Organised by Gericó Associates, the event brought together more than 100 legal leaders from multinational companies, law firms and public entities, consolidating Lima as a strategic hub for legal debate in the region following its previous editions in Bogotá and Miami. Six thematic panels addressed topics ranging from anti-corruption compliance and dispute resolution to mining sustainability, legal crisis management and contractual frameworks in infrastructure projects.

In the Anti-Corruption Compliance panel, Jean Paul Maufinet Castellares, Ethics & Compliance Officer at OHLA, stressed that “a solid organisational culture is essential for compliance to be lived out on a daily basis” and not only within large corporations. For him, the challenge lies in “adapting compliance to medium-sized companies” and ensuring that everyone understands how to apply it in their day-to-day work.

In the same panel, Raquel Céspedes Salazar, Partner and Country Director of CONEXIG in Colombia, agreed that ethical behaviour lies at the core of every compliance programme. “Ethical behaviour is decisive because it teaches us how individuals make critical decisions for their organisations,” she stated, highlighting the “professional calibre” of the discussions.

For his part, Angello Rivera, Partner at Osterling Abogados, warned that risk management must go “beyond criminal matters” and include aspects such as data privacy, competition law and harassment prevention. “A culture of prevention must permeate from employees through to managers and board members,” he emphasised.

The panel on arbitration and dispute resolution, led by experts in public and private procurement, featured the intervention of Guillermo Cáez Gómez, Partner at Esguerra JHR in Colombia. Cáez underscored that “arbitration must serve citizens and investors by ensuring faster and safer processes and avoiding excessive state intervention.” For him, the forum is a space for “integration” that brings together companies, law firms and the public sector with a 360-degree perspective.

Mining sustainability was another central theme of the day. Fernando Pickmann, Partner at Dentons Peru, called on civil society to support “stronger regulations against illegal mining” and to provide the formal mining sector with competitive frameworks. “Today, informal mining has more advantages than formal mining, which requires sitting at the same table to find joint solutions,” he warned.

From Minsur, Rodrigo Echevarría, Legal Compliance Superintendent, agreed on the need for policies that allow coexistence with small-scale artisanal mining without tolerating illegality. “The exchange of experiences at the national and international levels shows us that, although the problems are similar, the solutions must be adapted to each reality,” he noted.

Martín Kósa Muñoz, Senior Legal Counsel at Orica, valued the forum as a unique space in Peru for hearing the perspectives of in-house legal managers. “Identifying the environmental, economic and social impacts of informal mining is the first step towards addressing them with effective mechanisms,” he said, describing his experience as an opportunity for professional “growth”.

In the panel on legal crisis management, Katherine Rueda Chávez, Legal Director for the Andean Region at Visa, stressed that the legal department must be involved from the outset of projects. “This allows risks to be anticipated and informed decisions to be made,” she said, also highlighting the value of artificial intelligence, digital tools and coordination with corporate communications at critical moments.

The closing remarks were delivered by Marc Gericó, Global Managing Partner of Gericó Associates, who stated that “legal departments are undergoing a transformation marked by sustainability, innovation and digitalisation.” According to Gericó, the Forum aims to be “a nexus between legal leaders and law firms to better understand the needs and evolution of their clients.”

The event was sponsored by Robalino, Akerman, Cuatrecasas, Dentons, Osterling, Linares Abogados, Baxel Consultores, CONEXIG and Aguado & Ruiz Abogados, and was supported by the Faculty of Law of the Universidad del Pacífico, the Arbitration Centre of the Lima Chamber of Commerce and ASCLA – the Association of Corporate Secretaries of Latin America.

With this edition in Lima, Gericó Associates reaffirms its commitment to creating spaces for strategic dialogue and ongoing development for those shaping the future of the corporate legal sector in Ibero-America.

The next edition of the General Counsel Forum will take place in Mexico City on Thursday, 30 October 2025.