Team size: 5

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

I have managed multiple strategic M&A transactions and business development opportunities, including divestments of certain mature products. I also lead the negotiation and sale of UCB’s Neurology and Allergy business in China to CBC Group and Mubadala Investment Company for US$680m, which successfully closed in November 2024, a one-year project involving separation, regulatory transfer, anti-trust filing, and post-closing actions.

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?

Instability has become an integral part of the current business landscape. I strongly believe in the value of informed decision-making and transparency. I communicate openly with business colleagues about emerging regulations, ambiguous areas, and potential implications to appropriately manage expectations, ensuring accuracy without being unnecessarily alarmist. Particularly during these periods of instability, it is important for us to work on risk mitigation protocols and prepare alternative plans for unforeseen circumstances. It is crucial for a legal counsel to understand the organisation’s strategy, risk culture and appetite, and to navigate through these factors effectively so the organisation may pursue its objectives within an acceptable and sustainable risk level. In collaboration with business stakeholders, we identify our respective priorities and how we can achieve our shared goals and build together the success of the organisation also identifying the boundaries which should not be crossed.

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

In addition to the obvious technical skills, key attributes for in-house counsels include having an in-depth understanding of the business, the organisation and its strategy; being solution-oriented (which includes the ability to be comfortable with imperfections sometimes and to take calculated risks in a dynamic environment); pragmatism; being connected within and outside the organisation; anticipating trends and being proactive; communicating (and listening) effectively; navigating through the internal politics; possessing resilience and emotional intelligence; and of course curiosity for new developments and technologies. This might sound a lengthy list, but in my opinion these attributes are key to succeed.

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

I am passionate about life sciences and healthcare in general. I am grateful to work in an innovative industry that addresses patients’ unmet needs and to be able to contribute to projects intended to ultimately make a positive difference.