Legal director | Capricorn Partners NV
Ine Jordens
Legal director | Capricorn Partners NV
What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?
I was the legal lead of the first closing of Capricorn Partners’ latest Belgian venture capital fund, the Capricorn Healthtech Fund II, which launched in January with an initial commitment of €51m. I was responsible for implementing the interim closing in March of the Capricorn Industrial Biotech Fund, a Dutch venture capital fund managed by Capricorn Partners. My role encompassed defining the funds’ legal, tax and operational structure in consultation with an external law firm, leading investor negotiations on the fund documentation, and managing the closing process. I worked in close collaboration with the business and administrative leads within Capricorn Partners.
I advised the Capricorn ICT Arkiv NV fund (as a seller) on the agreement between GE Healthcare (as buyer) and the shareholders of icometrix NV, and advised the Capricorn Healththech Fund II on the legal aspects of its first investment in Aspect Analytics NV.
I co-lead the implementation of the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and reporting on the DORA regulatory framework within Capricorn Partners, in close collaboration with the IT lead within Capricorn Partners.
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 addition to my responsibilities as a legal director, I am also a member of Capricorn Partners’ risk management team. I apply a risk-based approach to legal matters, ensuring that legal strategy is closely aligned with the firm’s broader business objectives. During periods of instability, my focus shifts to identifying and prioritising key legal risks — as well as potential opportunities — and managing them effectively. This involves shaping timely legal responses to emerging issues while maintaining continuity in core business operations, such as safeguarding existing contractual obligations.
What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?
A modern in-house counsel should be embedded within the business, acting as a strategic partner who collaborates seamlessly with key stakeholders. In my case these are the investment teams, the executive committee, the compliance function, and the fund’s investors. This role demands a careful balance between enabling legitimate business ambitions and ensuring legal and regulatory compliance.
A modern in-house counsel must be adaptable and willing to learn continuously, particularly in a landscape of constantly evolving and increasing regulatory requirements. Staying current with emerging digital technologies and data-driven tools and integrating these in the operations is also essential. In-house counsel should remain cost conscious, ensuring that legal support adds value without unnecessary overhead.
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?
In addition to my responsibilities as legal director, I also serve as the privacy officer at Capricorn Partners and as a member of the data management team. I ensure that our organisation uses GPDR compliant cloud and AI platforms. I actively collaborate with IT and compliance to ensure that the digital tools used by Capricorn Partners meet GDPR standards. I stay informed on evolving regulatory frameworks by regularly attending both GDPR and AI related seminars and by subscribing to specialised newsletters.