Dentons steps up a gear in Spain
Federico Sutti, European board chair, will steer the transition following Jabier Badiola’s step back. The aim is to build a broader, more profitable full-service platform, adapting to the Spanish market some of the thinking behind the Italian mode
by ilaria iaquinta
Dentons is entering a new phase in Spain. Following Jabier Badiola’s step back from the role of country managing partner (here the news), since April the firm has asked Federico Sutti, European board chair and managing partner in Italy, to lead the transition, with a mandate to accelerate a platform viewed as strategic but still some way from the positioning the group expects.
The assignment is temporary. Sutti is not stepping in as a permanent replacement for the Spanish leadership; he is there to steer the reset, setting priorities for the 2026–2028 plan, and to pave the way for the appointment of the next country managing partner. “Spain has been a priority in our European strategic plan for years”, he tells Iberian Lawyer. “In other countries we have managed to move faster, whereas in Spain the journey has been slower. Now we want to pick up the pace”.
The previous phase leaves behind an efficient setup, but one that is still too small. Dentons currently has around 40 professionals in Spain, sustainable in terms of costs and organisation, but not yet enough, in Sutti’s view, to compete consistently with leading international and domestic firms Between 2025 and 2026, the Spanish partnership also went through a period of adjustment, with the departures of Jesús Mardomingo, who moved to Andersen; Inmaculada Castelló, who joined Deloitte Legal; and Itxaso López, who joined DLA Piper as a real estate partner. Conversely, the firm strengthened tax with Guillermo Bailach Miró, who arrived from DLA Piper, and promoted Jorge Carmona Escudero to partner in corporate M&A.
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