Miguel Romera: at the helm of Vodafone’s legal strategy
The challenges of the newly appointed legal director amid mergers and major connectivity projects
by ilaria iaquinta
With a professional background in corporations such as Hispasat and Indra, and after several years leading key functions within Vodafone, Miguel Romera was appointed last November as director of corporate legal advisory, compliance, and risk at Vodafone Spain, formalising a role he had largely been performing already. His career, which includes experience in law firms, has provided him with a wealth of expertise that he now applies to the company’s overarching strategic objectives within the telecommunications sector.
A MOMENT OF TRANSFORMATION
“For me, it has been an honour that Vodafone, and particularly the general counsel, have placed their trust in me to take on this role. When they informed me of the decision, it was easy to say yes, not only because of the confidence they showed in me but also because of the challenges and objectives they presented for this phase,” Romera explains. “Our main mission is to drive Vodafone’s growth and continue being the key player we have always been in Spain’s telecommunications sector”.
This appointment comes at a time of great dynamism for the company, following the sale of Vodafone Spain to Zegona Communications for €5 billion. The transaction, completed in May 2024, has marked a key strategic shift under the leadership of José Miguel García. Since then, the company has improved its profitability, with a 6.35% increase in adjusted EBITDA after leases in the second fiscal quarter, reaching €318 million, despite a slight decline in revenue.
Unlike the traditional model—where the general counsel centralises all legal activities—Romera’s role involves a multi-reporting structure. He directly oversees the areas of compliance and risk, reporting to the general counsel of Vodafone Spain and to the Audit and Risk Committee of Zegona Communications, the main shareholder. As Romera explains, this dual reporting structure is not an obstacle but rather a motivator: “It might seem complex, but the working method established by the general counsel, treating us as if we were a publicly listed company, ensures that the system is neither inefficient nor generates unnecessary work. That said, having multiple reporting lines demands greater attention to detail and the way reports are presented, as the recipient has different priorities: shareholder versus company”.
