What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?  

The in-house department recently supported the marketing and retail teams in the execution of an exclusive deal for Flannels X, to be the sole luxury UK retailer for the Beyonce Renaissance Tour merchandise and Renaissance Beyonce with Balmain products. At the end of 2022, the business acquired a strong portfolio of 15 fashion brands and the in-house team has supported heavily in the onboarding and integration of those brands into the Group. My team works closely with external legal advisors, and intellectual property attorneys, on a range of workstreams to enhance and protect the business’s portfolio. They also collaborate closely with internal teams such as ecommerce, IT, HR and finance to support the elevation of the Group’s internal infrastructure and external customer experience.
 

Can you foresee any key developments to the way general counsel work over the next five years? 
 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the current hot topic for in-house legal teams. Over recent years there have been various iterations of AI to support contract reviews, drafting and management, however, 2023 has seen a significant improvement in that technology. Increased budget demands and personnel restrictions have become the norm across all sectors, and being able to work efficiently and effectively is becoming more vital, therefore I believe AI will greatly assist in-house counsel in doing this.
 

As a general counsel, how do you anticipate and prepare for potential legal and regulatory challenges that may arise, particularly in light of emerging technologies and evolving business landscapes? 

Working in an organisation that stretches across the retail industry, from product design through to sales to end-consumers, we have to engage and work closely with advisors who are not only subject matter experts but retail experts. Leveraging their broad experience supports our internal horizon-scanning and allows us to support stakeholders in strategic decision-making as well as outline areas of risk and opportunity for the business.
 

What are some of the main trends impacting the industry sector you work in in the United Kingdom?  

At a time where disposable income is at some of the lowest levels it has ever been, our end-consumers are increasingly looking to find the greatest value for their money. This means that we must work hard to be unique with our offering, and ensure we increase our efficiencies and squeeze our overheads without losing the values of offering the most compelling brand ecosystem to our consumers. We are also seeing increased scrutiny across the regulatory landscape, from data protection to green marketing claims, our customers are more concerned over their consumer-rights than ever before. In turn, regulators are tightening their focus, acting on key areas across privacy, environmental, social and governance matters.