Simone Girson Newton has worked in the specialty (re)insurance industry for over 14 years, having recently moved back to Liberty in a new role as General Counsel International. Simone qualified as a UK solicitor in 2009, having trained at the international law firm CMS Cameron McKenna LLP (now CMS), working on corporate and M&A transactions with an insurance focus. She currently oversees a legal function for the UK and MENA region and internationally, including, a Lloyd’s and company platform and she is a member of the local and international executive teams.

Simone obtained an English Law with French Law degree at University College London (University of London) and a Diplôme de Droit Français from Université Panthéon-Assas (Paris II). She is admitted as a UK qualified solicitor.

What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?

I am proud of supporting legal teams strive towards optimal efficiency to align resource with cross jurisdictional regulatory priorities and evolving key business focus areas. This will be key in my role at Liberty, where I will be looking to enhance AI use at a legal function level.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

From experience, managing legal aspects successfully during a period of instability requires good communication, trusted relationships and keeping a cool head even when others around you are not! Throughout my career, from working on multi-million dollar M&A deals, pan-european licensing agreements to finalising smaller contracts, there is generally going to be some form of uncertainty at some point, whether it be on the legal side, business side or both. I think being aware of this invetibility helps to prepare you for various potential eventualities. Maintaining a resilient legal function is also key to serving business needs during a period of instability. It is important to keep re-reviewing team resourcing, prioritization and internal organization efficiencies to help achieve the team’s and business resilience goals.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house GC?

Strong resilience and flexibility are key skills to a sustainable career in a face paced in-house counsel environment. I am grateful to have worked in organisations that support mental health and resilience awareness. Also, having a genuine interest in the business and a desire to learn more about the company’s strategy and goals is vital – this helps to understand the business context and shape any advice in line with those areas. Further, embracing technology and continuous learning to stay agile in a dynamic environment are important skills to develop as you forge your career in-house. The business is always receptive and grateful if you can find solutions to a problem and the response can become faster over time!

How do you help drive strong governance and ethical decision-making across your organisation?

Embedding strong governance at all levels within an organisation continues to be a key regulatory focus area. I have advised business teams to consider items from management committee to Board level, to ensure the appropriate review of a topic is considered and evidenced, whilst being considerate of the materiality of the item for the relevant business. It is helpful to have the General Counsel be part of a strong governance structure, to support this key pillar within an organisation.