Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol, whose products are sold in more than 180 countries. The company's brands include Johnnie Walker, Buchanan's, Smirnoff, Cîroc, Ketel One, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray, and Guinness.After being recruited for a role at Diageo's regional headquarters as Legal Counsel for Central America and the Caribbean, I was promoted in 2021 to the position of Head of Legal, Business Integrity, and Corporate Security, to lead, build, and shape the enterprise's legal strategy and operations for the $300M Southern Cone region spanning Chile, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Ecuador, and Bolivia. As a senior member of the Regional Executive Committee, I manage legal matters for business and commercial operations, regulatory, trade, and litigation; business integrity and compliance; and corporate security and brand protection, safeguarding trademarks from counterfeiting and alteration. Develop and head a team of 3 legal professionals and in-country outside counsel.• Directed comprehensive legal strategies as a trusted partner to regional leadership and general managers. • Transformed legal operations, strengthening operational control, legal support, and compliance. Insourced function and budget, elevated team capabilities, and liaised across region to modernize route-to-consumer agreements.• Deployed world-class corporate security policies across five offices and 160 employees. • Constructed region Business Integrity strategy and operations. Defined agenda, including global and market controls, incident investigations, and workforce communications and education to build compliance and ethics culture.• Built a high-performing team with a deep bench of legal talent, driving professional growth and preparing for elevated roles within Diageo via coaching, mentoring, individual career planning, and servant leadership.

As Legal Counsel for Central America and the Caribbean I was in charge of the international legal matters and contracts for a 37-market region and the company’s supply hub in Panama. In this capacity, I lead the development, review, and management of manufacturing and commercial operating agreements, international trade, policy, and litigation; drive legal compliance with local laws, FCPA, the UK Bribery Act, and other regulations; and serve as the liaison to outside legal counsel in our operating markets, and as a core member of the corporate risk management committee. Notable achievements:►Accelerating the company’s regional performance by strengthening the commercial agreements through legal strategies that elevated distributor performance, decreased risk, and realigned routes-to-market. I was involved in the development of enterprise contracts for the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Costa Rica, and other markets.►Architecting new commercial strategies for operations in free-trade zones. I guided the organization through complex legal structures to build the agreement terms and improve the operational controls.►Achieving full compliance with diverse marketing laws, including directing the legal approval of new image campaigns for Buchanan, Smirnoff Ice, and several rum and whisky innovations.►Successfully negotiating the recovery of distribution rights to Guinness in the Dominican Republic, with zero penalty.

I was the lead in-house counsel and partner to the executive leadership team and the board of directors on legal matters pertaining to commercial operations for a major domestic market comprised of production, distribution, and service operations. I advised and supported the General Manager on all aspects of civil, commercial, and labor law, as well as foreign currency regulations, government relations, the drafting and negotiation of distribution, production, and service agreements, and corporate real estate matters. In addition, I managed outside counsel on cases, reviews, and litigation. Notable achievements:►Successfully supporting Diageo’s leadership team on a highly dynamic legal landscape through ongoing research and due diligence to identify potential risk, shore up commercial agreements, and build legal strategies safeguarding corporate assets.►Conceptualizing innovative legal structures increasing access to hard currency.►Strengthening the balance sheet by managing a portfolio of domestic real estate investments.►Directing the successful renegotiation of co-packaging agreements for Cacique and Pampero rums, Gordon’s Gin, and Smirnoff Ice.

Groupe Casino is a global operator or retail hypermarkets, operating its Venezuela stores through Cadena de Tienda Venezolanas.I was recruited by the parent organization for a short-term role leading the settlement negotiations following a forced acquisition by the national government. I managed the entire legal strategy, inclusive of litigation, contracts, real estate issues, and terms of settlement in partnership with the board of directors and oversaw outside legal counsel.I was successful in negotiating a financial settlement, representing one of very few acquired companies to receive financial consideration.

Grau, García, Hernández & Mónaco is a full-service law firm with a focus on contracts, corporate structures, and regulation.I supported the firm’s commercial clients on corporate legal matters, representing clients in litigation and in antitrust cases against the Venezuelan government.

Sun Microsystems was a $2.6B global technology solutions firm. The company was acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2010.Served as in-house counsel to the company’s Venezuelan subsidiary, advising the business on commercial legal matters, drafting and negotiating sales agreements, managing anti-corruption and data privacy compliance, facilitating corporate licensing, and providing reporting to the board of directors.I managed government relations and the construction of contracts, including the successful renegotiation of Sun’s blanket sales agreement with the Venezuelan government, an account that represented 90% of market revenues.

I joined the company, which operated 42 stores in Venezuela, as a legal intern, I was hired as an Associate Counsel, and was promoted rapidly through positions of increased responsibility to ultimately manage real estate transactions and related matters and to supervise a legal staff of 12 employees.In this role, I managed the acquisition of real estate space for 26 retail stores across the country, with responsibility for negotiating terms, drafting agreements for leases and construction, and managing permitting and licensing.