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?

As a legal professional, we are most needed when crises arise. To prepare for this, I focus on being proactive by anticipating disruptions before they arise or escalate. This enables me to strategically develop approaches to swiftly identify and prioritise the most pressing legal and regulatory risks that allow our team to balance immediate organisational needs with long-term objectives in order to maintain compliance while still advancing the company’s broader strategy.
Secondly, I always endeavor to be the calmest voice in the room and communicate clearly. I find that providing a steady, grounded presence helps stabilise decision-making processes, fosters trust, and reduces anxiety and uncertainty. I lead with a forward-thinking, solution-driven mindset rather than playing “Whose Blame is it Anyway”. My role is to deliver counsel that empower better decision-making, not to reprimand – that’s HR’s job.
Finally, a legal team must always align its efforts with the organisation’s overarching goals, but during a crisis, it’s imperative to reassess and realign priorities based on what the business needs most – agility is key. I ensure that I stay engaged in strategic discussions and contribute legal insights that help the company not only anticipate challenges, but also navigate them successfully, allowing it to pivot effectively when and if necessary. Where others may see obstacles and legal complexity, I see opportunities to foster collaboration, drive creative problem-solving, and encourage change to strengthen organisational resilience.
Ultimately, my objective is to deliver legal strategies and solutions that are flexible, data-driven, forward-thinking, and centered on compliance and value creation.
What are the main cases or transactions you have been involved in recently?
Earlier this year, my organisation announced that it initiated a financial transaction to strengthen its balance sheet and position itself for future success. This presented an opportunity to strategically redefine our role within the organisation and identify opportunities to drive future sustainability. We consolidated legal teams from different product lines, time zones and geographical locations and asked ourselves: ‘How can we integrate to better support one another, minimise duplication, streamline operations, and deliver efficient, high-value legal support, while also enabling the business to become more self-sufficient? ‘
To achieve this vision, I have collaborated closely with our technology, compliance, data security, and data privacy teams.
I have championed the use of extractive AI and other digital tools to accelerate data analysis, contract management, and workflow efficiency. These technologies enable the team to draw insights from contracts faster and function more effectively to deliver data driven legal support.
Through innovative process design, we’ve developed cross-functional Standard Operating Procedures, which unify and streamline workflows. This has improved the speed and accountability of our legal services while ensuring operational efficiency and transparency.
I also established a centralised Legal Service Desk: This initiative provides a simplified and centralised legal briefing mechanism, fosters efficient information exchange and simplifies routine inquiries. Additionally, we are developing business-facing FAQs and resource libraries to empower teams with self-service support for common legal questions.
Looking ahead, I am eager to leverage the data generated from these initiatives for data visualisation and analysis purposes. This will drive more informed decision-making and align our support more effectively with the organisation’s strategic goals.

How do you manage and motivate your legal team to ensure high performance and professional growth?

Relationships matter, and are imperative for team growth and long-term success. To foster a high-performing team, it’s essential to understand and appreciate everyone’s strengths, struggles, career aspirations, and unique perspectives. Providing clarity around our strategic priorities and connecting team members’ work to broader organisational objectives, instills a shared sense of purpose and gives their work deeper meaning.
During times of uncertainty, I prioritise being a calm, transparent, and consistent leader. I strive to create an environment where everyone feels heard, supported, and valued. This culture of trust encourages individuals to bring their authentic selves to work. Together, we have created a culture where we celebrate both collective and individual achievements regularly, recognising that both a sense of belonging and acknowledgment/ appreciation is fundamental to job satisfaction. I take the time to understand what drives each team member, whether it’s public recognition, thoughtful gestures of appreciation, or simply active listening and providing guidance or understanding.
I also believe in the importance of empowerment and autonomy. Giving team members the freedom to take ownership of their work, while offering the right level of support and mentorship cultivates a sense of trust and respect. This balance enables them to grow and contribute meaningfully, fostering a resilient and adaptable team culture.
My role as a leader is to be their advocate and a cheerleader for their individual and collective growth. I actively support each person in identifying and pursuing development opportunities that align with their interests and career goals – whether through personalised mentorship, professional training programs, or exposure to challenging projects.