Team size: 9 (in)direct cross-functional reports in 2 different locations

What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?

Key projects included:

A global Business Process Outsourcing Project: outsourcing all RHIM shared services centers (Spain, Mexico, India, Brazil and China) to a strategic global external partner to streamline operations;

Automation and digitalisation in legal department: finding ways to drive efficiency. As we all have to do more with less, we need to leverage all possible existing tools (with or without AI) within the group, without creating additional costs. Example: already self-trained 2 GPTs to be rolled out in future

Integration of, following the legal support in purchasing of a company group operational in Germany, CZ and SLO (M&A: share deals mixed with asset deals in one transaction)

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

A particularly memorable moment for me was when the counterparty — during an ongoing transaction — began asking for my opinion on the performance of their new external lawyer, pre-adding him as in-house counsel. They appreciated my clear, pragmatic and business-oriented approach and openly stated they wanted someone working “like me” and wanted my help to judge on this. I’ve also had similar feedback recently from cooperation partners, who not only thanked me for legal support but also highlighted to their own team, plus external counsel, that I acted as “a true business partner” by providing not just legal input, but also aligning it with the commercial reality and the actual needs of the stakeholders involved, making the transaction possible. With only core-legal support, the transaction would probably have failed.

What do you think sets you apart from other in-house counsel?

I believe that what distinguishes me is my pragmatic ans solution-driven approach, preference for fast-paced, dynamic environments and confidence in taking fast decisions. I needed this for the restructuring and transformation of my cross-functional teams, whereby I am also working extensively in a managerial/operational capacity and not merely core-legally. I’m at my best when navigating complex, cross-functional matters that require legal experience, business knowledge and strategic perspective and when there is a broader business or operational dimension to consider or solve. I thrive in project-based collaboration with stakeholders across the company, where I can deep-dive into the (non-legal) matters and backgrounds and needs, understand the operational or business context, and shape solutions that are both legally and operationally feasible. I see myself as a translator between parties, but also between legal frameworks and business realities. What drives me most is seeing that my work makes a difference: A legal framework should never be only a nice piece of paper that is “good to have”, but actually implementable, useful, and sustainable in day-to-day business. In short: I am very motivated, energetic, communicative but above all: curious!

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

I believe that being an effective in-house counsel requires far more than legal expertise. Empathy, curiosity, and emotional intelligence but also tech-savviness are increasingly critical. It’s essential to be a strong team player — approachable, service-oriented and able to break down complex legal matters in a way that is clear and actionable for non-legals. In-house counsel need to be approachable and friendly but also fierce, when needed. Above all, I consider curiosity to be the key trait: the drive to explore unfamiliar topics, understand the “why” behind business decisions, and continuously ask questions and learn and grow. This mindset is what enables in-house counsel to stay relevant and add real value in these fast paced and volatile times.

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

I am very passionate about raising awareness on the great work in-house counsel are doing day by day. I want to increase awareness of how interesting and rewarding, but also hard and challenging, this position is. I feel like there is still a very big misconception about in-house roles. It is time to change this and also support in-house counsel around the globe.