Team size: 6 (HR) in addition to me

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

Over the past twelve months, our team has undertaken a comprehensive enhancement of our GDPR compliance framework. This initiative encompassed a thorough review and update of our Record of Processing Activities, internal policies and procedures, as well as targeted training programmes. Notably, the expansion of our travel assistance business unit introduced additional data protection considerations, prompting further scrutiny under GDPR. Recognising the importance of consistent data protection standards, we have also commenced direct GDPR training for our franchisees to ensure alignment across the network.

Simultaneously, we are actively revising our governance framework to reflect the evolving scale and complexity of the organisation. This work includes updates to our authority matrix, addressing competition law queries, and refining our internal decision-making procedures to maintain robust compliance and operational effectiveness.

Further, we have undertaken updates to our franchise agreements and initiated a comprehensive review of customer contracts. This process has been supported by dedicated training for personnel, ensuring that contractual relationships are managed in accordance with current legal and regulatory requirements.

As the in-house role continues to evolve from legal advisor to business partner, what strategies have you found most effective for stakeholder management and aligning legal advice with business strategy?

It is essential to understand the business needs before offering advice: consider the commercial incentives that might influence decisions, including the willingness to accept risks. When writing, keep the text concise to ensure it is reader-friendly, with a focus on providing clear and understandable advice or outlining the risks associated with each evaluated solution. Avoiding legal language helps a lot. Ultimately, give clear recommendations on which solutions align with the business’s risk appetite based on these decisions. It is also important to be involved early in business discussions to anticipate legal implications and help shape decisions proactively. It is more difficult to change a decision than helping shape it early in the process. Building trust with stakeholders through consistent, pragmatic advice allows legal to focus attention on the risks that truly matter, enabling informed commercial decisions rather than theoretical risk avoidance. When you are viewed as a partner that they can trust, you will be involved.

Given Norway’s emphasis on ESG, what role do GCs play in embedding these principles across the organisation?

As sustainability is among my core responsibilities, I am actively engaged in addressing these issues, related to inquiries, tenders and policy development. Beyond this duty, my expertise in the field is recognised and I am frequently consulted for involvement. Given that our partners, including insurance companies, are subject to scrutiny and reporting requirements, these topics are also central to their tender processes. Consequently, I am regularly involved in responding to such questions during tenders, which contributes to greater awareness of this critical area and reinforces our competitive position. In practice, this means translating regulatory and stakeholder expectations into clear internal guidance and ensuring that ESG commitments are reflected consistently in contracts, policies, and operational decisions.

What key trends – and challenges – should in-house lawyers be monitoring over the next year?

The advancement of AI raises important questions, particularly regarding how it can be used to boost our competitiveness or maintain parity with others in the market. Even more crucial is determining how businesses can leverage AI without increasing risks, such as relying on inaccurate AI-generated answers by commercial teams without proper verification from experts like legal professionals. In‑house lawyers therefore play an important role in setting guardrails, defining acceptable use and ensuring that AI supports — rather than undermines — sound decision‑making.

Looking ahead, it will also be interesting to see how AI‑enabled legal tools evolve, particularly contract review and document management systems, to enable better governance and risk monitoring with fewer resources involved.