Biography: Trade & Customs

Turenna Ramirez is a partner with Sánchez Devanny, heading the international trade and customs practice group. Turenna joined the firm after 12 successful years of experience and leadership at a prestigious Mexican law firm. She collaborated with US congressman Eligio 'Kika' de la Garza, in Washington, DC.

She graduated, cum laude, from the University of the Americas-Puebla and began to practise law in 1997. She has two postgraduate studies qualifications specialising in international business law from the Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico and the Universidad Panamericana.

Her experience includes the analysis, design and implementation of business strategies for multinational companies with Mexican operations; comprehensive consulting services on customs matters and international treaties, NAFTA origin verifications and tariff rating procedures, export promotion programmes and wide knowledge on tariff and non-tariff regulatory aspects. She has participated in complex, high visibility issues on foreign trade, as the negotiations with the secretary general of the World Customs Organization in a programme against forgery and piracy.

She has handled the political and legal aspects for the creation of general and strategic bonded warehouses, preparing and lobbying Federal Decrees granting operational and import tax reduction benefits for different industries. She has extensive experience in advising management in various industrial sectors.

She is vice chair for the Inter-Pacific Bar Association International Trade Committee, member of the ICC, International Bar Association, AMCHAM, working closely with the World Customs Organization programmes, vice president of the Mexican Institute of Foreign Trade Executives and active member in national law organisations. She is a regular speaker at business seminars in several countries.