October 27, 2025|
By Heidi Maldonado
Loyal, grateful, curious and determined, convinced that leadership is built with humility, gratitude and an attitude of service, not with titles. He bases his personal and professional relationships on integrity and trust, “because I believe that only from there can you inspire credibility and build results that transcend.”
It has found its purpose in consolidating a culture where “legality is synonymous with trust and integrating law with strategy, helping organizations grow with order, ethics and business vision.” He is motivated to transform legal and corporate complexity into solutions that generate value, continuity and meaning.
In our special Voices of Law: dialogue with partners and general counsel from Latin America we talk with Jorge Casillas, general counsel and Director of Corporate Affairs Gaya Constructive Synergy Mexicowho told us that since “Gaya and Gutlar work to make law a language that connects people, purpose and business; a bridge between the strategic vision and the trust that sustains any legacy.”
Jorge will also share details about his participation in the Legal Management Forum Mexico 2025where he will talk about the “silent success” of the in-house lawyer, that which is measured in stability and trust, not in prominence.
Could you tell us about your professional career and how you became responsible for Legal at GAYA Sinergia Constructiva?
I have been fortunate to participate in different projects that have marked my professional development. I started in the notarial field, where I learned the basics of corporate functioning and the importance of legal formality. Later, in a law firm, I learned the ins and outs of different industries and business models, understanding that behind each contract there is a story and a strategy. One of the most formative stages was participating in the structuring of financial vehicles, an experience that strengthened my technical and strategic vision of law. Subsequently, my time in a family business expanded my business perspective and allowed me to connect the legal with the operational, the technical with the human.
These stages gave me a very clear understanding of the value of legal design to enable business opportunities and accompany growth in a structured way.
In 2017 I joined Gaya, where I found an environment with purpose and a long-term vision. Over almost a decade, I have witnessed and been part of its evolution: from a family business to an institutional organization with corporate governance, risk management and a culture of compliance. Today, I integrate legal, patrimonial and strategic functions of the group, articulating the relationship between the Family Office and its business units (GAYA, TRIVER and FIX Projects) under the same vision of sustainability, continuity and legacy.
How does Gaya Sinergia Constructiva integrate sustainability and renewability into its strategic and operational vision?
At Gaya we understand that sustainability is not a trend, but a responsibility that is part of our way of thinking, planning and building. Together with clients and colleagues, we integrate it from the design of the projects, prioritizing cleaner processes, responsible materials and traceability throughout the supply chain. We also promote fair labor relations and transparent hiring practices, because we believe that sustainability starts within the organization.
The legal area plays a key role in ensuring that sustainability policies are translated into real, measurable and verifiable legal commitments. Our purpose is to create projects that not only comply with regulations, but also generate a positive, lasting and tangible impact on the communities and the environment where we operate.
What challenges does the construction industry face regarding sustainability and how does the legal area contribute to overcoming them?
At Gaya we understand that sustainability is not a trend, but a responsibility that is part of our way of thinking, planning and building. Together with clients and colleagues, we integrate it from the design of the projects, prioritizing cleaner processes, responsible materials and traceability throughout the supply chain. We also promote fair labor relations and transparent hiring practices, because we believe that sustainability starts within the organization.
The legal area plays a key role in ensuring that sustainability policies are translated into real, measurable and verifiable legal commitments. Our purpose is to create projects that not only comply with regulations, but also generate a positive, lasting and tangible impact on the communities and environment where we operate.
Sustainability is not achieved only with good intentions, but with structures that make it possible.
What is the role of in-house counsel in ensuring that sustainability is an integral part of corporate governance and strategic decisions?
In-house counsel should act as a bridge between strategy and organizational awareness. When sustainability is genuinely integrated into corporate governance, it ceases to be a reputational issue and becomes a competitive advantage and a management principle.
From the Board of Directors and the Corporate Practices Committee, lawyers have the responsibility of linking ESG principles with real business decisions. That means questioning, measuring and accompanying, not just validating. Sustainability is also a question of governance: of how decisions are made, who validates them and how they are held accountable.
Our role is to ensure that the company not only grows, but does so with integrity, transparency and responsibility.
In legal governance, how do ESG principles align with business practices and investment decision-making?
Integrating ESG principles means recognizing that each business decision has an impact beyond the financial. In legal management, this translates into mapping not only legal risks, but also social, environmental and reputational risks, understanding that they are all part of the same value equation.
Under a mentality aimed at balancing people, planet and results, we have proven that sustainability is not incompatible with profitability; On the contrary, it strengthens it.
A company with solid legal frameworks and institutional ethics not only reduces its exposure to risk, but also generates trust with investors and partners, consolidating its position in an increasingly demanding and conscious regulatory environment.
Could you share specific examples of policies or initiatives that you have promoted within the company to promote a culture of sustainability?
We have institutionalized the Audit, Risk and Corporate Practices Committees, with subcommittees specialized in sustainability, digital transformation and organizational culture.
From the legal area we support the creation and publication of Gaya’s sustainability plan, as well as integrity, ethics and anti-corruption/prevention of conflicts of interest policies. We also digitize a large part of the legal processes to reduce paper consumption and increase documentary traceability.
These efforts reflect a culture where sustainability, technology and governance are intertwined to ensure continuity and trust.
In your opinion, what aspects are often overlooked in discussions about how green a company is and how can legal teams address these issues?
Today the environmental impact is often talked about as a priority, but the human impact is often left aside. A truly sustainable company not only takes care of its materials or processes, but also the people who make them possible. Ethics, inclusion, job security and transparency in the value chain are as green as solar panels or recycling.
In any organization we have the opportunity and responsibility to incorporate these variables into contracts, policies and codes of conduct. The role of the legal area is not limited to complying with the law, but to raise the standard of how corporate responsibility is understood, promoting comprehensive sustainability that combines awareness, compliance and purpose.
How do you see the impact of artificial intelligence and data analytics on business sustainability practices?
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way we measure, manage and prevent risk. Today it is possible to evaluate the environmental impact of a project in real time, identify patterns of non-compliance or anticipate regulatory scenarios with greater precision.
At Gaya we are implementing AI tools to map obligations, prioritize actions and automate internal processes, freeing up time and resources that are allocated to strategy and making higher-value decisions.
My vision defines AI, in essence, as an extension of human intelligence: it amplifies the ability to act on accurate information and make more ethical, sustainable and evidence-based decisions.
Regarding your presentation at the Mexico Legal Management Forum, what will be the key topics you will address and what message do you hope to convey to attendees?
I will talk about the “silent success” of the in-house lawyer, that which is measured in stability and trust, not in prominence. In complex environments, true legal leadership seeks not to shine, but to make things work.
I will share how we have managed to integrate the culture of compliance with the business strategy, showing that risk management can also be an engine of growth. My central message will be that lawyers must evolve from being guardians of the past to designers of the future, generating structures that ensure the continuity of the business purpose.
What advice would you give to other legal professionals to become active agents of change towards more sustainable business practices?
The first step is to stop seeing sustainability as an issue outside of law. Every contract, every policy and every decision has a social or environmental impact. My advice is to get involved, understand the business model and dare to propose solutions, not just warnings.
Sustainability begins in the way we practice our profession: with ethics, curiosity and empathy. Lawyers who understand this become true architects of change, capable of generating structures that transcend people and consolidate organizations with purpose.
What is the smartest thing anyone has ever said to you (and who said it)?
Whoever chooses the behavior, chooses the consequence. There are many jobs, there is only one life.
A book?
The 3 questions (Who am I? Where am I going? and With whom?) Jorge Bucay.
A sport?
Golf/American Football.
A song?
Titanium – David Guetta ft. SIA
If you weren’t a lawyer, would you be…?
Sports reporter.
Your favorite food?
Tacos.
A childhood memory?
Play with my grandparents.
What puts you in a bad mood?
Mexico City traffic.
A key to success?
Perseverance, humility, give your best.
What inspires you?
My family.
What do you enjoy most?
Living with family and friends.
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