Javier Aparicio Alfaro

What made you realize you wanted to pursue a career in law?

For me, it was more of a family thing. I come from a family of lawyers. My grandfather was a lawyer, my father is a lawyer, my brother is a lawyer. My mother has a degree in law, although she never practiced professionally. But my family didn’t make me study law! I’ve always believed that the law profession is present in many aspects of day-to-day life, and I find it quite useful to have that knowledge that can apply to a lot of different sectors and businesses.

Why did you decide to study the Master of Laws (LL.M.)?

During my undergrad, I did an internship at a law firm here in Madrid. When I graduated that year, my bosses at that law firm told me that to be able to join the firm as a serving professional lawyer, they required a master’s degree in law. The LL.M. at IE Law School was here in Madrid, which was very convenient for me. Another feature that convinced me is the exchange period that the program offered. I thought, okay, I can still stay here in Madrid and at the same time have this master’s experience abroad. That was one of the key factors that helped me decide on the program.

Could you describe your overall experience at IE University in just one or two words?

First, I’d choose the word “diverse.” We had about 16 to 18 nationalities in our class. I was one of four Spanish students in my class, and the rest were from Latin America, America, Europe, Singapore and from all around the world. I’d also describe the program as “practical.” It provides an incredibly practical, hands-on focus, which is a big contrast to a lot of universities in Spain.

How the Master of Laws (LL.M.) helped you achieve your goals?

The program was very important for my career. It gave me the key to start professionally at the law firm where I’d done my internship. I spent four years there. Later, I moved to another company for five years or so, and in 2019 I began in my current position at Prosegur.

During recruitment processes, I’ve always been asked about my master’s degree. People recognize the name of IE University, and when you say you studied a master in international legal practice that was fully in English, I have to admit that always wins you some points.

Tell us about your current position

I’m the Global Corporate Legal Counsel of Prosegur. I’m essentially number two in the legal department. Prosegur is a huge company. It’s one of the top five security companies worldwide. I’m responsible for the entire corporate legal department, under our director.

My job is to supervise all the legal directors that we have in 26 countries worldwide. I brief with the legal directors of each country and filter through the legal issues they’re having. The most relevant issues are then presented to our board of directors and our main shareholders here in the corporate office in Madrid. At the moment I’m very, very happy in my position.

Has your position come with any challenges?

It has been very challenging at times. I have to admit that when I was interviewed, the company asked for 12 years of experience, and I had barely eight years. The position is pretty demanding and I’m still learning, but I’m really happy. Prosegur being such a big corporation allows you to work with players that are relevant across the world; we’ve signed agreements with Microsoft, Banco Santander, Telefónica, and other top Spanish and foreign multinationals.

I’m responsible for 26 countries, some of which are very complex. We’re present in Indonesia, the Philippines, North America, Latin America, Southeast Asia, Australia and China. We don’t have specific legal directors in many of these regions—just legal advisors who are not in-house. Aside from challenges such as language barriers and different time zones, we have to understand the culture of these countries, identify and comprehend their ideas and then present them to the board, as well as having to understand each country’s legal culture.

Prosegur is also a listed company, which carries a lot of legal obligations and requirements, and another challenge is the sheer economic figures that we manage. We just issued a €500 million bond. We’ve done M&A transactions worth hundreds and hundreds of millions of euros. There’s that pressure, that responsibility.

Do you have any tips on how to nail a job interview?

Always try to be very clear on your virtues and your best skills. Also, I never say anything in an interview that isn’t really true. For example, when I applied at Prosegur, the sector was brand new to me. In the interview, they asked me what experience I had in the Spanish security sector, and I answered honestly: my experience right now is zero, but just like with everything, I think you can learn. So, try to be sincere and try to highlight what you’re best at.

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