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

One acquisition (danish ecom Swipe ApS) and implementation of DORA.

As the world continues to face geopolitical, technological and economic uncertainty, how do you manage legal risk while still prioritising commercial objectives?

We need to utilise technology to put things into context. We can’t assess geopolitical risks based on a memo; we need to see the whole architecture of the enterprise as a whole, and see what dependencies exist e.g. outside of Europe.

As the in-house role continues to evolve from legal advisor to business partner, what strategies have you found most effective for stakeholder management and aligning legal advice with business strategy?

We are primarily an IT-driven entity, and I can maximise my value creation best by ensuring that the product I deliver is usable alongside the IT-services we use, build and sell.

Is there a particular moment in your career as a lawyer that stands out or has shaped how you approach your role as general counsel?

I spent my first ten years working with building infrastructure in the public sector. It taught me a lot about technology, but also a lot about the value of infrastructure and the different approaches that exist in public and private domains.

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

Understanding both the business and the tech in the domain you are working with is key. Law may be a constant, but its application is always context dependent.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into legal teams, and the pressure grows to ‘do more with less’, how can GC balance efficiency, quality and human judgement?

By finding a model for responsible and efficient usage of AI, being transparent on that and sticking with it. Neither all-embracing nor all-rejecting strategies will work.

Given Norway’s emphasis on ESG, what role do GCs play in embedding these principles across the organisation?

The focus on ESG has been a bit on pause the last couple of years, and will probably reemerge in a slightly reworked fashion. Legal should enable businesses to find the right balance between efficiency and thoroughness, using technology. In the vendor management sphere, there are several trends making usage of AI more relevant, but it still not clear who will end up with the relevant power of definition on content and formats.

What key trends – and challenges – should in-house lawyers be monitoring over the next year?

Standardisation, both from the EU and from BigTechs. It will be a battle of who gets there first.

Beyond your core legal role, are there any causes or initiatives you’re passionate about?

Getting Norway into the EU.