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

Over the past twelve months, my focus has been on initiatives that strengthen CBC’s growth, resilience and competitive positioning, while positioning the legal function as a strategic partner in decision-making and risk management.

One of the most significant projects has been leading the regulatory and enterprise risk strategy in response to increasing scrutiny in the food and beverage sector. This involved developing a more integrated and forward-looking approach to legal and regulatory risk, particularly in areas such as consumer protection, labelling, competition and commercial practices. By working closely with commercial, innovation and public affairs teams, we were able to anticipate regulatory developments, support faster product and portfolio decisions, and enhance alignment between risk appetite and business strategy.

Another key priority has been the strengthening of our enterprise risk management framework, integrating legal, compliance and operational risks into broader business planning. This included improving risk identification processes, implementing risk dashboards and enhancing reporting to senior leadership. As a result, risk management has become a more dynamic and data-driven process, enabling better strategic decision-making and organisational resilience.

In parallel, we accelerated digital transformation and legal operations, implementing contract lifecycle management tools, automation and data analytics. This has significantly improved efficiency, transparency and scalability, reduced contract cycle times and increased visibility of risk exposure. These initiatives have allowed the legal team to focus on high-value advisory work, supporting innovation and growth across the region.

I have also been actively involved in strategic commercial initiatives and partnerships, supporting new go-to-market models and digital channels. This work required balancing innovation with regulatory and reputational considerations, particularly in emerging areas such as digital consumer engagement and data governance.

In addition, we strengthened our dispute prevention and litigation strategy, shifting from a reactive to a proactive model. Through improved contract governance, early risk identification and closer collaboration with business stakeholders, we reduced exposure and improved predictability in dispute management.

Finally, I have prioritised team capability and leadership development, building a high-performing and agile legal team with a strong commercial and risk mindset. We have invested in continuous learning, cross-functional collaboration and leadership skills, ensuring that the legal function continues to evolve in line with CBC’s regional ambitions. These initiatives reflect my vision of the legal function as a driver of sustainable growth, resilience and competitive advantage in a complex and rapidly evolving business environment.

In 2026, I believe in-house counsel must prepare for a combination of regulatory complexity, geopolitical volatility and accelerated business transformation. The food and beverage industry, in particular, is facing increased scrutiny in areas such as consumer protection, competition, digital engagement and evolving regulatory frameworks. At the same time, companies are expanding across jurisdictions and adopting new business models, which requires legal teams to move from a reactive approach to a proactive and risk-based mindset.

One of the most important challenges will be managing uncertainty. In-house counsel must become more integrated into strategic decision-making, helping organisations anticipate change rather than simply responding to it. This includes monitoring regulatory developments across the region, understanding political and economic dynamics and strengthening enterprise risk management frameworks. The ability to translate legal risk into business language will be critical in ensuring that leadership teams can make informed and agile decisions.

Managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis is therefore becoming a core responsibility for modern general counsel. My approach is based on three principles: alignment, speed and resilience. Alignment means ensuring that the legal strategy is fully integrated with the business and that the legal team participates early in key decisions. This reduces the risk of fragmentation and enables more consistent responses across markets. Speed is essential in today’s environment. During crises, legal teams must provide clear and practical guidance, prioritising what truly matters and empowering business leaders to act with confidence. Finally, resilience requires strong governance, scenario planning and cross-functional collaboration, particularly with risk, compliance, communications and operations teams.

Another key priority for general counsel is the successful integration of artificial intelligence and digital tools. AI has the potential to transform legal operations, improve efficiency and generate insights that support better decision-making. However, the challenge is not technological but cultural. General counsel must ensure that AI enhances human judgement rather than replacing it. This requires clear governance, ethical guidelines and continuous training.

In my view, the most successful legal teams will be those that combine technology with strong business acumen, critical thinking and emotional intelligence. While automation can improve efficiency, trust, credibility and leadership remain uniquely human. General counsel must therefore focus on developing teams that are adaptable, curious and comfortable navigating complexity.

Ultimately, the role of the in-house lawyer is evolving from legal adviser to strategic partner, risk leader and driver of organisational resilience. Those who embrace this transformation will not only protect their organisations but also create sustainable competitive advantage in an increasingly uncertain world.