Team size: Six

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

Over the last twelve months, my remit supporting Battersea Power Station’s 42-acre regeneration has evolved from overseeing HR, Risk & Compliance, IT and Facilities alongside Legal, to taking a broader strategic leadership position. Sitting on the Management Executive Committee, I draw upon this cross-functional background to connect initiatives, mitigate risks proactively and ensure Legal acts as a true commercial partner rather than simply documenting agreed deal terms.

Much of my focus this past year has centred on highly confidential, board-level projects involving complex and commercially sensitive matters that cannot be disclosed publicly. Whilst these initiatives remain confidential, they have involved advising on developments critical to the continued progression of the £9bn urban regeneration scheme.

The broader scope of my position, however, is to ensure that Legal does more than protect the business and the development from risk; it seeks to enable confident, commercially informed decisions that, in turn, drive the delivery of the project’s ambitions.

As the most senior lawyer supporting the project, I have strategic oversight across the full breadth of this landmark regeneration scheme, which includes development, construction, finance, asset management, commercial and residential sales, lettings, operations, governance and future phases of growth. Working with a lean legal team and an extensive remit, we combine detailed legal expertise with commercial judgement, connecting issues across multiple business functions while maintaining a clear strategic view of the wider estate. In an environment where decisions have an immediate impact, our role is to provide practical, commercially focused advice that enables the business to move forward with confidence.

Please provide a brief description of any internal transformation/development projects within your legal team over the last twelve months .

Over the past twelve months, the Legal function has continued to evolve to meet the demands of our complex, fast-moving regeneration project. Operating as a lean team with responsibility across every aspect of Battersea Power Station, our focus has been on building a function that is agile, commercially focused and positioned as a trusted partner to the whole business.

A key part of this evolution has been the strategy for the future phases, investing in our people and creating sustainable capability for the long term. We have expanded the team through the recent hiring of both junior and senior talent, reflecting the scale and complexity of our in-house operations.

Notably, for the first time, we are supporting an individual through the solicitor qualification process. This is an important milestone for the team as we organically develop internal expertise while creating a structured pathway for long-term growth and professional advancement.

Alongside this, we are looking at the best ways to modernise legal support to boost efficiency, streamline processes and protect time for high value work.

What key trends should in-house counsel be monitoring over the coming months?

One of the key trends in-house counsel should monitor is the continued evolution of the legal function from technical advisor to strategic business partner. The most effective in-house counsel will be those who deeply understand their organisation’s commercial drivers, build strong cross-functional bonds, and guide early-stage strategy rather than simply reviewing finished choices.

This alignment is vital as businesses navigate rapid regulatory change, geopolitical shifts, cyber threats and data privacy issues. The role of Legal is increasingly to help organisations make confident commercial decisions despite market uncertainty. Looking ahead, incoming technology will further transform the role, not through a headcount reduction but by augmenting lawyers’ capabilities and creating greater capacity for the areas where human judgement adds the greatest value: commercial insight, strategic thinking and trusted relationships.

What are the most important attributes of the modern GC and what advice would you give to those aspiring to be an in-house lawyer?

Our ethos, ‘Never Ordinary’ perfectly encapsulates the role of the modern general counsel. Technical expertise is merely the baseline; today’s GC must be commercially curious, highly adaptable and influential in shaping business strategy from the outset. The mandate is not to identify what cannot be done, but to understand what the business is trying to achieve and map the best way to get there. My own experience managing operational departments reinforced the importance of seeing the organisation as a whole, understanding the estate as an interconnected ecosystem and appreciating how decisions impact every moving part of the project. That broader executive perspective has strengthened my ability to build cross-functional trust and embed Legal at the earliest stages of strategic decision making.

For aspiring in-house lawyers, my advice is to look beyond the law alone. Cultivate an enquiring mind, spend time with others who work in different functions and learn to translate technical expertise into practical, actionable advice. Ultimately, the best in-house counsel pair legal excellence with commercial awareness, emotional intelligence and the confidence to challenge constructively while remaining focused on helping the business succeed.

Beyond your legal role, is there a cause or initiative you are especially passionate about?

Outside of the law, I am a certified Mental Health First Aider. I initially undertook the training to better understand the distinct pressures that the modern online landscape and social media place on young minds, and I am equally committed to supporting those in the workplace. My view is that mental wellbeing warrants the same priority as physical health. While social media can often portray flawless lives, the truth is that difficult periods are just as fundamental to living as the highlights are. Creating environments where people feel able to speak openly, ask for help and support others not only benefits individual wellbeing, but also builds stronger, healthier and more resilient organisations.