Team size: 5

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

Over the past year, two projects have stood out in particular.

First, ensuring compliance with a number of new European regulations, most notably the EUDR (Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products), which directly impacts our products, such as books. It requires us to guarantee full traceability and the origin of the paper used in our publications, an essential standard for a publisher of our reputation. Compliance with the EUDR extends beyond the legal department, involving the entire book production and development chain. As a result, multiple teams must collaborate closely to collect and verify documentation, assess supplier practices, and implement controls to ensure that our materials meet the new standards. Coordinating across these teams has been a major focus over the past year, as it requires aligning different operational processes with regulatory requirements.

At the same time, like many of my fellow general counsels, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence has become a central challenge. AI undoubtedly offers opportunities for our profession, but for a publishing house like Casterman — home to world-famous series such as Tintin, Corto Maltese, and Les aventures de Martine — it also raises significant concerns. Certain AI systems feed on human creative work without proper authorisation to generate ‘new’ content. I have been following this issue closely, both within Casterman and through professional publishing associations in Belgium (Association des Editeurs de Belgique – ADEB, where I have served as president of the legal working taskforce) and in France (Syndicat National de l’Edition – SNE). Over the past year, I have also spoken on the subject several times in the Belgian media, including RTBF, BX1, Vivacité, and Canal Z, as the matter has gained increasing public prominence.

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

Creativity, flexibility and a solution-oriented mindset are essential.

Creativity is critical because legal issues rarely have a single obvious path. The ability to reframe a problem and explore alternative approaches allows legal advice to support strategic projects. In publishing, for instance, complex copyright or regulatory matters often require innovative solutions to achieve commercially sound outcomes.

Flexibility is equally important, as regulations evolve quickly and unexpected crises can arise overnight. An effective in-house counsel must be able to absorb new legal frameworks and adjust strategies while keeping sight of the bigger picture. This agility allows the legal function to remain a reliable business partner when circumstances move faster than the law itself, for example with emerging AI regulations.

Finally, a solution-oriented mindset ensures that legal advice goes beyond identifying risks to actively exploring workable alternatives. By presenting a range of legally sound options and framing them in clear business terms, rather than simply blocking initiatives, the legal function helps decision-makers choose the solution that best supports the company’s objectives.

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

As a father of three, one cause I am particularly passionate about is encouraging a love of reading among children. Reading is not only fundamental to education but also crucial for personal development, imagination, and critical thinking. I believe that nurturing a love of books from an early age helps to shape confident and empathetic individuals.

Promoting reading is also a way to contribute to society, supporting children in developing the skills and curiosity that will serve them throughout their lives.