Team size: 60 colleagues across all areas of the Legal and Company Secretarial team (around 200 members across all teams I manage)

What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?

There are a number of projects achieved within my team this year of which I am proud. Two come to mind in particular. We expanded the scope and reach of our Legal Service Centre (LSC) to new geographies and legal services. Our LSC offers central support for more routine contract, IP, compliance, and data privacy matters, enabling our lawyers to focus on more complex and strategic issues. The LSC operates with defined SLAs to ensure prompt turnaround and user visibility. We have also created a self-serve portal hosting useful guidance, FAQs, and templates. The focus now is on introducing greater automation and AI tooling to enable us to scale the LSC faster and delivery double the services next year.

In the summer, we announced the creation of a ‘Trust’ label for our AI products to provide customers with greater clarity and accountability on how our AI is developed and used in our software. The AI Trust Label focuses on key trust indicators such as compliance with privacy and data regulations, how customer data is used, the presence of safeguards to prevent bias and harm, and the systems in place to monitor accuracy and ethical performance. This label was developed following in-depth focus groups and polling with SMBs in the UK, US, France, and Spain. It’s a great example of how different team members have pooled their expertise to create something which helps customers easily navigate and gain trust in the AI they use.

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?

In periods of instability, I focus on enabling the business to operate with clarity and speed, underpinned by strong governance and ethical decision-making. At Sage, we’ve embedded a strategic legal approach that balances commercial agility with principled risk-taking. By adopting a clear risk appetite framework, my team empowers leaders to understand when and how to lean into risks, and when to escalate. We operate at the intersection of law, risk and governance, so this holistic view enables legal to act not as a blocker, but as a growth enabler. Particularly during times of disruption, our role is to create structures that support resilience without stifling innovation.

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

One of the most defining experiences in my career has been stepping beyond the traditional legal function into roles covering cybersecurity, ESG, and enterprise risk. I had no formal background in cybersecurity when I took it on but leaned into my legal training to ask the right questions and develop a robust strategy. That journey taught me how transferrable legal skills are when navigating complex and evolving areas. It’s also been incredibly rewarding to help my team grow their own multidisciplinary expertise, shaping not just good lawyers, but trusted business leaders.

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

Today’s in-house counsel must be adaptable, commercially aware, and strategically embedded in the business. It’s no longer enough to be technically excellent. The best legal leaders are trusted partners, collaborators who understand the business model, who bring clarity in complexity, and who can lead through uncertainty. Emotional intelligence, cross-functional fluency, and the ability to manage through influence are absolutely vital. I often advise early-career lawyers to get curious about the whole business, use your legal mindset to challenge assumptions, manage conflict, and contribute to a broader leadership conversation.

What strategies do you employ to ensure the successful digital transformation of a legal department while maintaining compliance with your country’s data protection laws?

Digital transformation within legal at Sage is driven by a commitment to innovation, compliance, and trust. We’re leveraging tools like integrated risk assessment platforms and AI-enhanced cyber monitoring to improve our efficiency and oversight. But transformation doesn’t mean cutting corners, especially when it comes to data protection. We’ve built a framework grounded in transparency, governance, and accountability. Our legal and data teams work side-by-side to ensure that innovation is always aligned with UK GDPR and global privacy obligations. We view digital transformation not just as a tech project, but a cultural evolution rooted in responsible leadership.

How can general counsel foster a corporate culture that supports ESG principles and compliance across all levels of the organisation?

ESG isn’t an add-on at Sage, it’s embedded into our purpose, and legal plays a key role in that integration. As GC, I help connect our governance structures to our ESG commitments, from sustainable procurement to product trustworthiness. With our procurement team, we’ve introduced ESG-aligned supplier criteria and due diligence tools. ESG is one of our principal risks and I help to ensure we take the steps identified to manage our risk appetite. But culture starts with people, so I focus on making ESG real for our teams: what it looks like in contracts, partnerships, and decisions. My role is to ensure the ‘E’, ‘S’, and ‘G’ are not siloed but interconnected and reflected in our values and daily choices.

What measures has your company taken to incorporate sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how can general counsel contribute to driving such initiatives within the organisation?

Sage has taken concrete steps to integrate sustainability into its operations, from decarbonising its own estate to engaging suppliers through ESG performance metrics. As General Counsel, I play a pivotal role in making sure those initiatives are supported by robust legal frameworks and governance. This includes working closely with our procurement team to align contracts with sustainability goals and overseeing ethical risk assessments across our value chain. Legal isn’t just a backstop; we help embed sustainability into strategic planning, M&A decisions, and even our product offering, ensuring ESG isn’t just compliant, but competitive.

How do you prioritise diversity and inclusion within your legal department, and what initiatives have you implemented to foster a more inclusive work environment?

Diversity and inclusion are foundational to how I build high-performing teams. At Sage, our legal function reflects a range of backgrounds and perspectives, and I make it a priority to cultivate psychological safety so that every voice is heard. We regularly evaluate how we collaborate – questioning who’s in the room, how decisions are made, and whether we’re truly leveraging the breadth of talent available. I also actively mentor underrepresented professionals and advocate for inclusive hiring and progression practices. For me, inclusion isn’t just a value, it’s also a leadership imperative that enhances our legal insight and business impact.

Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on, of which you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful?

Generative AI is one of the most transformative forces we’re seeing. Legal departments must engage deeply, not only to manage legal risk but to support business use-cases responsibly. I’m also watching developments in ESG regulation, cyber resilience requirements, and increasing pressure for boards to demonstrate purpose-driven performance. More broadly, speed is becoming a differentiator. In-house lawyers need to operate with agility while maintaining rigour. That means evolving governance to match the pace of innovation, supporting quicker decisions without compromising trust or compliance.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

I’m passionate about unlocking the potential of people, especially those early in their careers. I believe in creating inclusive, high-performance environments where people feel seen, stretched, and supported. It’s deeply rewarding to mentor future leaders and help them step into their full potential. On a broader scale, I’m energised by driving change in areas where legal, ethical, and societal values intersect, whether that’s through responsible AI, inclusive governance, or sustainable business practices. For me, being a GC isn’t just about managing risk, it’s about shaping the future of how business can be a force for good.