Taking maternity leave isn’t too difficult in Brazil. That’s because the Brazilian Labour Code offers special protections to pregnant employees, including 120 days of paid leave that can be extended a further 60 days if agreed on with the government. Problems arise when the new mothers try to resume their roles—only to find they’ve been […]
Features Region: Latin America
Juliana Ugarelli – Getinge
They’ve long been used to save lives, but ventilators quickly became one of the most sought-after machines as the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. In Brazil, where Juliana Ugarelli is head of legal for Latin America for Getinge, helping provide its ventilators, as well as other medical devices, has been among the most rewarding times of her […]
Patricio Marquez Macias – Medtronic
Last year, when Black Lives Matter protests swept the United States, Americans weren’t the only ones called to action. In Mexico City, Patricio Marquez Macias watched protests play out in the news and across social media, particularly following the murder of George Floyd. The movement inspired him and his colleagues at Medtronic to create a […]
Rafael Vietti da Fonseca – Itaú Unibanco
Despite being an in-house attorney, Rafael Vietti da Fonseca also views his role through an external counsel mindset. To him, this means delivering “the best experience and providing the greatest value to clients in order to get the very next deal.” As Itaú Unibanco’s head of legal for corporate and investment bank and distribution, he […]
Luis Augusto (Lucho) Zelaya – Banco Industrial, S.A., Guatemala
When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in 2020, most companies shut their doors and scrambled to move services online. While many banks scaled back, as well, Lucho Zelaya says Banco Industrial took a different approach, adding to its online services. According to Zelaya, BI’s legal manager, even before the pandemic, digital enhancements were making legal and […]
Catherine Romang – CBC
Has Catherine Romang quenched her thirst for legal knowledge? Likely not, even after more than 20 years practicing and teaching corporate and international law. Now the legal manager and compliance officer for Uruguay operations of Latin American beverage producer CBC, Romang has been able to use her expertise in those disciplines and others to help […]
Inaiê F. Mendes Reis – Prysmian Group
When she first stepped into the office of a company to be interviewed for an internship position, Inaiê F. Mendes Reis could never imagine the responsibility she’d shoulder only a few years later. As she explains, “when I was 27, I was already in charge of South America for my company.” That immersion, she says, […]
Obedi Neves – Makro
Don’t tell Obedi Neves that he’s “technically retired.” The legal director for Brazilian-based Makro has been plenty busy. He and his staff not only helped his company become more profitable during a pandemic, but he also wrote an e-book and established a new training company for attorneys. With more than 30 years of experience working […]
Alejandro Arias Edwards – Siemens Chile
A technologically proficient lawyer with a team to match, Alejandro Arias continues to support and advice colleagues by going outside the usual legal parameters at the regional subsidiary of the German technology giant Siemens A.G that recently launched its new sustainable framework DEGREE in which legal perspective plays a crucial role in supporting environmental, social […]
Rebeca Estela Tovar Gálvez – C&A México
Still fairly new as the legal manager at fast-fashion retailer C&A México, Rebeca Estela Tovar Gálvez showed the executive team just how quickly she could adjust to changing circumstances last year. COVID-19 had forced the temporary closure of all 79 stores in March and April 2020, but largely through the efforts of Tovar and other […]
