside some of Brazil’s most respected law firms and one of its largest industrial groups.

Rafael Coelho | TSEA | Head of Legal

Coelho studied law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais and completed his studies at the Faculty of Administrative Studies, building a dual perspective that combined legal doctrine with business management. He pursued postgraduate studies in Civil Procedural Law, Business Law, and Civil Law, and later earned an MBA in Energy and Mining Law, aligning his academic focus with the industrial and infrastructure sectors that would define his career.

He began at leading Brazilian firms, including Martinelli Advogados and Azevedo Sette Advogados, where he developed expertise in complex corporate and industrial matters. Years later, he transitioned in-house at Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional, gaining firsthand experience inside a large-scale industrial operation. The move from private practice to industry sharpened his understanding of risk allocation, governance, and long-term asset management.

“TSEA presented me with an ambitious project, and I took on the role of head of legal,” Coelho says.

He joined TSEA in 2022 at a pivotal moment. The company was preparing for aggressive expansion, and the legal function needed to evolve accordingly. Since then, TSEA has grown fourfold, and the legal department has expanded to 10 in-house lawyers supported by hundreds of external advisors across contracted firms.

The company behind crucial energy infrastructure

TSEA is an industrial manufacturer serving the global energy market. For more than five decades, it has been one of the pillars of Brazil’s electrical infrastructure system and an international supplier of high-voltage power transformers, voltage regulators, and mission-critical solutions essential for energy stability and advancement. Its equipment supports utilities, industrial hubs, renewable energy plants, and large infrastructure systems that sustain economic growth.

The company operates where energy is essential, providing operational continuity and reliability for critical systems. Its long-term vision emphasizes products built to last, durable customer relationships, and financial stability grounded in disciplined management.

Excellence at TSEA is not an abstract ideal. The company applies rigorous standards from materials and design through manufacturing, testing, logistics, and commissioning. Engineers dedicate their careers to refining products that are designed to perform quietly and reliably for decades. The organization blends Brazilian ingenuity and flexibility with Japanese precision rooted in decades of technological discipline, alongside an American drive for performance and results. The structure is lean, with accessible decision-makers and minimal hierarchy, enabling direct communication and rapid responses.

“Our core mission is to keep critical energy infrastructure reliable, predictable, and operational, no surprises,” Coelho says.

That philosophy carries legal implications. Manufacturing large power transformers and regulators means accepting responsibility for infrastructure that underpins economies and societies. Long service life demands disciplined contracting, strict regulatory compliance, and governance structures capable of supporting assets across decades.

Legal as a strategic growth partner

As head of legal, Coelho’s mandate extends beyond traditional advisory work. The legal department reviews every major decision through the lenses of legality, governance, sustainability, and business continuity. It is embedded in projects from early structuring through execution and post-delivery phases, working alongside engineering, commercial, and operational teams.

“The Legal Department plays a central role in ensuring that all business activities are conducted within the highest standards of legality, governance, and corporate responsibility,” he says.

From contract structuring and risk allocation to regulatory compliance and long-term service support, the legal team supports disciplined growth. All business decisions are analyzed from start to finish to ensure legal certainty and alignment with governance standards.

Expansion has intensified this responsibility. Construction is underway on a new high-voltage power transformer factory in Brazil to expand manufacturing capacity from 13 GVA to 30 GVA, and a Houston office was opened in 2025 to strengthen customer proximity and enhance service availability. These investments are central to the TSEA 2030 vision, which aims to position the company as the most reliable supplier of power transformers in the United States.

“Legal automation and process traceability enable disciplined, responsible expansion,” Coelho says.

The regulatory landscape surrounding new industrial facilities is complex. Environmental licensing, labor and safety standards, industrial permitting, construction approvals, ESG commitments, anti-corruption frameworks, and international trade rules must all be addressed across jurisdictions. Coelho’s team ensures strict compliance at the local, state, and federal levels while maintaining governance consistency across borders.

Modernizing the legal function

Supporting rapid industrial expansion required structural change within the legal department itself. Beginning in 2022, Coelho restructured the team, recruiting top professionals to handle increasingly complex matters. In 2023, the department implemented advanced legal management tools to modernize operations. By 2024 and 2025, processes for contract analysis and approval were fully automated, enabling traceability and auditability across all agreements.

“We implemented integrated platforms for contract lifecycle management, litigation tracking, and internal and external legal service workflows,” Coelho says.

The modernization initiative included digitalization of administrative and judicial case management, real-time monitoring of obligations and deadlines, and system parameterization to strengthen reliability in legal contingency assessments. Documentation, case activity, decision records, and departmental performance indicators are now managed through automated systems aligned with international data protection and technology standards.

This transformation was not solely about efficiency. It was about governance. Full traceability enhances credibility with customers and partners operating under the highest compliance expectations. Real-time visibility into contractual obligations and litigation exposure supports faster strategic decisions without compromising control.

Outside counsel relationships were also restructured under a governance-driven model. Leading law firms across the Americas were selected based on technical expertise and alignment with TSEA’s standards. Performance monitoring, service-level expectations, and structured communication channels ensure consistent quality. Firms demonstrating strong performance deepen their partnership, reinforcing continuity and responsiveness.

Scaling for the next decade

Looking toward 2030, Coelho’s focus is on ensuring the legal function scales at the same pace as the company’s international growth. Continued digitalization, expansion of cross-border regulatory frameworks, and deeper integration between Legal and operational areas remain priorities.

“Ultimately, our responsibility is to ensure that TSEA’s expansion is built on legal certainty, governance discipline, and long-term business integrity,” he says.

The ambition is clear. A new power transformer factory in Brazil, combined with a U.S.-based corporate presence, will anchor TSEA’s next chapter, strengthening customer proximity and underscoring the company’s long-term commitment to building enduring partnerships. The legal department has been preparing for this moment for four years, aligning systems, talent, and governance frameworks with the demands of industrial growth.

Outside the office, Coelho’s focus shifts to family. He dedicates his free time to his wife and two children, ages seven and nine, grounding a demanding professional life in personal connection. Music offers another outlet. In his home studio, he spends time with his guitars, balancing technical precision with creative expression. Continuous study remains a constant, reflecting a commitment to staying current with legal developments worldwide.

Industrial manufacturing may appear distant from daily life, yet the stability of power systems touches millions of people. Power Transformers and voltage regulators operate quietly behind the scenes, ensuring that hospitals function, renewable plants deliver electricity, and industries maintain productivity. For Coelho, the legal function is part of that unseen infrastructure, safeguarding the frameworks that sustain engineering excellence.

In an industry measured in decades rather than quarters, disciplined governance and long-term thinking define success. At TSEA, that mindset shapes not only the products leaving the factory floor but also the legal architecture supporting every contract, every facility, and every partnership. Through structured modernization and strategic integration, Coelho has positioned the legal department as a central driver of responsible growth, ensuring that as TSEA builds the infrastructure of the future, its foundations remain secure.