Agenda
8.30am-9.30am Registration & breakfast
9.30am-9.35am Opening remarks
9.35am-9.55am Keynote: Navigating risk – The legal profession in a shifting geopolitical landscape
Geopolitical uncertainty is creating increasingly complex challenges for businesses, elevating the role of General Counsel in guiding strategic decision-making and managing cross-border risk. From sanctions and trade restrictions to regulatory divergence and political instability, legal leaders are required to interpret rapidly evolving developments across multiple jurisdictions and align legal strategy with business priorities. This keynote will explore how geopolitical change is reshaping legal risk, influencing corporate strategy, and redefining the skills required of senior legal leaders. It will also reflect on how GCs work in close collaboration with internal stakeholders and external legal advisers to navigate complexity and provide clarity in an unpredictable global environment.
9.55am-10.45am Panel: Digital sovereignty and critical infrastructure
As governments and EU regulators place greater emphasis on digital sovereignty, organisations face growing pressure to manage data, technology and critical infrastructure within increasingly complex legal and regulatory frameworks. For General Counsel, this raises important questions around data localisation, cybersecurity, supply chain resilience and regulatory compliance. This panel will examine the legal and strategic implications of digital sovereignty, exploring how legal leaders can help their organisations navigate emerging risks while supporting innovation, operational resilience and long-term growth.
As organisations pursue growth through acquisitions, investments and transformation initiatives, General Counsel are increasingly expected to balance opportunity, execution risk and regulatory scrutiny. This panel will explore how legal leaders support growth across the transaction lifecycle, from deal execution to post-acquisition integration and value realisation. Panellists will discuss governance alignment, integration challenges and risk management, as well as how in-house teams and specialist advisers work together to navigate complex transactions and deliver long-term value.
11.35am-12.00pm Coffee break
12.00pm-12.50pm Panel: Environmental compliance to strategic advantage – responding to the Environmental Act
The Dutch Environmental Act has reshaped the regulatory landscape, creating new opportunities and challenges for businesses. As organisations adapt to evolving environmental requirements, General Counsel must navigate compliance obligations while supporting strategic objectives. This panel will explore the practical implications of the Environmental Act, the operational and governance challenges facing organisations, and how in-house teams can help manage environmental obligations while supporting resilience, investment and sustainable growth.
As regulatory investigations, multi-jurisdictional disputes and stakeholder scrutiny become more frequent and complex, General Counsel are increasingly required to manage matters that can have significant commercial, financial and reputational consequences. In this fireside chat, senior legal leaders will discuss how organisations can respond effectively when risks materialise, sharing lessons from managing investigations, navigating litigation and protecting business value under pressure. The conversation will explore the critical role of the GC in coordinating legal strategy, stakeholder management and decision-making during high-stakes situations.
1.20pm-2.20pm Lunch
2.20pm-3.10pm Panel: Leading through change – The GC’s role in restructuring, transformation and resilience
In an environment defined by economic pressure, regulatory complexity and shifting business priorities, organisations are increasingly undertaking large-scale restructuring and transformation programmes. General Counsel are central to these efforts, helping leadership teams balance legal risk, governance requirements and stakeholder expectations while enabling effective execution. This panel will explore how legal leaders guide organisations through complex change, manage workforce and operational impacts, and support long-term resilience. The discussion will also examine how GCs work with internal stakeholders and external advisers to deliver successful, sustainable transformation outcomes.
As AI and legal technology continue to evolve, General Counsel face growing pressure to modernise their legal functions while managing risk, governance and stakeholder expectations. In this fireside chat, senior legal leaders will discuss how AI is transforming legal operations, decision-making and service delivery. The conversation will explore practical lessons from technology adoption, the changing skills required within legal teams, and how GCs can build resilient, future-ready functions that deliver greater strategic value.
3.40pm-4.05pm Coffee break
4.05pm-4.15pm Panel: From team management to talent strategy – The evolving role of the GC
As the demands placed on legal functions continue to grow, General Counsel are under increasing pressure to build teams that are agile, resilient and equipped to support the business through constant change. Beyond attracting and retaining top talent, legal leaders must consider evolving skills requirements, operating models, resource allocation and the effective use of external expertise. This panel will explore how leading organisations are developing high-performing legal functions, strengthening leadership pipelines and creating teams capable of delivering strategic value in an increasingly complex environment.
As the pace of change continues to accelerate, organisations are being challenged to transform how they operate, grow and compete. From geopolitical disruption and regulatory complexity to technological innovation and evolving stakeholder expectations, successful transformation requires more than strategy alone. This closing keynote will explore how leading organisations are approaching change and the role General Counsel play in helping businesses navigate complexity, manage risk and enable confident decision-making. Drawing together the themes explored throughout the day, it will offer a forward-looking perspective on transformation, resilience and the future partnership between legal leadership and business strategy.
5.10pm-5.15pm Closing remarks
5.15pm-6.00pm Drinks and canapes