<Strong>In an increasingly complex global environment, how are you helping your organisation navigate risk while still supporting growth?</strong>

The challenge is to remain fully compliant whilst also responding to the company’s commercial interests, not only because of the regulations themselves, but also because of the complexity of the commercial and contractual structures involved. My approach often extends beyond the purely legal. I believe that effective in-house counsel must be strategic, knowing when to push, when to concede, when to negotiate, and when to stand firm. That balance between legal rigour and commercial pragmatism is where I seek to add the greatest value.

<strong>How has the role of General Counsel evolved in recent years, and where do you see GCs creating the most value today?</strong>

The most significant shift I have observed is that legal counsel creates far greater value when involved in discussions at an early stage, whilst an idea is still taking shape. Being involved from the outset is where the role has evolved, and where I believe in-house lawyers have the most to offer.

<strong>How has AI changed the legal function recently (including in the past year), and how are you approaching it within your team?</strong>

AI has changed the way we work, and being candid about that matters. Some tasks are performed more effectively and efficiently by AI than by a human, and pretending otherwise would be naïve. That said, AI has not replaced — and is not close to replacing — the judgement and human understanding that legal work requires, and the same applies across almost every other field. The sensible approach is to use secure AI tools for the tasks they perform well, whilst maintaining a focus on those areas that still require human input.

<Strong>How has your relationship with the board changed, and where do you add the most value at board level?</strong>

Something I find particularly valuable is being invited not because procedure requires it, but because the board — or any other part of the business — genuinely wants legal input at the table. That only happens when you have consistently demonstrated that your presence adds real value, not merely by identifying risks, but by providing perspective, judgement, and the ability to help shape decisions before they are made. I believe that seat at the table is earned early in the conversation; it is not granted by default.