What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?

I think it is essential that I first explain a bit about my scope of work. Basically, I have two hats. As MENA compliance lead, I drive Nestlé MENA’s Compliance agenda across 19 countries (all business categories and functions). This includes seven compliance committees across an HO and six clusters, grievance management (more than 300 cases a year), sanctions compliance, AML compliance, ABAC compliance, third party risk management, etc.

As lead counsel and legal business partner for the Waters business (NW) in MENA, we had the NW business across nine countries, now eight. I have an oversight on all the legal affairs and operations of NW in MENA; in a way I am their GC. Some countries such as Iran, Algeria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt receive legal support through our local internal counsels, and I oversee, supervise, and support them when needed. Others including UAE, Qatar, KSA (six companies in KSA), and Bahrain are managed directly by me. This is a full-scale L&C support.

Now back to the question: key recent projects include a full-scale M&A process to sell our Waters company in Iran to a local player. The challengex with Iran-related transactions include compliance with sanctions regulations, lack of access to international banking systems, local rules and regulations that do not conform to international standards, etc. (2024-2025), the merger of five other Waters businesses in KSA, into one. (2023-2024), the restructuring of the Waters business in KSA and UAE: this of course requires lots of legal review, establishing new contracts, compliance with employment regulations, outsourcing projects, etc. Another big project is related to all the remaining Waters businesses in MENA. Generally, we are making NW a standalone business and segregating it from the rest of the MENA market.

Also, the establishment of the MENA Sanctions Compliance Program and implementation of a Sanctions Compliance Plan (2023), the establishment (2023) and implementation (2024-2025) of the MENA Compliance Program and strategy, the MENA AML Policy (2024), the MENA ABAC Policy (2025) and the establishment of six cluster compliance committees in MENA’s six Clusters (2024)

Of course I haven’t done all this alone, as they all have been achieved with the support and sponsorship of our General Counsel, the collaboration of all my 15 L&C colleagues across MENA, trust of senior management, and collaboration of colleagues in many other functions.

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?

In times of uncertainty or instability, the first thing I do is assess the risk and see what is at stake. Next thing is to plan scenarios with particular courses of action. I make sure to be present in the most important committees and forums where the issue is being addressed in the business, so that I hear the business and the business hears the legal. By active mutual contribution, automatically my legal strategy will align itself with the broader business strategy and has actually spent a lot of time influencing it. After that, it is key to maintain effective communication with all relevant stakeholders to make sure that strategies are being followed as planned and aligned.

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

In one phrase, a modern in-house counsel should be “Legal Business Partner and Enabler”. This means that he has to first deeply understand the business and its value chain. Then to understand the goals of the business, whether long term or short term, and then to align its legal and compliance strategies which such goals, based on business requirements and risk appetites of the business. Furthermore, he should be proactive, pragmatic, solution-oriented, have a strategic mindset, and of course be a great communicator.

What measures has your company taken to incorporate sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how can general counsel contribute to driving such initiatives within the organisation?

Nestlé has implemented various measures to incorporate sustainability practices into its core business operations. Key initiatives include sustainable sourcing, measurable environmental goals, packaging innovations, nutrition and health, community engagement, and sustainability reporting.

A General Counsel can play a crucial role in driving sustainability initiatives within the organisation by ensuring compliance and proper governance, policy development, stakeholder engagement, risk management, training and awareness, and embracing strategic partnerships. By integrating legal expertise with sustainability initiatives, a general counsel can help the company advance its commitment to sustainable practices while ensuring compliance and minimising risks.

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, of which you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful?

I think anyone’s answer to this question is artificial intelligence! I would generalise into the broader concept of “Technology and Legal Innovation”. The integration of technology in legal practices, including AI, machine learning, and legal tech tools, is transforming how legal services are delivered. General Counsels should stay informed about technological advancements that can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve compliance.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

The first three things that come to my mind are performing my job at high quality, education, as I think proper education is the most key factor in the development of societies, and music, everything about it! I might as well open a recording studio sometime!