Team size: ~200

What are the projects that you are most proud of working on over the past 12 months?

Having worked in the tech world for almost six years now, I can say that the industry has changed significantly and is going through a pivotal moment. Governments are responding and intervening faster to developments in technology. This also leads to more frequent

policy changes. In some situations, policymakers are drafting regulations whilst still trying to understand the underlying technology that they are seeking to regulate – such as in the case of Generative AI (GenAI). And the Booking.com Legal and Public Affairs (LPA) department has played a critical role in helping the company navigate this new ecosystem, as well as ensuring compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA).

Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on, of which you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful?

In addition to GenAI, which I think everyone should be paying attention to, I would say that, more and more, I see the importance of legal departments leading, or being a critical part of, cross-functional projects. At Booking.com, there are a number of projects for which we need product teams, engineers, commercial teams, lawyers and public affairs professionals to collaborate to set a strategy and execute a plan. This requires a new professional, which we are calling within our LPA department the “well rounded professional”. It is our strategy to cultivate a team of deep expertise in traditional legal and public affairs, complemented by business acumen and an operational mindset and we foster job swaps and lateral moves to foster that.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

I have always been deeply committed to pro bono work, driven by its immense potential to promote social justice and foster community engagement. There have been some truly impactful initiatives spearheaded by our incredible team in the Legal and Public Affairs (LPA) department over the last two years.

Our collective dedication to pro bono work culminated in the launch of the global ‘Justice in Action’ pro bono sprint. This fantastic initiative has empowered us to champion children’s rights across EMEA, APAC, and the US. Witnessing 50 colleagues devote over 200 pro bono hours to provide critical advocacy and support has been incredibly rewarding. This program has united us in purpose and action, making a tangible difference in the world.

Our UK team has also had access to some UK-specific pro bono opportunities, such as partnering with external counsel for the Battersea Legal Advice Clinic and the Base Catalyst initiative.

Additionally, I am thrilled about our upcoming global pro bono opportunity for International Women’s Month. In partnership with our B.Equal Employee Resource Group, this initiative seeks to inspire broader global participation while reinforcing our unwavering commitment to social justice. The energy and enthusiasm our colleagues bring to these projects are truly inspiring, and we are eager to see the positive impact we will achieve. Together, we champion pro bono causes and create meaningful, lasting change. The unity and pride that radiate from our colleagues during these initiatives are palpable.