Team size: 26

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

When change and uncertainty strike an organisation, having a strong and resilient foundation is crucial. In our legal department, this means being well-versed in internal procedures and understanding the external legal and commercial landscape in which we operate. At EIFO, we have navigated through crises before, such as the financial crisis and COVID-19, when our services and products were in high demand. We are adept at handling transactions through deal teams, where specific groups of colleagues are tasked with resolving issues. This approach is also applied strategically to achieve EIFO’s goals and ambitions. A colleague from Group Legal often participates in these task groups, contributing their knowledge of the relevant regulatory framework or other legal aspects.

In Group Legal, we are committed to staying informed about EIFO’s commercial activities and legal framework, ensuring we remain trusted advisors to the entire organisation. As legal advisors to all EIFO departments, we are often able to identify synergies across business areas where we can optimise our advice or processes to support the commercial areas in achieving EIFO’s business strategy.

What major cases or transactions have you recently been involved in?

EIFO supports Danish exporters globally, in addition to financing and investing in innovative start-ups and SMEs. Furthermore, EIFO aids Ukraine’s rebuilding efforts following the Russian invasion. With resources from the Danish Government, EIFO has backed Ukrainian projects in renewable energy, defence, and critical infrastructure.

Additionally, EIFO is advancing cutting-edge technology in Denmark, such as the collaboration with the Novo Nordisk Foundation on the Danish Center for AI Innovation (DCAI) and the supercomputer “Gefion”.

Both the valuable work being done for the rebuilding of Ukraine, the frontier investments in new technology, and the ongoing funding of start-ups, SMEs, and renewable energy projects across the world are what truly give purpose to all colleagues working at EIFO.

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?

Emerging technologies, particularly AI, are expected to transform the legal profession through improved efficiency and accessibility. AI can streamline research, automate tasks, and predict case outcomes. However, it should be used cautiously and only where ample data supports its application. EIFO is currently testing various AI solutions for Group Legal to determine their effectiveness as validation tools.

To stay current, we debate the use of AI at board level and keep updated on developments through various legal professionals, accountants, and other national and international sources.