“Know the business. Deeply.”

An interview with Clarissa Ivethe Vega Ruiz, Senior Head of Legal, Insurance & Claims at Hutchison Ports PPC in Panama.

What are the biggest external forces or trends currently shaping your role as General Counsel and how are you responding to them?

This year has been especially challenging due to significant political shifts and increasing scrutiny from government entities. As Head of Legal at Hutchison Ports, I’ve had to manage a constant balance between crisis response and business continuity. We’ve faced diverse government claims and legal demands, requiring strategic risk mitigation, transparent communication, and legal precision. My approach has been to stay ahead by deeply understanding the regulatory landscape and engaging proactively with authorities to protect both reputation and operations.

How are you balancing the increasing demands of legal risk management with the expectation to drive business value and strategic insight?

I believe in always being prepared. My role demands that I anticipate legal scenarios before they escalate, and that I provide actionable strategies that align legal compliance with business goals. At Hutchison Ports, we’ve implemented internal processes to address urgent matters swiftly, without losing sight of long-term strategy. Legal risk management doesn’t mean slowing things down – it means enabling smarter, more informed decisions at every level of the company.

What’s one lesson or insight from your in-house journey that you wish you’d known earlier and would share with a fellow GC today?

Know the business. Deeply. Being in-house counsel is not just about legal expertise; it’s about becoming a true business partner. At Hutchison Ports, I’ve learned that understanding our operations – from port logistics to regulatory and contractual frameworks – is what allows Legal to be an enabler, not a bottleneck. The closer you are to the business, the more strategic and impactful your legal advice becomes.