<strong>Team size: </strong> 15 

<strong> What are the most significant cases and/or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in? </strong> 

In April 2025, the USFDA approved the PRP gene edit for PRRS Resistant pigs for use in the U.S. food supply chain. The first gene edit for animals ever to ben approved.  The edit relates to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (“PRRS”), one of the most devastating global diseases which causes suffering and premature death for pigs. Recent research indicates that PRRS increases the need for antibiotics by more than 200%. This landmark approval follows years of collaboration with the USFDA. This approval has been followed by approvals in other jurisdictions, including Canada in early 2026. 

In February 2026, following Chinese regulatory approvals, we announced the formation of a Joint Venture between our PIC China business and Beijing Capital Agribusiness, a partially state owned entity (BCA). Key highlights include a Chinese joint venture formation, 51% BCA and 49% Genus, to strengthen PIC China’s local positioning and provide the best possible route to achieving PRP commercialisation in China. Genus will receive a gross cash payment of US$160m (estimated US$140m, net of withholding tax and transaction costs), subject to any further working capital and net debt adjustments, US$7.5m accelerated milestone, upon receipt of regulatory approvals for the joint venture, in lieu of remaining milestone payments under the original agreements, intellectual property royalties from the joint venture on PRP sales in China that are consistent with the original agreements and dividends from the joint venture based on Genus’s 49% ownership, consistent with the original agreements 

<strong> What do you see as an opportunity or risk over the next six months? </strong>  

Opportunity for further approvals for our landmark gene edit and continued geopolitical uncertainty and conflict means that for our global business we are continually evaluating risks and opportunities.  

Functionally, as we launch our AI usage, we’re excited to realise capacity benefits. 

<strong> As the legal landscape evolves, what steps are you taking to foster a culture of continuous learning and development within the legal team, ensuring that they are all well-equipped to address future legal complexities? </strong>  

We operate at the cutting edge of scientific research; our deals can be very bespoke to our industry and our strategic intent. Our is a long cycle business which  requires our team to anticipate usage, trend and risk which today is unknown. We work with our business to understand the trends, the strategy and the landscape to protect against future risk, industry consolidation and regulatory positioning.  All team members have development plans which are focused on skills development and strategic leadership. We have internal functional efficiency focused projects to enable capacity growth through self service, training and automated solutions. We are launching our internal functional AI tooling to ensure we can continue to progress without headcount growth. 

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

One year into the pandemic and days away from completing an M&A transaction to sell a US based business, the business reported a quality issue in gas distribution pipe. The issue could potentially affected a population of manufactured pipe of over 300 million miles of pipe over 13 years. Within 24 hours, I issued the first of 15 public substantive updates to the industry and stopped production of pipe. Initial claims estimates meant were sufficiently significant to require a restructure the company through a Texan Divisive Demerger, set up an independent board of directors to oversee both the affected business and its unaffected sister entity and provide protection for the ultimate group. Over the period of 4 years, only one piece of litigation eventuated which was eventually settled at a single digit percentage of the initial claims estimate. The business resumed manufacture 6 months after cessation and the CEO of one of the customers most affected – not a party to litigation – remarked that we had set the industry gold standard benchmark for crisis management and communications.