In an increasingly complex global environment, how are you helping your organization navigate risk while still supporting growth?

My role is to help the business move forward in a way that is commercially sound but also legally and reputationally sustainable. In practice, that means being involved early in key decisions, especially in a highly regulated industry such as fuel distribution, where operational, regulatory and public policy issues are often closely connected.

Over the past year, a big part of my work has been supporting the business in navigating regulatory changes, sensitive commercial matters and governance challenges, while maintaining a practical approach. I try to bring legal closer to the business, not as a control function that appears at the end, but as a team that helps structure decisions from the beginning and makes execution easier.

How has the role of General Counsel evolved in recent years, and where do you see GCs creating the most value today? 

I think the role has become much more business-facing than it was a few years ago. Today, legal leaders are expected not only to give legal advice, but also to understand the commercial context, anticipate risks, and help management make decisions in complex situations.

The value lies not only in identifying what the risk is, but in helping the business understand it, assess it properly and move forward with clarity. In that sense, I believe in-house legal teams add the most value when they combine technical judgement with practicality, credibility and a real understanding of how the business operates.

What has been your most significant challenge as General Counsel in recent years, and what did you learn from it? 

One of the main challenges has been balancing a broad legal and compliance agenda with a small team, while supporting a business that moves quickly and operates in a highly regulated environment. That has required a great deal of prioritisation, clear communication and close coordination with different areas of the company.

What I learned is that legal leadership is not only about technical quality. It is also about setting priorities, building trust, and ensuring the legal function remains relevant to the business. In practice, that means focusing not only on resolving issues effectively, but also on being involved early enough to help prevent them.