Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

After working in private practice in Brussels on EU competition law matters, I got the opportunity to move to Hong Kong where I spent a number of years advising European and US companies on Asian competition law issues. This was a unique experience working with regulators across Asia from different backgrounds with different motivations and ideologies to what I was used to in Brussels. This broad international experience has given me the ability to work seamlessly with diverse multi-disciplinary teams and means I can provide a global outlook on competition law issues taking into account legal nuances in various jurisdictions.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

A modern in-house counsel needs to be able to communicate practical solutions that protect the company but that also enable the company to achieve its commercial goals. Stakeholders don’t just need to understand the risk, or what cannot be done. Non lawyers do not have time to read an exhaustive legal memo. Instead they want a breakdown of the problem, estimation of the risks, and a breakdown of the solutions that are available – all in plain English. Also, I find that being punctual and being polite has always helped me work with other people in order to ‘get things done’.

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?

As part of a global antitrust team, increasing regulation and major economic uncertainty regularly ensures that my day will be a busy one. For me, simple yet effective skills such as being very well organised, having attention to detail, being patient, collaborating with other stakeholders, and being willing to understand other people’s perspectives allow me to find a practical solution that aligns parties and gives us a clear way forward. This approach works well for me during both calm and unstable periods!