Ignacio Pereña Pinedo, Legal at the heart of ACS’s transformation
ACS’s head of legal tells Iberian Lawyer how a legal function of around 300 professionals operates within a group increasingly focused on next-generation infrastructure and how its relationship with external law firms is evolving
by ilaria iaquinta
ACS, together with Hochtief, has once again topped Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) Top 250 International Contractors ranking in 2026, which ranks construction groups by revenue generated outside their home markets. But the group now leading that ranking looks increasingly unlike a traditional construction company. Data centres, next-generation mobility and projects linked to critical minerals are accounting for a growing share of the business. Over the past 12 months, ACS has invested €746m in data centres. The shift is taking place within a group that generated revenue of €49.848bn in 2025 and had an order backlog of €105.9bn as of June 2026. The legal function reflects that scale, with around 300 professionals spread across different companies and geographies. Heading the corporate legal department is Ignacio Pereña Pinedo. A State Attorney, he joined ACS after more than 12 years as general counsel and secretary to the board at Redexis, following almost eight years leading legal affairs at Tragsa.
ACS is changing significantly as a group…
Over recent years, ACS has been pursuing a highly ambitious strategic plan, evolving from a traditional construction company into a developer and operator of advanced technology infrastructure across a range of areas, including data centres, next-generation motorways and the management and processing of critical minerals, to give just a few examples.
What does that transformation mean for the legal function?
As ACS expands its activities, the complexity of the legal function increases too. That requires highly specialised professionals with a broad understanding of the business and a constant ability to adapt to the new challenges ahead. Our main objective is to help the group carry out its activities and execute increasingly complex projects in a legally robust and efficient way.
How is Legal integrated into business decision-making?
The legal function plays a strategic role. Our job is not limited to providing legal advice; it is about supporting the business in identifying opportunities, managing risks and structuring increasingly complex, innovative and international projects. The group’s lawyers are actively involved in key decisions and transactions, working in an integrated way with all areas of the business.
At what stage do you become involved in projects?
From the initial analysis and structuring stages through to execution, financing, operation and, where necessary, dispute resolution. Our role is to ensure that projects of enormous technical and economic complexity can be developed with the highest degree of legal certainty, anticipating risks and facilitating solutions that allow the business to achieve its objectives.
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