Inspiring Women in Law: A Conversation with María Teresa Jayo, Business Law Manager at Beiersdorf  

"Legal teams must be architects of integrity within every organization"
 

Latin Counsel has had the pleasure of conversing with María Teresa Jayo, Business Law Manager at Beiersdorf, whose 17-year career illustrates the successful transition from the demanding world of Mexican notarial practice to dynamic multinational Corporate Law.
Originally from Veracruz and based in Mexico City, Jayo is a regional leader with a clear vision for ethics and management.
For Jayo, the legal team must be the "architect of integrity" of the organization, promoting an ethical culture that transcends the purely regulatory. She emphasizes that diversity (cultural, gender, experience) is not an aspirational goal, but a competitive advantage that provides more comprehensive angles for strategic decision-making.
Her message to young female lawyers is direct: believe in your voice, seek mentors, and if necessary, do not wait for permission to take the space that belongs to you. María Teresa Jayo’s goal is to continue contributing to the formation of influential, modern legal teams that serve as engines of change in business and society.

LATIN COUNSEL: What motivated you to study Law and what kind of social or professional impact were you looking to achieve with that choice?

María Teresa Jayo: Since I was very young, I was attracted to the precision, order, and clarity of rules in all areas of my life.
I also felt a deep curiosity to understand how a society manages to coexist in harmony, along with a strong sense of justice and equity.
Over time, during my pre-university studies, I discovered that subjects related to Law came naturally to me, which increasingly revealed that this was the professional path I wanted to pursue.

LATIN COUNSEL: If you hadn’t dedicated yourself to Law, what other career or profession would you have chosen and how do you think that choice would connect with your drive today?

María Teresa Jayo: I have always had an artistic streak inherited from my father, so if I hadn’t dedicated myself to Law, I probably would have leaned towards a career related to plastic arts or literature. Writing and creating have always been activities I deeply enjoy, and that passion for communicating, observing details, and expressing ideas clearly and in a structured way connects directly with my current drive in the legal field. In many ways, Law is also an art: it requires creativity, precision, and the ability to tell stories convincingly—skills that I undoubtedly would have developed differently on an artistic path.

LATIN COUNSEL: What has been the greatest personal lesson or challenge you have had to overcome to reach your current position as Business & Law Manager at Beiersdorf?

María Teresa Jayo: The greatest lesson and challenge I have faced to reach my current position as Business & Law Manager at Beiersdorf has been learning not to be afraid and to maintain constant preparation. I understood that true success arises when preparation meets opportunity, and that every challenge is an opportunity to grow and strengthen skills.

LATIN COUNSEL: If you could give one piece of advice to the María Teresa who graduated from Law School, what would it be?

María Teresa Jayo: I would tell her to act without fear and with confidence in herself. There will always be better or worse, easier or more challenging: paths, jobs, colleagues. You learn and grow from every experience. It is essential to invest in technical preparation while developing interpersonal skills and strategic thinking, because both dimensions are essential for building a successful and impactful legal career.

LATIN COUNSEL: You have led legal teams in corporate contexts and in notarial practice. How would you describe your leadership style and what do you value most in a member of your team?

María Teresa Jayo: In the opportunities I have had to lead teams, I would say my style is based on situational leadership; I adapt my approach according to the maturity, competencies, and needs of each team, incorporating elements of different styles when necessary. Nevertheless, I believe that democratic and transformational approaches predominate in me, as I firmly believe in actively listening, fostering participation, and motivating people to reach their maximum potential. In a member of my team, I especially value proactivity, integrity, and the willingness to learn and collaborate, because these are qualities that strengthen not only results but also team culture and cohesion.

LATIN COUNSEL: In your regional role, you interact with multiple entities and diverse cultures across LATAM. How do you foster inclusion and collaboration among teams with such distinct idiosyncrasies and legal frameworks?

María Teresa Jayo: I love connecting with people and truly enjoy this part of my role. Although most of us are Spanish speakers and the language unites us, interacting in different regions is definitely a challenge; our cultures, social contexts, and idiosyncrasies make us very different, and of course, there are challenges in collaboration. To foster good collaboration and communication, I strive to be very transparent in my communication and show a lot of openness and good disposition. I also believe it is vital to make people you are collaborating with feel comfortable and secure with you. Another aspect I consider important is to be honest and direct when something is unclear, ambiguous, or there are doubts. When dealing with different environments and cultures, there is no such thing as a silly question or comment, because both parties—the one asking or commenting and the one listening and responding—learn.

LATIN COUNSEL: With regards to process standardization; In what way was cultural sensitivity key to successfully implementing these changes across the CAMEX-ANDEAN region?

María Teresa Jayo: Standardization is successful only when it is not perceived as an imposition alien to the local reality. In the CAMEX-ANDEAN region, cultural sensitivity was decisive. We actively listened to how each market operated, understood their regulatory and social particularities, and built common solutions while respecting those differences. It was not about copying and pasting a work model, but about building and standardizing models and ways of working together with respect, empathy, and a regional vision.

LATIN COUNSEL: What do you believe is the responsibility of legal leadership in promoting a culture of compliance and ethics that goes beyond the purely regulatory?

María Teresa Jayo: Legal teams must be architects of integrity within every organization. This involves anticipating risks, promoting difficult conversations, and modeling consistent ethical behavior. Regulations establish the minimum; ethical culture defines the standard to which we aspire as a company, and that standard is led by example, consistency, and courage.

LATIN COUNSEL: How do you believe the diversity of perspectives (cultural, gender, experience) impacts strategic decision-making within a multinational company like Beiersdorf?

María Teresa Jayo: It impacts positively. Diversity is not an aspirational goal; it is a competitive advantage. In global organizations like Beiersdorf, cultural, gender, and experience diversity broadens our understanding of the business, reduces biases, and provides more comprehensive angles for decision-making. Innovation is born from looking at problems through multiple lenses. When teams reflect the plurality of the consumers we serve, our decisions are more relevant, more human, and more effective.

LATIN COUNSEL: What do you consider to be the greatest obstacles still faced by women in accessing legal leadership positions in Latin America?

María Teresa Jayo: Although we have made progress, structural barriers persist that limit women’s access to legal leadership positions in the region. These include unconscious biases, lack of access to influence networks, disproportionate expectations about absolute availability that hinder gender parity—for example, in many legislations, maternity leave differs for men and women, and if we talk about a home made up of a cisgender couple in this example, it denies men from exercising their paternity, leaving the woman to fully assume the professional cost involved in having children—and finally, the scarce visibility and especially recognition of female talent at key development stages. The challenge is no longer capacity, because capacity is proven, but dismantling the mechanisms that maintain these gaps and raising greater awareness of this inclusion so that organizations and people simply comply with a number.

LATIN COUNSEL: In your experience, what initiatives or corporate policies have proven most effective in promoting gender equity in the legal sector?

María Teresa Jayo: The most effective initiatives are those that translate into real and measurable changes. These include:

• Female leadership programs with clear metrics.
• Policies of real flexibility (not just on paper).
• Promotion processes blind to bias.
• Sponsorship, not just mentorship, is also key to opening opportunities for visibility and recognition, and unconscious bias training.

Equity is achieved when policy becomes practice and practice becomes corporate culture.

LATIN COUNSEL: Have you had key mentor figures in your career? What role does mentoring play in female professional development, especially in regional roles?

María Teresa Jayo: Yes, I have had female and male mentors who opened doors and challenged me to grow. Mentoring is essential, especially in regional roles and large organizational structures: it helps navigate complexity, gain confidence, and accelerate development. Moreover, for women, it is also a tool to break invisible ceilings, solidify their position, and transform professional trajectories.

LATIN COUNSEL: How has the experience of being a Law professor shaped your vision of inclusion and the need to train lawyers with a broader perspective of society?

María Teresa Jayo: Being a professor taught me that we train lawyers for society, not just for the market. Working with students made me see the importance of teaching critical thinking, human sensitivity, empathy, and inclusion, and to be more conscious of the example I am setting and the impact my actions have, however simple they may seem. Today it is essential for legal teams to have a comprehensive, ethical, and social perspective.

LATIN COUNSEL: Your regional role is highly demanding. How do you manage to balance the demands of the position with your personal life, and what strategies do you apply to maintain that balance?

María Teresa Jayo: Definitely by having a lot of awareness of my life, what I want for myself, and what makes me who I am. I always seek to manage my priorities with intention and discipline, set healthy boundaries, and am part of an autonomous work team.
I apply weekly planning and always perform a conscious disconnection when the workday concludes, along with personal rituals that protect my well-being to enjoy the other aspects of my life. All this has allowed me to live fully and intensely every moment of my life, including my work and professional development. Professional sustainability is achieved not with more hours, but with better (and more conscious) decisions and surrounding oneself with solid teams.

LATIN COUNSEL: In addition to English and Italian, you have basic knowledge of Mexican Sign Language. How do you view the role of inclusive communication in Corporate Law?

María Teresa Jayo: I started learning sign language because I witnessed the difficulties suffered by people with hearing and/or language disabilities and wanted to have the possibility of making a change. I must admit that learning sign language is very challenging and requires constant practice, which I have neglected lately and for which I feel a bit ’rusty’ in the subject. However, I believe that inclusive communication opens doors for everyone and removes invisible barriers. A basic knowledge of sign language changes how we understand access to information. Inclusion is a pillar for building fairer and more accessible cultures. All people are valuable and have something to contribute; not knowing how to understand them or not learning to listen to them limits our knowledge and vision, which is why it is important to have the tools that allow us to establish that valuable communication bridge.

LATIN COUNSEL: You have transitioned from Notarial Law to in-house counsel in consumer goods. What soft skill (non-legal) has been the most important for succeeding in that transition?

María Teresa Jayo: Undoubtedly they were: extreme adaptability, empathy, teamwork skills, and developing collaborative creativity. Personally, the interpersonal skills I acquired and developed working in the notary office were also fundamental. I enjoy building solid and trusting relationships, and that focus has been essential in my transition to the corporate world. It has allowed me to become a true business partner and not just another legal advisor.

LATIN COUNSEL: How have you used your experience as co-manager of the Notary Office to provide a more business-oriented vision in your current corporate roles?

María Teresa Jayo: It is worth clarifying that notary offices are managed and obtained very differently from those I know in Latin America. The regulation and appointment of a notary are very different, the processes and authorization to have a notary office and the level of specialization are complex and even diverse within Mexico, depending on the legislation of each Federal Entity. Therefore, having supported the titular notary in the management of the office allowed me to understand costs, efficiency, and value. This has allowed me today to provide pragmatic corporate and vendor solutions, be resilient and open to changes, understand the business, and maintain a customer-oriented mindset.

LATIN COUNSEL: What is the main change you would like to see in the legal sector of Mexico and LATAM in terms of modernization and accessibility in the next five years?

María Teresa Jayo: I would like to see a more agile, transparent, and much more human sector. I would very much like to see digital modernization continue to be pushed, as well as efficient accessibility to procedures that responds to the current needs of our region, but above all, clearer and citizen-centric regulations that allow operations to be streamlined.

LATIN COUNSEL: What is the long-term professional goal that currently motivates you and what role do you want to play in the legal and business transformation of the region?

María Teresa Jayo: My goal is to contribute to the legal transformation in the region, integrating innovation, ethics, and diversity. I want to continue contributing to the formation of modern, influential legal teams close to the business, who act as engines of change within organizations and in society, being examples of integrity and empathy.

LATIN COUNSEL: What message of inspiration or motivation would you give to young female lawyers who are just beginning their careers in the region?

María Teresa Jayo: I would tell the female lawyers in the region: believe in your voice, seek mentors, and build strategic relationships, ask for opportunities, and if necessary, do not wait for permission to take the space that belongs to you. Authenticity and transparency are powerful assets today. Female leadership is transforming entire organizations and societies, and you are a fundamental part of that evolution. We are not alone; we have each other. Let us be support, guidance, and a team. If society and structures do not give us the spaces, policies, conversations, and support we need, let us do it ourselves and give each other that space, visibility, and support.