Carla Gonzalez Gerard Brings Bicultural Excellence In-House at Mastercard

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Carla Gonzalez Gerard was absolutely positive that she wanted to be a successful lawyer. At the beginning of her legal career, her main goal was to work at a law firm. Over time, that goal shifted. She worked at a law firm in Mexico City accruing experience in corporate law. She then pursued her LLM at Duke University Law School and got a job offer from a prestigious law firm in Miami. “Working at law firms, both in Mexico and the US, was much different than what I imagined it would be.”

It’s those moments that can be the most defining. Gerard is now senior counsel of cybersecurity products in the services legal team at Mastercard, having already been promoted once since joining the company during the pandemic in 2020. The attorney went in-house, the last move she ever expected to make, and one an earlier version of herself would never have believed.

Gerard’s work at Mastercard is, somehow, a perfect mix of the multitude of experiences she’s accumulated over time. Her bilingualism and cross-border expertise, her ability to draft and negotiate contracts in both Spanish and English, product counseling, and her deep M&A and transactional skills have all proven to be vital assets. There was just one challenge: she had no experience in cybersecurity.

“I was up-front about that in my interview, but my hiring manager told me that they valued a fast-paced lawyer who could hit the ground running, the rest could be learned,” Gerard explains. The lawyer had to hit the digital ground, however. Hired at the onset of the pandemic, she had to cultivate deep relationships across the organization while not being able to enter the office she literally lived blocks away from at the time.

“I  have very close friends that I’ve never met in person,” Gerard says. “In fact, I just met one of them last year after years of working together. It’s possible and very rewarding to build and maintain those relationships, even when you’re not in the same office.”

Gerard was promoted within a year of joining Mastercard, and her purview today includes product development, multilingual drafting and negotiation of contracts, M&A, cross-border matters, and much, much more. The variety is what keeps Gerard interested in the work.

Over the last five years, Gerard has become a people manager, and she’s applied lessons she learned throughout her career. Being one of the company’s first remote-onboarded employees during the pandemic, Gerard is frank that the process was difficult. She thinks of it often with the people she leads, valuing support, availability and open communication.

“My early experience here was challenging because of the pandemic,” Gerard says. “This is a complex company, and there is a lot of training and resources that have been subsequently rolled out that I would have benefited from.”

In an industry where efficiency is so highly valued, Gerard is a firm believer that asking questions and getting proper training goes a long way and helps drive a successful team. There are obviously instances where struggle can be valuable, but there are also moments when a guiding hand gets things done faster and can teach at the same time.

“I like efficiency,” Gerard says simply. “Specifically, when training people, I find it very important to provide the necessary information, be available to answer any questions, brainstorm and help people thrive in that role. That is my philosophy. Share your knowledge and experience so everyone in the team can successfully achieve their goals”

Mastercard wasn’t Gerard’s first in-house stop. She earned her in-house stripes at Melia Hotels International, a Spanish multinational where she learned how to translate complex legal questions for diverse, multinational teams. It was a tough transition, having been accustomed to speaking to lawyers all day, including her husband at home.

And whether it’s at a firm or in-house, Gerard hopes more women will advocate for themselves in their careers. She’s never been shy in asking for what she wants, and she wants to see more women willing to advocate for their careers, whether it’s a role or a development opportunity.

“That’s how I got the role I’m in,” Gerard says. “I saw the role posted, and I made it known that I was interested in it.”

This proactive approach is also how Gerard made friends and built a community since moving to the suburbs of Miami. The lawyer says she purposefully walked up to people in her neighborhood and introduced herself and her family. It’s worked out great, and the awkward first few seconds of interaction have given way to lasting friendships.

“We’re so happy here,” Gerard says. “And I’m so grateful to be part of a company where the work is interesting and also allows me to be available for my family.”

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