<strong>Legal team size:</strong> Two

<Strong>In an increasingly complex global environment, how are you helping your organisation navigate risk while still supporting growth?</strong>

There is a common perception that the legal department exists to say no to everything. I believe exactly the opposite. My role is to help projects move forward by identifying risks early and proposing practical solutions.

In a real estate development company, commercial, financial and operational decisions all have significant legal implications. That is why I seek to become involved from the early stages of each project. The earlier the legal team participates, the greater the opportunity to structure solutions that support business objectives whilst avoiding unnecessary risks.

The greatest contribution of in-house counsel is not to identify problems, but to help solve them.

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

I believe the role has evolved beyond that of a purely legal adviser to become a strategic business partner. Today, General Counsel are expected not only to understand the legal implications of a decision, but also its financial, operational and reputational impact, and to help guide the decision-making process.

The key value lies in being involved before decisions are made, not afterwards. When the legal function participates from the outset, it can contribute to shaping the strategy rather than simply reviewing its consequences when implementation is already under way.

<strong>How has AI changed the legal function recently (including in the past year), and how are you approaching it within your team?</strong>

Artificial intelligence has had a significant impact on the legal function over the past year, primarily in terms of efficiency and time savings. In my experience, it has become a valuable tool for legal research, document review, drafting and the preliminary analysis of complex legal matters.

Its greatest contribution has been allowing me to spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on strategic analysis, negotiations and supporting the business. This has significantly improved the legal department’s ability to respond to the organisation’s needs.

However, I believe artificial intelligence should be viewed as a support tool rather than a replacement for professional judgement. The real value still lies in the team’s ability to understand context, assess risks and make decisions. In practice, we use these tools under constant supervision, always prioritising control, accuracy and human validation of the results.