GC Powerlist: Benelux 2019

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Introduction

Formed by the political and economic union of three neighbouring states in Western Europe: Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, the Benelux region is a strong economic force, integrated by a customs union formed in 1944 and solidified in 1958 with the signing of the Treaty of the Benelux Economic Union. Benelux has since benefitted from becoming the first completely free international labour market as well as facilitating free movement of capital and services – qualities that have broadened and deepened economic cooperation. With 28 million inhabitants and occupying a significant geographical scope, today Benelux generates approximately 8% of Europe’s total GDP.

With the new Benelux Treaty signed in June 2008, the focus of this cooperation has shifted to the three key themes of internal market and economic union, sustainable development and justice and home affairs. These areas are substantively assisted by the Benelux in-house legal community, which works in tandem with business colleagues and other stakeholders to ensure regulatory and legal processes are followed through ethically, sustainably, and in alignment with strategic goals.

General counsel in the region are also noticeably exhibiting a shared interest in building and developing the future generation of young in-house lawyers, providing and encouraging dynamic training opportunities and building diverse and highly-talented teams. Such initiatives and the plethora of corporate legal talent across the three countries mean the region is in good stead regarding its immediate and more long-term future.

In this inaugural GC Powerlist: Benelux we are pleased to highlight some of the region’s leading corporate counsel. To put together the list, we canvassed opinions from both law firms’ partners and in-house counsel in Benelux. We identified lawyers who are not only technically gifted and highly trained, but have also utilised their legal knowledge strategically alongside keen business insight to make a positive impact towards their organisation’s success.

Sara Mageit
Senior research analyst, GC Powerlist series

Sponsor: Arendt

Arendt, Houthoff and Liedekerke are proud to be sponsoring this inaugural GC Powerlist: Benelux which recognises the crucial role of the legal team, and specifically the contribution of general counsels (GCs) and heads of legal in leading these teams to successfully support the ambitions of the companies they represent.

Businesses always have to adapt to change, be this increased regulation, stiffer competition, improving corporate, environmental and social responsibility, managing risks and balancing board diversity. The role of the GC has become pivotal in helping organisations navigate these changes, rise to the challenges and adapt their business models quickly and securely. Often managing legal teams across multiple geographical locations and understanding jurisdictional legal and regulatory nuances, the GC has a broad remit to ensure that cross-border activities can thrive. It is not only core legal skills that are required for the successful GC, but managing the internal department, external counsel, budgets and profitability are all key areas of the role. Now, as the legal sector embraces the rise in artificial intelligence, new challenges and opportunities emerge that will impact both people and the way legal services are delivered within an organisation.

The GC role is more commercially focused than ever. Directors are in the spotlight and are increasingly aware of individual and collective risks that can have a direct impact on themselves and their businesses. High-profile governance and compliance failures make the headlines and companies rely on their GC’s for strategic as well as legal advice. This puts many into a board role position which is both a logical and desirable step.

Equally, the role of outside counsel in helping GC’s achieve their aims has evolved and the goal of Arendt, Houthoff and Liedekerke is to work with GC’s seamlessly across the EU and beyond, providing together market leading legal and regulatory insight on subjects that matter to their business. The Benelux region is our home, and clients work with our three firms due to the genuine insight and experience our lawyers and advisors have within this region. Of course our advice goes beyond the EU and together we have over 800 lawyers in 18 countries dedicated to supporting our clients’ ambitions.

Arendt, Houthoff and Liedekerke are the exclusive members of the Lex Mundi network for Benelux. This means that our lawyers have worked together successfully on thousands of matters, providing in-depth understanding of local cultures, economies, laws, governments, trends and business climates in order to anticipate and react quickly to changes in the market. We are ready to take the next steps with you, wherever your projects take you and whatever challenges you face.

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GC Powerlist: Benelux 2019

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