GC on tour
At GC magazine, we pride ourselves on having the pulse of in-house counsel the world around. To keep abreast of developments and fulfil our international mandate, the GC team are frequently sent to far-flung corners of the globe to learn how the roles of in-house counsel are changing and evolving to meet the needs of the markets their businesses operate in.
In our GC on Tour blog, we showcase the stories of counsel we encounter on our travels, sharing a snapshot of what life as a lawyer entails in different countries.
Italy
Beyond Borders: A GC’s Journey Through the Energy Transition
As the world increasingly shifts towards sustainable energy solutions, general counsel (GCs) are at the forefront of addressing numerous legal challenges and ensuring compliance in a rapidly evolving landscape. This transition is not merely a technical and operational shift but a profound transformation affecting regulatory, contractual, and strategic aspects of the energy sector. The challenges GCs face are multifaceted, demanding a deep understanding of both the legal and business implications of the sector’s move towards sustainability.
These challenges underscore the essential role of GCs in guiding their organisations through the complexities of energy transition. Their expertise in managing regulatory changes, updating contracts, and ensuring compliance is crucial for facilitating a smooth and legally sound shift to sustainable energy. To gain an internal perspective on the daily challenges GCs face and how they can be best addressed, we spoke with Cristina Della Moretta, group general counsel at PLT Energia.
United States
BRIEF, BRILLIANT, AND INDISPENSABLE: MATT CAMPOBASSO ON BUILDING A STRONG LEGAL TEAM
Joining Enfusion in 2020, Matt Campobasso was the third attorney to join the growing company’s legal department. Since that time, Matt, who assumed the role of general counsel and corporate secretary in November 2022, and his team have evolved the legal function from one that was overwhelmingly reactive to one that approaches risk in a proactive and “upstream” manner in order to prevent problems before they arise. Along the way, Matt has helped Enfusion transition from a private company to one that was listed on the New York Stock Exchange through its October 2021 IPO. Matt’s values and guidance drive the legal team’s work, urging them to “be brief, brilliant, and indispensable”.
Enfusion’s legal is committed to finding solutions and not saying no unless there is no other way. The team strives to build solid relationships with every part of the organization. As Matt points out, “Knowing the law is not enough, Enfusion’s lawyers must know our company, our products, and our market.” For companies with a profile like Enfusion’s, which do not have a legal department with unlimited resources, Matt’s focus is “keeping the trains running on time, but also finding the time to look forward and lay the train tracks that will allow the business to scale and grow efficiently and, in a risk-aware manner”.
United States
MUCH MORE THAN LAW: FROM GENERAL COUNSEL TO BUSINESS ALL-ROUNDER
In the early stages of Chris Ghazarian’s education, a pre-law course at the University of Southern California offered by Professor Charles Whitebread changed his life trajectory. Professor Whitebread noted Chris’s knack for jumping to conclusions outside the class’s legal scope. Chris wrestled with this feedback at first, assuming it was criticism. In his words, “it was difficult to reach legal conclusions and then stop thinking ahead”; he wanted to apply them to “bigger, grander ideas.” Before long, Professor Whitebread would comment on Chris’s potential to achieve “much more than law” for the same reason.
Chris later discovered this to be a passion – taking stable legal principles and weaving them into visionary ideas that drive business forward and shape the world. This passion intersects with his professional journey, as general counsel at DreamHost, and now leading all operations, creating synergy between business strategy, core compliance teams, and the legal sphere.
Italy
THE GUARDIAN GC: BRAND REPUTATION AND SUCCESS
In a world where companies face constant scrutiny and are expected to excel on multiple fronts, prominent concepts like ESG and Corporate Social Responsibility have compelled legal leaders to extend beyond their traditional legal obligations. They are now expected to take the helm in shaping the company’s brand image and actively participate in the decision-making processes of the business, thereby driving organisational growth. In the intricate ecosystem of modern business, where brand reputation can determine success or failure, the role of the GC emerges as indispensable. They serve as guardians, protecting the intangible yet invaluable asset of brand reputation.
South Africa
JACO THEUNISSEN: THE EVOLVING ROLE OF THE GC IN SOUTH AFRICA
As one of Africa’s leading economies, South Africa boasts a sophisticated legal market that encompasses a wide range of practice areas and industries. In recent years, the role of the general counsel in the country has undergone significant transformation, reflecting broader shifts in the global business landscape. Traditionally focused primarily on legal compliance and risk management, general counsel in South Africa are now being called upon to play a more strategic role within their organisations. We have had the privilege of speaking with Jaco Theunissen, group legal and company secretary at ACTOM (Pty) Ltd, to gain first-hand insights into this evolving landscape.
South Korea
FLAVOURFUL LEARNING: ROGER CHAE OF HANON SYSTEMS
Roger Chae was exposed to the business side of law from an early age, as his father asked him to look over contracts for the family business in Hawaii. “ ‘I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Just use common sense and keep learning’ was his instruction to me,” recalls Roger. “The compensation for the legal service was lunch and ice cream. I savor ice cream. Sometimes I would skip lunch and just eat ice cream; there were so many flavours!” Looking back, Roger shares how his legal career was very much by design and, curiously, ice cream has played a notable part in his journey.
Brazil
A SUSTAINABLE JOURNEY IN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT: CELEBRATING TWO DECADES OF ESG ADVOCACY
In 2023, Pilar Perez celebrated 20 years at the investment management firm Lorinvest. Pilar is today the company’s compliance, human resources and – you guessed it – legal director. During our informal conversation, we delved into her legal team’s proactive initiatives aimed at fostering environmental responsibility and sustainability within not only her company, but the entire investment management industry. With impassioned dedication, Pilar articulated the strategic vision driving their efforts, highlighting innovative approaches to corporate social responsibility and environmental stewardship.
Hong Kong
HONG KONG IN CHANGE: THE GC VIEW
At a time when IPO activity has slowed to a trickle, and some lawyers have relocated their Asia headquarters to Singapore, much remains uncertain in Hong Kong – though it still retains a unique character that no other city can fully emulate. So, how is the situation on the ground really? During a trip to the Pearl of the Orient, Joe Boswell spoke to eminent GCs Michelle Hung and Victor Ding about their experiences.
AUSTRALIA
EYE OF THE STORM
To explore how companies are approaching more frequent and varied crises, the Ashurst Leadership Centre convened a roundtable in partnership with The Legal 500 in Sydney in November 2023.
JAPAN
RISING STAR INTERVIEW: MINA HOSHIZAWA
After completing her studies in Japan’s picturesque Norther city of Hokkaido, Mina Hoshizawa began her legal career with Freshfields’s Tokyo office before moving in-house. Now a compliance manager at Bayer, she manages and supports other compliance professionals. Joe Boswell caught up with Mina on our last trip to Japan and asked her to reflect on her career so far.
A GC’S GUIDE TO LEADERSHIP: TOSHIMI ITAKURA OF SOJITZ
Toshimi Itakura is now general manager of the Sojitz Corporation’s legal department. But it has been a long road to get there – she has worked her way up from the most junior position in the legal team all the way up to the top job at one of Japan’s largest companies. Toshimi spoke to GC about her philosophy.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Our opening speaker, the hugely charismatic Lily Tsen of Amcor Flexibles, opened proceedings with a wide-ranging talk which urged the in-house lawyers in the audience to find their voice and assert themselves in their organisations to make positive change in the wider world at large.
AUSTRALIA
In our next instalment of ‘GC on Tour’ Harveen Kaur looks back at a pre-COVID-19 world where she swapped her London umbrella for Sydney sunscreen and headed across the globe to discuss all things business with leading in-house practitioners in Australia.
Sydney is known around the world for its iconic landmarks such as Bondi Beach, the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. Yet the city has also developed a reputation as a commercial metropolis and a hotspot for major industries to flourish. Finding out how Sydney got its reputation as the business capital of Australia, Harveen sits down with industry leaders across media, entertainment and charity sectors.
Beginning the tour she heads into the heart of the city to speak with Connie Carnabuci, general counsel of the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Discussing recent case developments and what in-house counsel in Australia should be aware of, Carnabuci reflects upon the challenges and rewards presented by social media.
Then it is lights, camera, action! We sit down with Nina Stamell general counsel of the hugely successful children’s music band, The Wiggles. She shares with Harveen what is top of her agenda in 2020 and the importance of finding work life balance as she takes on her new role as mother.
In our final leg of the tour, we uncover the important part general counsel play when advising and supporting the not-for-profit sector. Taking us behind the scenes is Katrin O’Sullivan general counsel of The Fred Hollows Foundation – a charity focused on eliminating preventable blindness around the world – she shines a light on the opportunities present for in-house counsel within altruist organisations.
Join us in the land down under as GC goes on Tour!
Heading to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) headquarters in the heart of Sydney, GC’s Harveen Kaur catches up with general counsel Connie Carnabuci to find out how social media is transforming industry practices.
Nina Stamell, general counsel of The Wiggles, catches up with GC’s Harveen Kaur to discuss what is top of her agenda, as she prepares to head back to work after a three-month maternity leave stint.
GC’s Harveen Kaur sits down with the legal brains behind The Fred Hollows Foundation, Katrin O’Sullivan, to discover the important role general counsel play within the not-for-profit sector.
ITALY
In the first of our GC on Tour series, we visit Italy – a country synonymous with fashion, tourism and – of course – carbohydrates. But among the hustle and bustle of city life, big business continues to drive the country’s economy. At the helm of these successful companies are a humble, yet essential team of in-house lawyers.
GC’s Harveen Kaur, went behind the scenes to investigate the strengths, challenges and lessons learnt from pioneering professionals across fashion, tourism and government.
Stepping into the world of high fashion, Harveen spoke exclusively to general counsel from iconic Italian design houses, Giuseppe Zanotti and Trussardi. She found out just what it takes to run the legal department of some of the most recognisable brands in the world, and how technology and social media is changing the way customers view, buy and feel about high fashion.
Italy welcomes a record number of travelers every year who want to experience the country’s rich culture, cuisine and history. Harveen visited Airbnb’s Milan headquarters to speak with Matteo Frigerio, country manager and senior counsel, to reveal how the global e-rental service is transforming the accommodation market.
Rounding off the tour, Harveen found herself in a bustling coffee shop with Gianluca Di Nunzio, head of legal for Italy and Iberia at PayPal. With the Italian government determined to shed their reputation of being a technological laggard, they spoke about the integral role the global payments giant has played in transforming the way everyday official expenditures are handled.
From Rome to Milan, GC goes on tour!
MADE IN ITALY
Running the legal department for one of the most recognisable luxury fashion brands in the world is not all glitz and glam. Travelling to Milan, the epicenter of Italian fashion, Harveen exclusively sits down with general counsel from Giuseppe Zanotti and Trussardi, to discuss the crucial role lawyers play behind the scenes.
Harveen discovers what it takes for leading in-house counsel to overcome challenges arising from advertising, copyright and counterfeit. In order to succeed in the prestigious world of high fashion in-house lawyers have to be business savvy and tactical. Technological innovation and new privacy concerns are transforming the role of in-house counsel as they take on a new digitally acute consumer.
The technology behind global e-rental service Airbnb is transforming the accommodation and tourism industry in Italy. As regulators struggle to keep up, Harveen uncovers what in-house teams are doing to assist, while ensuring their businesses remain running.
In a country where government has been more synonymous with debt issues than technological progression, Harveen finds out how with the assistance of PayPal, they’re becoming a leader in the digitisation of payments.
As the role of specialised legal technology for in-house counsel continues to come to the fore, GC assembled a selection of counsel from across Italy to share their own experiences and debate the impact it stands to have on the profession.