Team size: 4

What are the most significant cases, projects, or transactions that you and your legal team have recently been involved in?

Over the past year, our legal team has been involved in a broad range of strategic, operational, and compliance‑driven matters across the Austrian business. Key areas of focus have included franchise and system governance matters (including franchisee onboarding, transfers, and dispute management), employment and labour law issues (in particular sensitive employee relations cases and workforce compliance), and regulatory compliance projects at both national and EU level. We have also been closely involved in marketing and consumer law matters, including the legal review of advertising campaigns, product claims, and compliance with evolving EU regulations (such as sustainability‑ and consumer‑protection‑related requirements), as well as data protection and privacy matters, including complaint handling and internal governance topics. In addition, the team regularly supports corporate and transactional work, including contract negotiations with key suppliers and service providers, internal policy development, and risk assessments related to new business initiatives and system changes. Certain projects have involved close coordination with international stakeholders and external counsel, particularly in cross‑border or system‑wide initiatives.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

During periods of instability or crisis, my approach is to ensure clarity, prioritisation, and close alignment with the business. From a legal perspective, this starts with early issue identification and rapid risk assessment, focusing on matters that may have immediate operational, financial, or reputational impact. I work closely with management and key stakeholders to provide pragmatic, solution‑oriented legal guidance, and balance legal risk with business continuity. Clear governance, documented decision‑making, and consistent communication are essential to maintain trust and resilience across the organisation. Where appropriate, external counsel is engaged in a targeted manner to support capacity or provide specialised expertise, while the internal legal team remains closely integrated into crisis response and strategic decision‑making. Overall, the focus is on enabling the organisation to act decisively, lawfully, and consistently, even under uncertain or rapidly changing conditions.

We are currently living through a time of geopolitical change, and the world order that we have come to take for granted for many years is being rewritten. Does this affect your company’s risk profile and, if so, what are you doing to mitigate this?

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess? A modern in‑house counsel must combine strong legal expertise with commercial acumen and sound judgment. Beyond technical skills, the ability to understand the business context and provide pragmatic, actionable advice is essential. Equally important are integrity, independence, and courage—being able to give clear guidance, including challenging decisions, while maintaining trust with management and stakeholders. Strong communication skills and the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, business‑relevant implications are critical. Finally, adaptability and emotional intelligence are key attributes today. In‑house counsel increasingly operate in fast‑changing, uncertain environments and must manage risk, lead calmly under pressure, and collaborate effectively across functions while maintaining a long‑term perspective

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

A cause I am particularly passionate about is building strong, ethical, and resilient business structures, especially in complex and highly regulated environments. I strongly believe that legal frameworks should not be seen as obstacles, but as enablers of sustainable growth, fair treatment, and long‑term trust. Closely connected to this is my commitment to people‑centric leadership—ensuring that organisations handle sensitive issues such as employment matters, compliance, and governance with fairness, clarity, and respect. In my experience, businesses that invest in integrity and transparency are better equipped to navigate change, manage risk, and maintain credibility with employees, partners, and the wider public.