What are the most significant cases, projects, or transactions that you and your legal team have recently been involved in?

Over the past year, our legal team has been involved in a broad range of strategic and operational matters across multiple jurisdictions.

A significant portion of our work has focused on corporate governance and strategic transactions, including support for group reorganisations and M&A-related activities. We have also advised on major commercial negotiations involving international distribution, e-commerce, retail, and technology partnerships.

Another key area of focus has been compliance. Our team has led initiatives relating to anti-money laundering, sanctions compliance, whistleblowing, competition law, data protection, and third-party due diligence. In particular, we have supported the implementation of enhanced compliance frameworks and training programmes aimed at strengthening the organisation’s culture of integrity and mitigating regulatory risks across different markets.

We have also managed a variety of cross-border privacy and data governance projects, including the review and implementation of privacy documentation and governance processes in jurisdictions with increasingly demanding data protection requirements.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

My approach is based on two principles: anticipation and proximity to the business.

First, preparation is critical. We seek to identify emerging legal and regulatory risks before they become issues through continuous monitoring of legislative developments, geopolitical events, compliance trends, and sector-specific risks.

Second, during periods of uncertainty, the legal function must operate as a business partner rather than solely as a control function. I work closely with senior management and key stakeholders to provide timely, clear, and commercially practical advice that allows the organisation to make informed decisions while remaining within an acceptable risk framework.

General counsel often speak of the need to be strategic to reach the pinnacle of the profession. What does being strategic mean to you?

To me, being strategic means looking beyond legal risk and understanding how legal advice can support the company’s long-term objectives. A strategic general counsel is not only a protector of the business but also an enabler of growth and value creation. It requires anticipating emerging risks, understanding the commercial realities of the organisation, and helping leadership make informed decisions in a rapidly changing environment.

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

In my view, the modern in-house counsel must combine legal excellence with strong business acumen. Technical expertise remains essential, but today’s legal leaders are expected to go beyond identifying risks: they must help the business navigate complexity, make informed decisions, and create sustainable value.

Agility is equally critical. In an environment shaped by rapid technological change, evolving regulations, geopolitical uncertainty, and increasing stakeholder expectations, in-house counsel must be able to anticipate risks, adapt quickly, and provide pragmatic solutions under pressure.

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?

First, the increasing convergence of legal, compliance, sustainability and corporate reputation. Legal departments are no longer expected to assess risks solely from a legal perspective. Every significant business decision may have regulatory, ESG, reputational and stakeholder implications, often across multiple jurisdictions.

Second, geopolitical uncertainty and regulatory fragmentation. Businesses operating internationally are facing a more complex environment, characterised by trade restrictions, sanctions regimes, supply chain challenges, data governance requirements and rapidly evolving consumer expectations.

Third, the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the legal profession and on business operations more generally. AI presents extraordinary opportunities to improve efficiency and decision-making, but it also raises important questions around governance, intellectual property, transparency, accountability and data protection.