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

Over the past year, my team has supported Phoenix Tower International’s continued expansion across the Caribbean by leading the legal workstreams behind several strategic infrastructure projects. Our work has included negotiating and implementing complex master lease, colocation, and service agreements across the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Barbados, and the British Virgin Islands, with counterparties ranging from government entities to major international telecommunications operators.

Beyond transactional work, we have managed significant litigation and regulatory matters while driving the transformation of our legal function. We implemented standardized contract templates and playbooks, strengthened document lifecycle management, modernized our legal matter tracking and reporting processes, updated external counsel governance, and introduced new legal engagement frameworks designed to improve efficiency, consistency, and risk management across the region.

Our objective has been to build a legal function that not only protects the business but also enables sustainable growth through practical, business-oriented legal advice and scalable processes.

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

Operating across multiple jurisdictions, many of them small island markets where regulatory, political, and operational developments can evolve quickly, has reinforced the importance of preparation. I believe resilience is built long before a crisis occurs by establishing clear governance, standardized processes, effective communication channels, and well-defined escalation protocols.

When unexpected events arise, whether regulatory changes, litigation, natural disasters, or operational disruptions, my priority is to rapidly assess legal exposure, protect the company’s contractual and regulatory position, and provide business leaders with practical, decision-oriented advice that supports informed decision-making. Equally important is fostering collaboration across legal and business teams so that critical knowledge is shared and operations can continue without unnecessary disruption.

Ultimately, resilience comes from combining sound legal judgment with disciplined processes, strong relationships, and the ability to remain calm and solutions-focused under pressure.

General counsel often speak of the need to be strategic to reach the pinnacle of the profession. What does being strategic mean to you?

Being strategic means ensuring that legal advice advances the company’s long-term business objectives rather than simply responding to immediate legal issues. It requires understanding the commercial drivers behind every decision, anticipating future risks, and designing legal solutions that remain effective as the business evolves.

For me, strategy also means investing in systems, processes, and people. Standardizing legal operations, leveraging technology, and developing high-performing teams create efficiencies that allow legal departments to focus on higher-value work. A truly strategic legal function becomes a trusted business partner that helps unlock opportunities while managing risk in a practical and proportionate way.

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

Technical legal expertise remains essential, but today’s in-house counsel must also possess commercial awareness, adaptability, and strong communication skills. Business leaders need lawyers who can translate complex legal issues into practical recommendations that support timely decision-making.

In an increasingly global business environment, cultural awareness and the ability to work effectively across jurisdictions are equally important. Finally, modern legal leaders should embrace innovation, whether through technology, process improvement, or data-driven decision-making, to build legal functions that are scalable, efficient, and aligned with the pace of today’s business environment.