"Companies Should Be Much More Aggressive in Investment and Rely on Firms for Support"

José Vicente Zapata, the newly named executive partner of Holland & Knight's Colombia office, was featured in an interview with Asuntos Legales about the expectations for the firm and commercial outlook in the country. He highlighted strategic management with clients, internal focus on cross-practice collaboration and general growth as three fundamental themes for the office, adding that key sectors for the team include energy and natural resources, infrastructure project finance and development, tax planning, international investment litigation, and mergers and adquisitions (M&A). He affirmed that "despite the complex political, social and economic reality, investors have not lost interest" and the number of M&A transactions continues to rise. He also detailed opportunities for investment in the mining and agricultural industries, along with the environmental sector thanks to carbon credits and sustainability systems, concluding that "there is a lot of business to create and the future in Colombia is very positive." Finally, he shared that the chief challenge facing legal professionals now is adapting to client needs as they demand strategic solutions and concrete direction for their businesses.

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