General counsel | Kahoot! AS
Ranjit Mahida
General counsel | Kahoot! AS
Team size: 7
What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?
Following our completion of one of the largest Norwegian technology transactions in recent years, Kahoot!’s 2024 acquisition led by Goldman Sachs for approximately USD2 billion, the legal team is now focused on supporting the company through its next phase under new ownership. We must continuously balance optimising the organisation for continued growth with assessing new offerings and maturing existing processes.
Kahoot! has a global footprint and a user base in the millions, so implementing effective due diligence, compliance and commercialisation measures with support from our external advisors is key to enabling further growth while managing risk within acceptable levels. Internally, the department remains mindful of its role as a business enabler aligned with broader strategic goals, delivering legal advice that helps strengthen connections and build trust across the organisation.
Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?
As a US lawyer working for over a decade in Norway, I’ve benefited from cross-cultural and cross-jurisdictional perspectives to best support my clients. I’ve also had the privilege of working in both boutique and global top 10 law firms, as well as in small and large in-house legal departments, where I gained valuable insight into how to best deliver legal services tailored to the needs of each client.
What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?
A guiding principle I continuously highlight to my team and external advisors is the need for succinct, practical and actionable advice. In-house lawyers are too often over-committed and under-resourced, and simply don’t have time to review lengthy memos or emails that don’t advocate for a particular course of action. I previously worked for a GC who gave his lawyers no more than two minutes to get to the heart of a matter for his consideration, so perhaps I am especially attuned to this!