What are the most significant cases or transactions that you have been involved in over the past year?

Recently, we have been focusing on transforming our legal, risk, and compliance functions to better align with and support our operational and business objectives. Given the expansion in IP and the increasingly regulatory-sensitive environment, we tackled updates to existing policies, revised the terms governing regular transactions, and enhanced our boilerplate templates. A few of them have been: revamped the existing contract lifecycle management and leveraged digital tools to introduce a contract management system into our ecosystem. This not only increased efficiency but also reduced the risk associated with manual record-keeping of executed contracts; revision of the terms and conditions of purchase of services or goods so that they reflect the alignment these terms have the current and prevailing supply chain practices adopted by the company. Terms were revised to reflect the experience and feedback learned from the previous transactions and enhance contract effectiveness; scaled-up boiler plate templates — updated the terms of contracts which helps mitigate the risks related to cybersecurity threats, regulated domains, or environmental concerns, business ethics, and protect both parties involved. These revisions ensure the enhancement of contract effectiveness, and ensure that terms remain legally compliant, competitive, and aligned with current practices and risks. We conducted capacity building programmes with industry experts to remain updated on the new regulations and practices.

India is an economy that is rapidly growing and expected to be one of the economic powerhouses of the 21st Century. How do you see the role of GCs there changing in this environment?

General counsel are no longer just legal overseers; they are increasingly recognised as essential strategic advisors and enablers. They are expected to provide insights that drive business growth and navigate complex regulatory environments. As regulatory requirements and legal risks become more intricate—particularly in areas like ESG and IP— general counsel play a vital role in identifying and mitigating risks before they escalate. They actively lead the integration of risk and compliance functions into core business operations. Additionally, general counsel are embracing new technologies and digital tools to enhance efficiency and manage data more effectively. They are also spearheading risk management practices that are integrated with the organisation’s overall business strategy, balancing risk with opportunities for growth and innovation.

Based on your experience, what is the key to collaborating successfully with business partners?

By emphasising clear, honest, and regular communication, we set the stage for a successful and productive partnership. Additionally, we introduce firms and partners to our core values and collaborate with law firms that align with our ethos.