How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience? 

My primary objective is to serve as a trusted advisor and strategic partner, guiding the group through various challenges with a focus on long-term resilience and success. The legal team is already well-equipped to swiftly assess and mitigate risks, manage stakeholders, and promote effective cross-functional collaboration. We provide clear and strategic guidance aligned with business objectives, integrating resilience and long-term value creation while facilitating informed decision-making under pressure. This approach remains consistent during periods of instability or crisis. We take proactive measures to address unexpected challenges and support senior management in making the right decisions that safeguard the group’s interests and support the objectives.

At its core, I think the legal strategy is about actively creating value and fostering innovation. We want to be a business igniter. We diligently seek opportunities to leverage our legal and commercial expertise to support new business initiatives, protect the group’s interests, and secure a competitive advantage. Open communication and close collaboration are central to aligning our legal strategy with the broader business strategy. The legal function is well embedded into the group and by maintaining an ongoing dialogue with key stakeholders across the organisation, we ensure that our legal advice remains relevant, practical, and aligned with the group’s overall goals. Additionally, we prioritise and foster meaningful relationships with clients and partners, recognising that some challenges require solutions beyond the literal interpretation of agreements.

Through this commitment to continuous improvement, strategic alignment with growth objectives, and a collaborative approach, I believe the legal team contributes significantly to the group’s long-term resilience and success. The dynamic nature of our industry and business environment, however, also requires the legal strategy to be somewhat flexible, adaptable, and continuously evolving. We must provide legal frameworks that allow the business to pivot quickly while remaining compliant. To achieve this, we regularly review our processes, policies, and procedures to ensure alignment with the group’s strategic objectives, enabling us to proactively anticipate and effectively respond to emerging challenges.

What are the major cases or transactions you have been involved in recently? 

In recent months, my focus has been strategically directed towards the negotiation and implementation of comprehensive media services agreements across a diverse portfolio of clients. This engagement has encompassed collaborations with multinational and global corporations spanning a broad spectrum of industries, including pharmaceutical, transportation, electronics, luxury beauty, personal care, and fast-moving consumer goods. These agreements, often complex and multifaceted, not only require efficient and resourceful project management skills. They also demand a nuanced understanding of each of the clients’ industries and objectives coupled with the ability to simultaneously cultivate meaningful relationships and presenting compelling arguments, even during difficult negotiation situations.

In addition to these client-facing responsibilities, one noteworthy project I am involved in is developing a regional initiative repurposing the legal team’s service delivery model. This includes a series of initiatives which aims to equip our commercial and financial functions to become more self-servicing in certain areas by acquiring the skillset and knowledge necessary to effectively support and safeguard the group’s evolving needs, fostering a more proactive and strategic approach to legal advice.

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?  

Artificial intelligence remains, in my opinion, the most transformative technology poised to reshape the legal profession soon. Our legal team has proactively embraced this paradigm shift, committing to the strategic integration of AI into our core workflows. This commitment is exemplified by our utilisation of generative AI tools within WPP Open, WPP’s proprietary AI-powered marketing platform.

The legal team’s use of the functionalities in WPP Open has demonstrably enhanced the team’s operational efficiency and capabilities. In Open we can automate routine tasks, enable more comprehensive and expedited document reviews, facilitate comparative analysis, identify any potential areas of compromise or opportunity in negotiations, and be assisted with drafting.

Recognising the potential for broader application and democratisation of legal support, we have developed self-service AI prompts designed to empower our business units to independently address common legal questions and repetitive requests. These prompts, carefully crafted and now rigorously tested by our legal team, provide guidance on a range of topics, from contract interpretation to compliance requirements. This tactical delegation not only frees up time for the legal team to focus on matters of greater strategic import, impact, complexity, and innovative solutions, but also fosters a culture of legal awareness and self-sufficiency throughout the group.

Looking ahead, I anticipate further advancements within the legal profession this year, particularly with respect to agentic AI. The potential for agentic AI to autonomously manage tasks is particularly compelling. We are actively exploring opportunities to pilot and implement agentic AI solutions within our legal team, with a focus on ensuring responsible and ethical deployment.

To ensure the legal team remains at the forefront of AI innovation, I participate in WPP’s monthly AI drop-in sessions which are accessible to all WPP and agency employees globally. These sessions are led by subject matter experts from WPP’s technology division and our central legal team and feature occasional guest speakers from our agency network and strategic partners. Each session provides critical updates on the latest advancements and trends shaping the future of AI, addresses pertinent legal, ethical, and privacy considerations, and clarifies WPP’s approved AI toolset and guidelines for responsible and ethical utilisation, which is paramount.

Beyond these internal initiatives, I actively cultivate external expertise as well. I follow leading AI legal tech practitioners, and I participate in various professional networks where we engage in robust discussions surrounding AI legal technology. These discussions encompass emerging trends, promising tools, unmet needs, and the realistic capabilities of AI solutions within the legal domain. This continuous learning and engagement with the broader legal tech community are essential for ensuring that our legal team remains at the vanguard of AI innovation and is well-equipped to navigate the evolving AI legal landscape.