Angelica De Diego: Redefining Mexican Luxury Real Estate With Vision & Legal Expertise

True leadership is characterized by intellect and compassion. This amalgamation defines the for Angelica De Diego’s leadership ethos as a legal strategist and business facilitator. Currently appointed as the Chief Legal Officer for Mexican hospitality development company, GND Properties, Angelica leverages the practice of law to create businesses and real estate ventures while facilitating meaningful progress.

Educated at Universidad Anáhuac in Mexico, Angelica did a legal internship in New York. She began her journey at 23 with Mexico's largest steel firm, a role that honed her understanding of the business world. A desire to balance ambition and motherhood prompted her to become an independent attorney, one dedicated to constructing rather than fighting.

With more than two decades of experience, she is renowned for possessing the ability to harmonize legal accuracy with business creativity, bringing trust and clarity as well as cooperation to each undertaking. Today, at GND Properties, Angelica directs the legal infrastructure behind Mexico's most coveted luxury hospitality ventures.

In an interview with Global Woman Leader magazine, Angelica De Diego looks back at her professional journey, her empathetic leadership philosophy, and her vision to mould Mexico's real estate industry through integrity and vision.

Share your educational background and legal career journey.

From an early age, I knew my place was in the practice of law. I studied at the Mexican private university Universidad Anáhuac, where I attended several seminars and courses in corporate law, and completed a one-year internship with a New York legal advisory firm. At 23, I joined Mexico City’s largest steel company, a role that gave me valuable insight into the corporate world.

Although I loved the work, it was demanding, and I also wanted to be a mother. This motivated me to become an independent lawyer, allowing me to balance work and family. Early in this journey, I realized that my goal as a lawyer was to create—building businesses, partnerships, and projects, many of which are reflected in tangible assets. My practice focuses on developing and managing real estate projects, fostering business growth, and facilitating meaningful negotiations.

Leadership is not about control or position, but about creating an environment where each person feels empowered to contribute their expertise and grow

How has your experience shaped your approach to leadership and real estate development?

I have been in this sector for over 20 years. I have several clients, all in the real estate sector, but here at GND Properties, it is a specific real estate sector.

I specialize in creating and implementing of businesses in the real estate development sector and conducting effective negotiations in order to lay the foundation for successful partnerships, associations, and commercial alliances.

Introduce us to GND Properties. Tell us about your role as Chief Legal Officer?

We are a Mexican company dedicated to the manage­ment, development, and overall growth of projects within the hospitality sector. At GND Properties, our primary focus is on creating exceptional value through the conception, planning, and management of distinc­tive luxury real estate projects. We achieve this by im­plementing industry-leading best practices, rigorous methodologies, and innovative strategies that guaran­tee efficient, high-quality, and successful project devel­opment from start to finish.

In my role as Chief Legal Officer, I am primarily responsible for identifying and applying the most appropriate legal instruments tailored to meet the unique requirements of each project. This ensures that all stakeholders, whether clients, investors, or partners, have complete legal security and confidence throughout the development process.

How do you handle legal challenges in fast-paced projects at GND Properties?

Businesses often move faster and more dynamically than the legal frameworks that govern them. One key challenge in my role is anticipating potential changes in the business environment or adapting existing legal instruments to meet the evolving requirements of each project. Providing effective legal advice demands constant vigilance and staying updated on both legislation and practical business operations.

At GND Properties, we focus on consolidating our current projects while exploring opportunities to expand our services within the luxury hospitality sector. Our goal is to deliver unique ultra-luxury projects and, over time, extend our expertise into other sectors through a structured plan. I aim to grow alongside the company, continuously updating my knowledge of legal instruments and modern business practices to ensure that our projects are both innovative and compliant.

What key milestones have shaped your leadership journey? Share your guiding leadership philoso­phy.

Looking back, several milestones have shaped my professional journey, but the most significant was leading the restructuring of our company’s contractual and control frameworks, aligning legal operations with business objectives while ensuring compliance and risk prevention.

My guiding philosophy as a leader is grounded in strategic clarity, collaboration, and empathy. I believe leadership is not about control or position, but about creating an environment where each person feels empowered to contribute their expertise and grow. By providing my team with the right professional tools and a supportive work environment, we achieve stronger results. I genuinely value people and strive for my team to feel empowered every day, knowing their work and growth are recognized and supported. This approach has not only defined my leadership style but also strengthened the impact I aim to make in every project I undertake.

Angelica De Diego, Chief Legal Officer, Gnd Properties

Angelica De Diego is Chief Legal Officer at GND Properties, a top Mexican company that specializes in luxury hospitality real estate. She went to law school at Universidad Anáhuac in Mexico and did a legal internship in New York before she started her career at the largest steel company in Mexico. She was able to get a lot of corporate experience at the age of 23 and later became a lawyer on her own to be able to combine her professional ambition with being a mother.