Experience

SMPS Legal
• Mexico
• Legal Services
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Partner at SMPS - Compliance and ESG

  • Jan 2023 - Present


Gap Inc./Old Navy

• Head of Legal and Compliance

  • Oct 2015 - Nov 2022

  In charge of all legal matters and head of compliance for Mexico. Design, development, implementation and training of the compliance program in order to attain a 360-integrity culture for vendors, customers and employees. Constituent part of the Management Team involved in the planning and execution of new projects, providing legal advice for the consolidation, profitability and growth. In charge of designing, elaborating and coordinating the strategies for the accurate defense of the company’s interests, as well as the creation and implementation of internal policies and processes; directly reporting to the VP Associate General Counsel, and the Integrity Committee, both in the United States of America, in charge as well of coordinating the relationship with five external law firms (Criminal, Corporate, Labor, Foreign Trade, Civil and Commercial Litigation). • I was part of the M&A legal team, obtaining the authorization of COFECE (Federal Economic Competition Commission) for the sale of the business in Mexico to Grupo Axo, as well as carrying out the negotiations with lessors attaining the assignment of rights of the lease agreements by paying no penalties and consequently saving more than USD$5,000,000. • I created a strategy for the compliance of imports registry with a flexible scheme that secured the product import in order to maintain the stocks and sales. • Creation of a non-merchandise procurement policy for the local acquisition of assets and services by attaining compliance standards, defining the respective agreements, submitting vendors to bidding, achieving this way savings in fees or prices of the products and services. • I designed the strategy for savings in fixed costs with the reduction of the work hours as an integral solution for the management of the company during the COVID-19 pandemic with 100% acceptance from employees. Show less



C&A

• United States
• Arts & Crafts

• Head of Legal

  • Nov 2013 - Oct 2015

  Part of the team that started and implemented the first compliance culture in Mexico. In charged of all legal matters related to the business retail and the financial business of the credit card (JV with Bradesco Bank). In charge.of the expansion area (Real Estate). Reporting directly to the CEO in Mexico and to the Legal Chief Officer in Switzerland, with an internal team of four lawyers and in charge of the relationship with four external law firms (Corporate, Labor, Foreign Trade, Civil and Commercial Litigation). • I contributed to the saving of more than USD$1,000,000 in penalties for the closing of 13 stores in a term of six months. • I reviewed the labor litigations and changed the strategy leading to a reduction from 130 to 50 open cases, saving in labor provisions a _5%. • I had a key role in the team that developed the new business unit (“Fit Project”) with the opening of two stores focused on basic product. Show less



Cash America

• United States
• Banking

• Legal & Compliance Director

  • Sep 2011 - Nov 2013

  I reported to the CEO in Mexico and to the VP Deputy General Counsel in the United States of America, with an internal team of two lawyers and in charge of the relationship with two external law firms (Corporate and Civil and Commercial Litigation). • I implemented changes in the work contracts, separating the part relative to the cost of administration of the work (15-20%) of the execution itself, which made possible the depreciation of that cost in the first year. • I contributed to the closing of 163 branches in three months (tax year 2012) obtaining a tax benefit in the United States of America for USD$30,000,000. • I restructured the department, obtaining a legal costs reduction of 20% and the reduction of costs attributable to fees of operators in 50% both by means of my in-house work and the re-negotiation with vendors. • I was directly responsible for obtaining a new registry before the Profeco (Office of the Federal Prosecutor for the Consumer), of the adhesion agreement in order to operate as pawnshop and to become competitive in the market in front of other competitors Show less



Office Depot Colombia

• Deputy Legal Counsel – Counsel of Colombia

  • Jun 2009 - Sep 2011

  Expatriate as legal counsel responsible for the opening of the business in Colombia. • I contributed to the opening of nine stores (Medellin, Bogota and Cali) pursuant to the construction pipeline. • I had a key role in the acquisition of Ofixpress from Grupo Carvajal for USD$20,000,000 with which the company started operations in the cleaning supplies segment with governmental sales. Expatriate as legal counsel responsible for the opening of the business in Colombia. • I contributed to the opening of nine stores (Medellin, Bogota and Cali) pursuant to the construction pipeline. • I had a key role in the acquisition of Ofixpress from Grupo Carvajal for USD$20,000,000 with which the company started operations in the cleaning supplies segment with governmental sales.



Office Depot

• France
• Retail Office Equipment

• Regional Legal Manager for Mexico and Central America

  • Oct 2006 - Jun 2009

  Leader of the corporate, litigation and regulatory areas (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama), responsible of reorganizing the structure of the legal department and of creating processes for more efficient legal services. In this position I directly reported to the Managing Director in Mexico, Head Counsel of Mexico and Managing Director in Colombia, with an internal team integrated by nine lawyers. • I contributed to the acquisition of a company in Panama for the opening of three stores in that country, contributing in three years in the opening of more than 50 branches in the region, helping to attain the sales target of USD$40,000,000 per year for new openings. Show less


Ríos Ferrer, Guillen-Llarena, Treviño & Rivera
• Legal Services
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Asociado Senior

  • Sep 2004 - Oct 2006

Du Pont
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Abogado

  • 1998 - 2004