What was your route to the top? It certainly wasn't a linear path. It has been more of a circuitous ride, with stops in a few industries and locations. I always knew I wanted a global career. Corporate work would allow me that, so I started my career at a major New York law firm, including some time at the firm's London office. Then, personal circumstances led to a relocation which prompted me to try the in-house life relatively early in my career. I jumped to a start-up, as the GC of a Latin America-based ecommerce marketplace, learning the business across the multiple jurisdictions in which the company operated. Next, I moved to a major satellite television provider in Latin America, serving as assistant GC. This gave me experience in a new sector with its own unique set of issues, such as broadcasting rights, television programming, or matters—like the broadcasting of World Cup games—with a political dimension. In the 15 years I've been at Mastercard, I have served in a variety of positions, before my current role as GC, North America. The opportunity to live and work abroad, see the world, especially the developing world, to learn and understand different cultures has been—in Mastercard terms—priceless.

What keeps you up at night? (i.e. What are your biggest business-related concerns?) There's the what and the how. The what is the big issues of the day: cybersecurity, data and privacy, and accelerating innovation with things like machine learning. Beyond that, I worry about how we lead and operate. Are we doing the best we can to position our talent for success? What more can we do to promote diversity and inclusion? It's imperative that we know our talent, ensure they feel welcome, included and motivated, and provide ample opportunity for them to make the best use of their abilities and experiences. This is what drives value for a company and for society.

What is the best leadership advice you provided, or received, and why do you think it was effective? Leadership is a privilege. Having the opportunity to affect people's lives is a humbling proposition. The higher you reach, the more important it is to keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. Leadership can sometimes be lonely. You have to have the courage and commitment to raise or debate issues that others may prefer to avoid. In the long term, people respect and follow leaders with the right combination of humility and courage.

Looking back, what do you wish you had known when you started out in the legal profession? There isn't any one 'right' path. It may be a cliché, but it's true: the journey is what's important. Someone starting out shouldn't fret so much about making the right move or advancing fast enough. In each stop you have the opportunity to learn and grow, to develop your critical thinking, problem solving and people management skills. You may not realize in real time how you benefit from a particular position, project or relationship, but before you know it you'll have amassed an arsenal of skills and relationships rich in synergies.