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

There have been so many great challenges hitting my desk this past year, which is one of the benefits of working for an ever-changing company and overseeing legal matters for all our APAC jurisdictions. The first one that comes to mind is definitely the integration of Intertrust, the company I used to work for, into CSC. CSC acquired Intertrust in 2022 and the deal closed almost exactly on the day I moved to our Singapore office from our Amsterdam office. The process of integrating a European stock-listed company into an American family-owned one, while starting to work in an Asian country and culture with new colleagues was a great and instructive experience. This really required me to combine my legal abilities and knowledge with personal and soft skills, and I have learned a lot from it so far. Trying to bridge the differences in legal systems, approaches and communication styles between the Asian, American and European cultures (and time zones) is not always easy, but it has really contributed to my professional and personal development and has been a fun experience as well.

Another important case that I worked on was setting up our new office in Japan. This had long been on the wish list of our business, and we had been exploring and working on entry options for quite some time before the decision was made to start a greenfield operation in Tokyo. Being part of the project team from the start gave me the chance to not only be involved with the legal elements of the project, but also to have a seat at the table when deciding on the more general and organisational elements, like hiring the first employees and in which district in Tokyo to set up our business. That, combined with the challenges of doing business in a country like Japan with its specific and sophisticated business culture and getting the job done successfully, has been an absolute highlight of the last year.

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

For me, successful collaboration with business partners is about understanding each other’s goals, building mutual trust, and clear communication to ensure the legal team provides pragmatic, business-friendly solutions that support their goals. You want your partners to see you as approachable, knowledgeable, and hands-on, so they feel comfortable seeking your input early on, without feeling any barriers to reach out. Applying solid project management principles is also crucial: maintaining a clear overview, setting clear timelines, and managing expectations ensures everyone stays aligned and progress remains on track. This not only helps drive results but also builds trust with business partners, as they can rely on you to keep things organised and transparent. And adding humor at appropriate moments can go a long way in my experience. When people are comfortable and at ease, it breaks down barriers, makes tough conversations easier, and helps decisions get made faster and with less friction.

We are now living in a changing geopolitical environment, with increased sanctions and export controls over the past two to three years. Does this affect your work, particularly regarding your risk management duties?

The rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape, particularly with the surge in sanctions against Russia, has had a significant impact on my work over the past two to three years. One of the most pivotal moments came after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Our company was still listed at that time, and quickly took a stand publicly by announcing to exit all Russian clients. From the beginning, I was part of the internal task force that managed that exit. This involved senior colleagues from nearly every department in our organisation and required swift, comprehensive action to assess and address the numerous legal and operational consequences. It was a complex, high-pressure task to ensure compliance with the rapidly changing sanctions, and it demonstrated how critical cross-departmental collaboration is in managing such risks. Ensuring ongoing compliance with sanctions, especially balancing the various sanctions regimes, remains a continuous challenge.

Additionally, I oversee legal matters for our four offices in mainland China and our Hong Kong office. We are a U.S.-headquartered company, which presents its own set of potential complexities and risks given the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China. Navigating these requires careful attention to compliance with the evolving regulatory framework in both jurisdictions. In an era of increasing global volatility, the management of legal risks for an international company requires both a proactive and adaptable approach.

Are the effects of AI on the legal world overplayed, or underplayed?

With so much attention on AI and its potential impact on the legal world, it’s hard to argue that its effects are underplayed. That said, I believe its influence on how we work in the legal profession will be immense, especially considering that the current applications are still in their infancy. Even already today, for me as in-house counsel overseeing legal matters across multiple, diverse jurisdictions, AI has been invaluable in helping me gain an initial understanding of complex legal systems, such as those in Japan, India, and China. Navigating these jurisdictions and their laws can be challenging, and AI serves as a useful tool for making a preliminary assessment before deciding whether to engage external counsel or get a first understanding of the potential legal issue at hand. However, it’s essential to remember that AI should be used to assist, not decide. When applied correctly, it significantly boosts efficiency and knowledge, while preserving the human judgment critical to legal work.