Head of legal & internal control -Board secretary | Air Liquide Maroc
Imad Maliki
Head of legal & internal control -Board secretary | Air Liquide Maroc
What are the most significant cases and/or transactions that you have been involved in over the past year?
Last year brought unique challenges and opportunities, requiring a high degree of adaptability and strategic foresight. We navigated a group-wide strategic plan aimed at enhancing performance, which demanded a significant and proactive legal contribution to business objectives. This involved not only ensuring legal compliance but also actively engaging in strategic decision-making to support the company’s overall goals. At the same time, we managed extensive corporate governance activities, orchestrating over ten Board meetings. These were often linked to complex and time-sensitive projects, including capital increases, strategic share acquisitions, and the seamless transition of new board members. Each of these required meticulous attention to detail, a deep understanding of relevant regulations, and the ability to provide timely and accurate legal counsel. While successfully supporting the strategic plan and overseeing governance activities, we also identified opportunities to streamline legal support for business initiatives. Recognising the need for greater efficiency and responsiveness, we worked to enhance processes that enable the business to operate more effectively while mitigating potential legal risks.
What are the most significant cases and/or transactions that you have been involved in over the past year?
Meeting tight deadlines and successfully onboarding new board administrators required significant resources and posed a considerable challenge. The compressed timelines demanded agility and the ability to prioritise tasks effectively. Integrating new board administrators involved not only providing essential documentation and training but also ensuring their seamless incorporation into the company’s governance structure. This required a strong grasp of corporate governance principles, clear communication, and the ability to address any questions or concerns. The complexity of these tasks was further heightened by the need to maintain confidentiality and ensure full compliance with applicable regulations. This experience underscored the importance of having robust processes in place to manage time-sensitive projects and facilitate the smooth integration of new stakeholders.
What innovations have you made to the way your legal team works in the past year?
By leveraging existing platforms, specifically Google Forms, we have implemented a standardised legal request process across the AMEI region, aligning with global deployments. This system enables detailed tracking of incoming legal inquiries, facilitating data-driven prioritisation and targeted training initiatives. Its implementation has significantly enhanced our ability to manage legal requests efficiently and effectively. By analysing request trends, we aim to strengthen business partner autonomy and proactively mitigate legal risks. This involves identifying common legal issues and developing tailored training programmes to address them. The data collected through Google Forms provides valuable insights into the most frequently requested legal support, allowing us to allocate resources more effectively. Additionally, the system promotes transparency and accountability by maintaining clear records of all legal requests and their status. This has improved communication between the legal department and business partners, fostering greater collaboration and mutual understanding.
Based on your experience, what is the key to collaborating successfully with business partners?
Clear communication, mutual respect, and aligned goals are essential for successful collaboration with business partners. Building trust through transparency and reliability fosters strong, lasting relationships. A deep understanding of your partner’s business, challenges, and objectives enables more effective and tailored legal support. Flexibility and adaptability are crucial for navigating complex legal issues and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes. Proactively addressing potential challenges and providing timely, accurate legal advice help mitigate risks and ensure compliance. Strong collaboration depends on these fundamentals, reinforcing relationships and driving shared success. This requires actively listening to business partners, understanding their needs, and providing the legal support necessary to help them achieve their goals.