Doing Well by Doing Good: A Legal Leader’s Vision for an Inclusive Battery Industry
Q&A with Margarita Munera, Regional General Counsel, LATAM – Clarios
The content below was provided by WGBI Sustaining Advocate Sponsor Clarios
As part of Clarios’ support of Women in the Global Battery Industry (WGBI), we’re honored to spotlight the diverse voices driving progress within our organization and across the energy storage sector. In this Q&A, we speak with Margarita Munera, Regional General Counsel for LATAM, whose 30+ year legal career has played a pivotal role in advancing Clarios’ circularity model, safeguarding intellectual property, and navigating critical global challenges. Margarita was recognized in the Legal 500 General Counsel Green Power List in 2024 and 2025, and her leadership is grounded in purpose—ensuring compliance, fostering innovation, and creating opportunities for diverse talent to thrive. Through both action and advocacy, she exemplifies how legal expertise can drive business continuity, inclusivity, and industry transformation.
Q: To start, can you tell us a bit about yourself, your current role at Clarios, and how your work supports the broader battery industry?
I’m a lawyer currently serving as Regional General Counsel for the Clarios business in LATAM. Alongside my team, I help support the broader battery industry by protecting Clarios’ circularity model, which is a benchmark across the sector. We ensure our operations run efficiently and go above and beyond to comply with all regulatory requirements, allowing us to deliver the highest quality batteries to our customers and the market.
I like to believe that by operating to the highest standards, Clarios sets an example for the industry—we demonstrate that it’s possible to do well by doing good. And the legal team is a key backbone in helping achieve those results.
For example, we negotiated the first clean energy contract in Mexico and implemented one of the country’s first crime prevention systems. Together with LATAM leadership—and really, the entire company—we ensured business continuity during critical moments like the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 Mexico energy crisis. During the pandemic, Clarios’ legal teams led efforts to have the battery and broader automotive industry designated as essential, allowing us to continue operations during lockdowns across multiple regions.
We also help ensure that consumers receive high-quality batteries and we protect the intellectual property that upholds that quality—no small task in today’s complex global trade environment.
Q: Can you walk us through your professional journey—your education and career path—and what led you to your current role at Clarios?
I bring more than 30 years of legal experience. My academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Law and Political Science, a specialization in Commercial Law, and a Master’s degree in International Commercial Law from the University of Leuven in Belgium. I’ve worked as both outside counsel and in-house counsel across various industries and countries throughout Latin America.
I’ve spent nearly a decade in the battery industry—first with Johnson Controls, and now with Clarios. I’m proud to sponsor the Women’s Network in Mexico and represent Clarios on a number of external boards.
Q: What initially drew you to the battery industry, and what continues to motivate you in your work today?
In a previous role, I supported several business units, and the battery business stood out as the most dynamic and successful. What attracted me most was the high level of professionalism across the team, Clarios’ circularity model, the strength and stability of the business, and the challenge of maintaining a safe manufacturing environment while working with hazardous materials.
I was also drawn to the company’s commitment to employee well-being and professional development—values that continue to motivate me every day.
Q: Looking back, what have been some pivotal moments or lessons in your career that shaped your approach to leadership or innovation in this field?
Early in my career, I led a team with varying performance levels, and it taught me a critical lesson: you can’t achieve great results without a strong team. To build that kind of team, leadership must be focused on developing people and serving them in a way that helps them reach their full potential.
I’m a strong believer in innovation and continuous improvement. I’m always asking my team how we can do things better. This aligns perfectly with the battery industry, which supports the evolving transportation and energy sectors. The possibilities are endless—new technologies, chemistries, and devices—and we must remain open to pursuing innovative solutions, just as Clarios does.
Q: What are some key challenges professionals in the battery industry face today, and how do organizations like WGBI help address them?
From a technology and business standpoint, there are many opportunities ahead—but a key challenge is building rapid, localized ecosystems of innovation in areas like solar, energy storage, and intelligent battery management. We need systems that support electric vehicles alongside combustion engines, and that power battery-based energy storage.
To succeed, we need not only investment, but a strong culture of innovation—one that links local universities, industry, and governments to develop the talent required for cost-efficient, scalable solutions. Getting all of these forces aligned quickly, within a manufacturing environment that requires significant capital and time to adapt, is a real challenge.
From a trade and supply chain perspective, the biggest issue is ongoing uncertainty around rules and tariffs. It’s difficult to plan or invest in new facilities when the regulatory landscape is constantly shifting.
On the people side, the industry is still learning how to create inclusive environments where individuals of all backgrounds, genders, generations, and ethnicities can thrive and contribute. For example, we need to better connect experienced leaders with young talent skilled in AI, data science, and Industry 4.0, and translate that combined wisdom into better ways of working.
We also need to make space—particularly in manufacturing—for flexibility that supports different life stages, whether that’s childcare, elder care, or continued education. Inclusion means valuing new perspectives and listening to what women (and all employees) bring to the table.
WGBI can help address these challenges by sharing examples from other countries and companies, empowering members through education, and connecting emerging female talent with seasoned leaders.
Q: How does Clarios foster a culture of diversity, collaboration, and inclusion? Are there any programs or initiatives that stand out to you as particularly impactful?
What stands out most to me is our focus on developing young talent. One of our programs identifies high-potential employees and brings them into a forum with senior leaders in LATAM. These interactions provide visibility, open up development pathways, and foster mutual learning through meaningful conversations.
We also support a number of affinity groups, host awareness-raising webinars, and participate in external events like the Pride March. Specifically for women, we celebrate International Women’s Day with an open forum, and offer development workshops tailored to different career stages.
Clarios has also implemented policies that institutionalize equity and respect—covering parental leave, job flexibility, salary equity, and more. We maintain a Compliance and Investigations system to ensure these policies are upheld and effective.
Q: What advice would you offer to someone just starting out in the battery sector, regardless of their background?
Be curious. Learn from every experience you encounter. Ask questions. Meet people across different areas of the business. And above all, keep learning.
This is an industry that’s constantly evolving. If you stay open-minded, forward-thinking, and willing to grow, you’ll find not only success—but happiness—in your career.
