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?

By assembling the right team, staying alert to regulatory change, proactively managing contracts and employment issues, safeguarding data, maintaining robust governance, and treating legal risk management as an integral part of the organisation’s strategic response to crisis, ensuring resilience, compliance, and sustained stakeholder trust even in uncertain times. By fostering proactive risk management, supporting innovation, enhancing reputation, and enabling agile response to change, integrated legal-business strategies ensure that organisations are not only protected against the unexpected but are well-positioned to seize opportunities and sustain success in a dynamic world. Ultimately, resilience arises from the ability to anticipate, absorb, and adapt and the union of legal and business strategy is both shield and compass.

What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company?

My company is embedding sustainability into its core operations by focusing on greenhouse gas reduction, optimising resource use, and promoting a circular economy. The company integrates Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its business strategies and operations, guided by the UN Global Compact and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The legal department plays a vital role in driving and ensuring sustainable practices by providing legal expertise on environmental regulations, advising on sustainability-related risks and opportunities, and ensuring compliance with relevant laws and standards.

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?

Nowadays the legal profession stands at the threshold of a technological renaissance. By embracing emerging technologies (from AI and blockchain to ODR and advanced cybersecurity) the legal team can enhance their service delivery, expand access to justice, and address new challenges with agility and insight. Needless to say, staying updated requires an intentional mix of education, networking, and curiosity. The most successful in-house lawyers will be those who not only adapt to change but anticipate and shape it, ensuring their continued relevance and leadership in a rapidly changing world.