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

When I first joined MUFG, our legal department was a highly centralised team which performed mostly company secretarial work, rather than providing transactional support to the business. This followed the model we had regionally, in Asia and in Japan, at that time. However, as the bank expanded locally, both in terms of headcount and in transaction volume, it became obvious that the Oceania legal team had to grow with it and align itself to the various product and sector groups, in order to support our bankers through the lifecycle of their transactions. I spoke at length with our business leaders to understand the legal service they needed, so that our support could be structured accordingly. I am proud that members of the legal department are now viewed as trusted advisors by all business teams.

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

For me, the qualities and skills needed are flexibility, the ability to create an environment where inquisitiveness and willingness to learn are encouraged, as well as generating strong personal connections across the team and having a “can do” attitude.

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

The current economic environment poses a concern to any financial institution and MUFG is no different. We are focusing on continuing to support our selected clients and ensuring that MUFG’s laser focus on execution is the factor that differentiates client experience. The legal team has an important role in this, being responsive and adaptable to the changing economic landscape.

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

I moved to Australia from London in 2009, not knowing a single person here. I had to develop my professional network from scratch, research and understand both the legal and business environment in Australia, along with identifying and approaching potential mentors. I am proud of how far I have come and excited about where the future will take me.