General Counsel and Ethics Officer | ENGIE
Benjamin Petteau
General Counsel and Ethics Officer | ENGIE
Team size: Twelve
What are the most significant cases, projects and/or transactions that you and/or your legal team have recently been involved in?
I was recently (in July 2025) appointed as General Counsel and Ethics Officer of ENGIE India. My first objective was to stabilise the team and build up a robust governance structure for ENGIE India.
In over four months, the team and I have worked on 500MW of renewable projects (solar and wind) under development and 700MW renewable projects under construction. We are also actively reviewing multiple targets for acquisition in the field of renewable energy. Such transaction contributes to ENGIE India’s ambition to deliver an additional 800MW of renewable projects every year.
How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?
Proactively identifying legal risks, implementing robust mitigation measures, and managing issues as they arise are core to my role. During periods of instability or crisis, swift legal risk assessment and defining the most effective strategy, aligned with ENGIE’s contractual rights and ethics values, are essential to achieving the best possible outcome, or at least, the lease damaging one. Acting transparently and in close coordination with internal and external stakeholders is critical to resolving challenges and minimising the risk of disputes. This can only be achieved if strong relationships are built before the crisis hits. The approach should be pragmatic and solution-oriented.
What strategies do you employ to ensure the successful digital transformation of a legal department while maintaining compliance with your country’s data protection laws?
To ensure a successful digital transformation of the legal department while maintaining compliance with data protection laws, we are implementing AI-driven solutions to digitalise key processes such as contract management, legal entity administration, labour law compliance, and legal cost management. At the same time, we maintain strict adherence to both the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?
One of the most unique aspects of my career has been serving as General Counsel across multiple jurisdictions in Africa (Morocco, Egypt, South Africa), the Middle East (GCC countries), and Asia (India), in the complex field of development and funding of infrastructure projects. Each region presented distinct legal frameworks, cultural nuances, and regulatory challenges, requiring adaptability and strategic thinking. For example, navigating public-private partnership structures in Morocco, managing cross-border financing in Egypt, and addressing stringent compliance requirements in India demanded innovative solutions and close collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including each legal team I have had the privilege to lead and law firms. These experiences not only broadened my legal expertise but also strengthened my ability to deliver pragmatic, business-oriented advice in dynamic environments.
Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on that you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful of?
One trend I am closely monitoring, and believe other in-house lawyers should prioritise, is the digitalisation of legal processes through AI-driven solutions. Over the past year, the drive to improve efficiency and enhance compliance has accelerated the adoption of technology in our legal departments. AI tools are transforming contract lifecycle management, regulatory compliance tracking, and risk assessment, enabling faster decision-making and better data insights. In-house counsel should view AI not as a threat, but as a strategic enabler in an increasingly complex legal environment.
How can general counsel foster a corporate culture that supports ESG principles and compliance across all levels of the organisation?
General counsels can foster a corporate culture that supports ESG principles and compliance by leading from the front and embedding ethics into every decision and process. At ENGIE, ethics is at the core of everything we do (“our license to operate”), and that starts with setting the tone at the top, demonstrating integrity, transparency, and accountability in all interactions. This means actively promoting ESG objectives in governance frameworks, ensuring policies reflect sustainability and social responsibility, and engaging with all levels of the organisation through training and clear communication.
What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about? Why is this?
A cause I am deeply passionate about is the global energy transition, creating a world where clean, affordable energy is accessible to everyone. This is not just an environmental imperative but a social and economic one, as energy access underpins development and quality of life. ENGIE plays a pivotal role in this transformation by investing in renewable energy, decarbonisation solutions, and innovative technologies that accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels. Being part of an organisation that places sustainability and ethics at the heart of its strategy allows me to contribute to a mission that aligns with my personal belief: that the future must be powered by clean energy for all.
Vice president legal, ethics, data privacy and physical security Europe
ENGIE
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Vice president legal, ethics, data privacy and physical security Europe
ENGIE
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