Remilina Yun – Suzano

Remilina Yun heads privacy, data protection, global IP, trademark and legal marketing at Suzano, one of the world’s leading pulp and paper industry giants. Suzano’s commitment to sustainability, primarily through its core product, pulp, which serves as the base for countless tissue and paper products, forms a cornerstone of its operations. This dedication extends to recent expansions in sustainable textile production in Finland, underscoring Suzano’s alignment with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. As a result, the company is positioned as a producer of essential paper goods and an innovator in sustainable practices that propel the industry forward.

Remilina Yun | Suzano | Head of Privacy and Data Protection Officer, IP, Trademark and legal marketing

Yun’s role at Suzano is vital to advancing these ESG goals. She oversees a team of four who specialize in privacy, data protection, IP management, digital law and the marketing aspects of legal services. Her work involves helping Suzano navigate complex regulatory landscapes, ensuring compliance across multiple jurisdictions, and fostering an organizational culture that values data security, consumer rights and transparency.

“Our commitment to sustainability and innovation drives everything we do. I’m proud to lead a team that helps ensure compliance and builds trust as we work to create a more sustainable and transparent world,” Yun says.

Empowering businesses through innovation and legal excellence

A primary focus of Yun’s work has been Suzano’s innovative project to support small Brazilian businesses, specifically “papelarias”, which are local stores that traditionally supply office and school materials. Suzano’s marketplace initiative provides these businesses with an e-commerce channel, opening new revenue opportunities and equipping them to compete more effectively in an increasingly digital market. For Yun, this project transcends business development; it represents a social initiative that reinforces Suzano’s commitment to uplifting small businesses. Suzano drives economic growth and promotes its paper products by supporting these enterprises.

“This marketplace program exemplifies Suzano’s role in fostering sustainability within its ecosystem, as the initiative helps local businesses thrive, contributing to a more resilient market landscape,” Yun says.

Yun and her team have been integral to the marketplace project’s development since its inception. Her department worked closely with stakeholders to ensure transparency in consumer interactions, compliance with consumer laws, and adherence to privacy principles from the outset.

“I am particularly proud of how we built privacy considerations into this project from the start,” Yun says. “The marketplace meets high standards for consumer protection and reflects best practices for privacy and data handling. It’s been designed with compliance and trust as central pillars.”

Another impactful social project Suzano is working on aims to lift 200,000 people out of poverty by 2030. Yun and her team have collaborated with Suzano’s social initiatives department to develop responsible data-handling practices for beneficiaries’ personal information. By focusing on principles like data minimization, purpose limitation, and transparency, her team has ensured that the program respects the privacy of individuals involved, regardless of their level of digital literacy. This project has also attracted new investors drawn to companies with solid data governance and privacy standards.

Building a supportive and inclusive work culture

Yun faces several challenges in her leadership role at Suzano, overseeing legal and privacy matters in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. With Suzano’s global presence, adapting legal and compliance frameworks to diverse international markets is a key challenge. The company’s rapid acquisitions require constantly integrating new businesses while adhering to strict data privacy standards. Each acquisition presents unique legal and technological demands, requiring flexibility within Yun’s team.

To address recruitment and retention in a field that demands multidisciplinary expertise, Yun emphasizes clear job expectations, competitive compensation, career development, and work-life balance. She focuses on professional growth and mentorship to engage and retain talent, particularly in IP and data protection roles.

“Suzano’s inclusive, supportive work culture fosters an environment where employees feel valued, further enhancing team commitment,” Yun explains.

As a thought leader in privacy and data protection, Yun actively contributes to regulatory frameworks, particularly in Brazil’s artificial intelligence context. She embraces AI’s potential to streamline legal processes while strongly focusing on data security and compliance. Her team uses AI tools for document review, analysis, and legal research, ensuring alignment with privacy protocols.

Yun also co-founded LGPD Acadêmico (www.lgpdacademicooficial.com.br), a platform for sharing knowledge on data protection in Brazil. Through this initiative, she provides educational resources such as articles, e-books, and gamified tools, advancing privacy law awareness and inspiring the next generation of legal professionals. Her passion for education and mentoring reflects her commitment to the growth of her team and the broader legal community.

Crafting a career with curiosity and resilience

Yun’s journey began with a spark of curiosity in law and society. Initially, she dreamed of becoming a police officer, but family concerns redirected her interest in law. Her vocational test results in high school solidified her decision, pointing her to law and diplomacy as natural strengths. With a scholarship to Mackenzie University, Yun studied law while bringing a lifetime of lessons from sports about resilience and respect for diversity.

She started her career in an unusual legal role, working in quality assurance at a law firm. Here, she honed her technical skills and process management expertise, which paved the way for an opportunity at Hyundai, where she shifted between legal and audit functions. Over time, her experience leaned more toward auditing, giving her a unique blend of skills uncommon among lawyers.

The introduction of Brazil’s Data Protection Law in 2018 opened a new path. Seeking a role that valued process and technology as much as legal knowledge, Yun transitioned to privacy and data protection, where she thrived.

Outside of work, Yun balances her professional life with creative pursuits. She took up beach tennis to ease stress, discovered a love for jewelry-making, and recently started crocheting. Yun’s hobbies offer a refreshing outlet and reflect her lifelong curiosity and drive to explore new challenges.