Von Wobeser y Sierra, S.C. is pleased to announce that Pablo Jiménez Zorrilla has joined the firm as a partner.
He will work with the executive committee on the firm’s overall strategy, supervise the communication and business development function, and further strengthen the corporate and M&A practice as co-head, alongside Luis Burgueño.
This is a strategic move and an important milestone for Von Wobeser y Sierra, as it is the first lateral partner hire since its foundation in 1986.
Pablo has nearly 20 years of experience as a lawyer and public affairs expert. Prior to joining the firm, he was the Global Vice President of Reputation and Communications at Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world’s leading brewer, based in New York City. His previous position at AB InBev was Vice President of Legal and Corporate Affairs for Grupo Modelo and the Middle Americas zone, where he was responsible for the legal function, as well as the company’s public affairs, including corporate reputation, communications, crisis management and social responsibility.
Previously, he was the General Counsel and Head of Institutional Relations for Cinépolis, a Mexican movie theater chain with presence in more than 20 countries. Earlier, he was an associate at Galicia y Robles, S.C. (currently, Galicia Abogados, S.C.) and a visiting lawyer at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP.
Pablo holds a law degree (abogado) from the Escuela Libre de Derecho (Mexico City) and a master’s degree in law (J.S.M.) from Stanford Law School (California). He is admitted to practice law in Mexico and Illinois (USA) and is certified as a foreign legal consultant in the state of Texas (USA).
Claus von Wobeser, founding partner and member of the firm’s executive committee, expressed: “We are very excited about Pablo joining us as a partner. He brings complementary skills, experience and background that will further strengthen our firm as we continue to grow. We are convinced that Pablo’s incorporation will add tremendous value to our clients and to the firm.”
Pablo brings to the firm exceptional knowledge and qualifications as a lawyer. He will also provide a strategic perspective, managerial, leadership and communication skills, as well as a collaborative mindset. Moreover, he adds a fresh and diverse voice to the team as he has top-notch experience as outside counsel, in-house counsel and as a public affairs expert in highly reputed organizations. In this regard, Claus stated “Those skills and perspectives are extremely valuable to any firm but even more for Von Wobeser y Sierra, as we move forward in our institutionalization journey and further consolidate as a top-tier and full-service law firm.”
Luis Burgueño, co-head of the corporate and M&A practice, stated: “Incorporating Pablo to our corporate and M&A team will boost our practice and help us capture new opportunities.” He added, “although Mexico will continue to face challenges in the short term, we see many opportunities for investors and businesses that adopt a long-term perspective, including some of our longstanding clients that are firmly committed to the country. The pandemic has reaffirmed the need to build resilient regional supply chains. The new USMCA and Mexico’s strategic proximity to the US gives us a natural opportunity to play a significant role in this trend.”
Von Wobeser’s corporate and M&A practice is currently comprised of seven partners, two counsels and more than 30 associates. Pablo’s experience as in-house counsel in the consumer goods industry will help further consolidate the firm’s leadership as legal advisors in such industry.
On the strategic front, one of Pablo’s initial projects is the launch of an integrated ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) practice group, in close coordination with other partners. Von Wobeser y Sierra has identified a valuable opportunity to support corporate managers and boards in the transition to an evolved approach to business management, by providing comprehensive and integrated legal advice with an ESG and stakeholder perspective. The new practice group will bring together a broad range of subjects such as environmental, labor, human rights, compliance and anticorruption, international trade, antitrust, corporate governance and executive compensation, among others.
Pablo Jiménez stated “I am thrilled to join Von Wobeser y Sierra as a partner and to begin this new chapter of my professional journey. I have worked with the firm for over 10 years as a client and I admire its collaborative and problem-solving approach. The team is always ready and eager to learn more about the client’s business so they can provide practical and effective solutions.”
He added, “one of the main reasons behind my decision to join Von Wobeser y Sierra is the size of the opportunity ahead of us. I am honored to be part of the firm and to join forces with such bright and committed colleagues. I look forward to having a positive impact on our team, the firm’s growth and the value we provide to our clients.”
Fernando Carreño, head of the firm’s competition and antitrust practice, said: “Pablo’s arrival is another step towards building a strong and institutional law firm, so we can continue to attract the best talent and to provide the best service to our clients, as we develop long-term relationships with them.”
Pablo will be based in the Houston (Texas) metropolitan area where he will lead the firm’s US subsidiary, Von Wobeser y Sierra US PLLC. In this location, he will be closer to many of Von Wobeser y Sierra’s existing and potential clients and business partners, including US law firms with whom the firm works in cross-border transactions.
Von Wobeser y Sierra, S.C. is a top-tier full-service Mexican law firm established in 1986, with excellence and integrity as cornerstones. The firm has 16 practice areas, 6 industry groups and a strong and diverse team of world-class talent consisting of 18 partners, 4 of counsel, 4 counsel, more than 80 associates and interns and over 100 staff members.
For more information regarding Pablo Jiménez, please click here.
Media Contact:
Chantal Williams Head of Communications, Marketing & Business Development
+52 (55) 1295-5407 | cwilliams@vwys.com.mx