What attracted you to your chosen work?
I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer, since I can remember. I had this idea that every now and then you could be part of helping others who were wronged and bring balance to situations where people didn’t understand each other.
What skills did you develop early that are still useful today?
I believe the most significant skill I learned is to build trust. It is key to be able to provide advice, but, moreover, it is the cornerstone for any relationship.
How have you grown in your career at Avery Dennison?
Throughout the years, I’ve had the unique opportunity to work in different regions and with different businesses, which exposed me to a diverse group of individuals. I started working as a lawyer in Latin America with Ignacio Walker, who was a great mentor and later gave me the opportunity to lead the region. Before taking on that responsibility, I was fortunate to spend several months working for Lydia van Leeuwen in the Netherlands. Lydia had forty-two years of experience and I learned a lot during that time. I also spent three months in Boston, Massachusetts working for the RBIS corporate office. After leading the law department in Latin America for seven years and working closely with Ken Schwartz, I came to the U.S. to work for several businesses together with Bijal Shah and, eventually, oversee the Global Compliance function with Vikas Arora.
I have been able to work with almost everyone in the law department, such interactions have given me the necessary experience to become the business partner I am today, with different perspectives in seeking for the right path forward towards my next step.
