Could you tell us a bit about your significant successes in your role?

I manage all the legal matters for the corporate and energy business of ENGIE ANZ, covering corporate head office, commodity trading, asset development and power station operations. Over the last few years, we have had a lot of change in the business’ direction, which significantly increased the amount and type of legal support required, particularly in our activities to scale up renewable electricity generation.

I have championed the implementation of several systems to improve contract reviews and approval and signing process in the business. The first was the widespread adoption of electronic signing, mainly DocuSign, which was very timely instituted right at the beginning of the pandemic. Subsequently, I have managed the implementation of a contract review and approval system across the business which has replaced the manual paper-based forms and we are now looking at using it for more extensive document management and contract automation.

In your opinion, what are the qualities and skills needed to form a strong legal team?

Trust is probably the most important quality, and it arises in different ways. There is the trust that our internal and external stakeholders place in the legal team to provide clear, commercial and fearless advice. Then there is also the trust that must exist between the members of the legal team that we are all pulling in the same direction and providing a consistency of work that enhances the team.

In terms of skills, what I look for in our team members is the ability to manage ambiguity and the willingness to push for the correct position, even though it may not be a popular one.

What is the biggest risk to your industry or organisation and how are you contributing to prepare your organisation for this?

Regulatory oversight and intervention are increasing significant For ENGIE ANZ, a significant component is directly related to the ongoing reforms in the Australian energy markets, but there is also a significant amount of work in the privacy and cybersecurity spaces.

There is a greater risk of extensive and intrusive regulatory investigation, the legal function is working as part of the cross functional approach to managing and dealing with this increased regulatory scrutiny.

What challenges have you overcome to get to the position you are in today?

I had the opportunity, a few years ago, to take an internal transfer to originate the legal function in a newly acquired business. This meant leaving the well-established legal team in an existing part of the business. This experience was transformative in how I have developed as a lawyer and senior manager. I was required to narrow in on critical legal issues and build relationships within the business quickly, to ensure mutual objectives were met. It fundamentally shaped my view on how an effective legal function operates and has been of great value in adapting to the challenges of my current role.