Hipoges, legal from day one
Noelia Palacios explains to Iberian Lawyer how to build a regional legal function in a highly regulated business
by ilaria iaquinta
“We need to make things happen while minimising legal risks to the greatest extent”. This sentence sums up Noelia Palacios’ view of the legal function: a proactive part of the business. Since July 2024, Palacios has served as corporate legal director at Hipoges (and the group’s general counsel), leading a regional legal team responsible for Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece, in a group where corporate governance and regulation are embedded in the operating model. Her approach stems from a cross-sector career. Palacios began at Uría Menéndez in 2008 and moved in-house in 2011, joining Samsung Electronics. She later moved on to Gransolar and then to Intrum, before taking up her current role at Hipoges. Her experience across very different industries (technology, renewable energy, and financial and real estate services) has shaped how she sees the legal function. “For an in-house lawyer, it’s essential to have a deep knowledge of the business in order to deliver real value”, she emphasises.
Her interview with Iberian Lawyer comes at a key moment for the company, following the November announcement of Hipoges’ acquisition—previously backed by KKR—by the UK fund Pollen Street Capital pending the necessary regulatory approvals. The transaction will result in a combined group with over 2,000 professionals and approximately €55 billion in assets under management. In this context, the legal team assumes a coordinating role that goes far beyond technical advice. They must organise legal information across the companies, present it clearly, and resolve questions to help ensure the success of the operation.
THE TEAM
The department headed by Palacios, which she has been shaping since her arrival, relies on a team of 12 lawyers (seven in Spain, two in Portugal, two in Italy and one in Greece). In Spain alone, the scope is especially broad, covering thirteen companies with different lines of business—some regulated—as well as numerous client entities for which Hipoges provides corporate secretarial services.
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