Maria Pernas

Maria Pernas is a member of the Group Executive Committee in charge of Legal and Commercial and Contract Management.

Previously, she was Senior Vice-President, Group General Counsel Operations at Atos, where she was responsible for the management of the Regional legal teams and the Contract Management function. Maria was also Group Diversity Program Manager.
 
After starting her professional career working as external legal advisor at Price Waterhouse in Madrid, Maria joined Sema Group (now Atos), where she was appointed to the role of General Counsel Iberia and South America, and worldwide General Counsel for the Major Events and Entertainment business unit in charge of, among others, the Olympic project. In 2004 Maria took over the position of Vice-President General Counsel South Europe, Middle East, Africa and South America at the Rome office, while keeping her previous responsibilities as General Counsel Major Events and Entertainment. In 2008 Maria moved to Paris and became responsible for the legal support to Major Contracts and, afterwards, Corporate Legal Affairs, Compliance and Litigations at worldwide level. In 2013 Maria was appointed Deputy Group General Counsel.
 
Maria is admitted at the Madrid Bar Association. She is member of the Boards of Directors of Cercle Montesquieu (France) and the European Association for Women in Leadership (“WIL”). She is former Vice President of the Association of Corporate Counsel Europe.  She also collaborates with business schools.
 
In 2018 she received the award “Top 50 Inspiring Women Lawyers 2018”. In 2014 she was shortlisted for the European Counsel Award “General Commercial Individual of the Year”. In 2006 she received the award “Manager of the Year” (Mujer Joven Directiva) granted by the “Federacion Espanola de Mujeres Directivas, Ejecutivas, Profesionales y Empresarias”.
 
Maria holds a Master of Laws from the Complutense University in Madrid (Spain) and a Master’s degree in European Union Law from the University San Pablo CEU