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?

In times of instability, it is crucial to empower teams and place trust in them to navigate the business through challenging periods. Providing them with the necessary support and tools enables the organisation to continue growing despite uncertainty. I encourage senior legal leaders within my team to actively participate in strategic discussions in their respective markets, allowing them to contribute legal insights early in the decision-making process. This ensures that legal risks are proactively considered when shaping business strategies, helping the organisation prepare for challenges and crises while maintaining compliance with all legal requirements.

As a member of the cross-functional Leadership Team for our European Business Unit, I ensure that my team is kept informed of emerging trends, potential risks, business challenges, performance insights, and other factors that impact our operations. Effective communication and knowledge-sharing are essential in maintaining preparedness during difficult times.

Beyond day-to-day legal support, I believe in developing a Crisis Management Framework to ensure that, rather than merely reacting to crises, we have well-defined procedures, checklists, and dedicated crisis teams in place. This structured approach allows us to respond efficiently and effectively when unexpected challenges arise.

Compliance and Risk Mitigation are at the core of our legal function, particularly during crises. It is our responsibility to ensure full compliance with legal requirements while identifying and assessing risks in the context of our business operations. We take a cross-functional approach, working collaboratively to conduct risk assessments and make joint decisions that help steer the company through uncertain times.

To prepare the business for challenging periods, we regularly review our existing contracts to ensure they provide sufficient protection in areas such as force majeure, liability, financial terms, intellectual property rights, and dispute resolution. This proactive approach helps mitigate potential legal and financial exposure.

Finally, post-crisis reflection is an often-overlooked yet invaluable process. While it may not always be embedded in corporate culture, taking the time to sit down with cross-functional teams to reflect on lessons learned is essential for improving future crisis response. Acknowledging mistakes allows us to refine our processes, procedures, team structures, communication strategies, and overall crisis management, ensuring we are even better prepared for the next challenge.

What role does the legal department play in promoting and ensuring corporate social responsibility in your organisation?

One of our values within the Legal department is to foster an inclusive, respectful, and equitable culture. To support this, we have created various DEI training programmes specifically designed for our department. I have been involved in developing a training for all markets that not only focuses on different cultures but also covers various aspects of DEI. We encourage our lawyers to participate in pro bono programmes to assist underrepresented individuals who cannot afford legal advice. Another initiative that our legal function is actively involved in is supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). Legal teams across the globe contribute to various activities that support local chapters. The legal function truly embodies corporate social responsibility as a role model. Another key aspect of our corporate social responsibility efforts is that the legal team actively promotes a speak-up culture within the organisation.