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

Since joining Cladtek in the third quarter of 2024, my focus has been on leading the standardisation of our Legal, Contracts, HR and ESG functions across multiple countries to support growth while embedding a resilient culture. A key aspect has been ensuring our processes and training provide the business with a clear, practical platform for assessing both risk and opportunity across diverse legal and cultural landscapes and contract styles, from our facilities and offices to the projects and bids we support globally.

One highlight has been supporting Cladtek’s award of a contract by Allseas to supply 120 km of mechanically lined pipe (MLP) for the Brazilian Búzios 10 Project, the largest MLP project in Petrobras’ history, which we will deliver with a 100% local workforce. This milestone reflects not only our technical capability but also our commitment to local community engagement. During this period, the HR function I lead also achieved, in conjunction with our Brazil team, key milestones including Cladtek Brazil being certified as a 2025 Great Place to Work and launching a new programme creating technical roles for people with disabilities. These achievements underline the importance we place on accessibility, diversity and fostering an inclusive environment where people thrive.

I have also made it a priority over the past year to spend time not only with our corporate teams but also on the shop floor and at our offices in Brazil, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Singapore. These interactions provide me with first-hand insight into operational realities, strengthen alignment between global strategy and local execution, and help ensure my team ‘walks the talk’ in how we engage across the business.

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

The uniqueness of my career lies in its breadth and the different environments in which I have worked. I began in hospitality management in China and Australia before obtaining a law degree and spending nearly 15 years in contracts and legal roles across projects in oil and gas, mining, renewables, rail, construction and manufacturing in PNG, Indonesia, Australia, Europe, Kazakhstan, across the GCC, Brazil and beyond. This diverse background has exposed me to a wide range of contracts and legal systems, from complex multi-jurisdictional turnkey projects to rare engagements involving tribal laws and customs. Combined with the shift from hospitality, where service is paramount, to in-house counsel, these experiences have profoundly shaped how I work today: practical, culturally attuned, people-focused and able to approach challenges with both creativity and pragmatism.

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

Early in my career, someone told me that a good GC is ‘a leader of the business who just happens to be a lawyer’, and this has stayed with me. Modern in-house counsel must be more than lawyers working in isolation. Today’s in-house counsel needs to be a business enabler, a strong communicator and a leader who helps the organisation move forward. For me, the key attributes are strong financial and commercial acumen, sound risk appreciation, the ability to distil complexity into clear, actionable advice, and the willingness to be present on the frontline with the business. Above all, it is about fostering trust by being present, proactive, pragmatic and leading by example.