Can you tell us a little about your significant accomplishments over the last few years, as a team or by yourself?

I joined Credit Suisse AG’s Mumbai branch in June 2016, as the co-head of legal for India, and in December 2016 I became the sole head of legal for India. In January 2020, I became the head of legal for South Asia, which includes India, Australia, Southeast Asia and Frontier Markets. Since December 2021, I have taken up an additional role of COO for the APAC general counsel team. In a way, I was the first lawyer in Credit Suisse to be performing a regional role from Mumbai, India and happen to be the first female lawyer in Credit Suisse in APAC to do so.

Have any recent political, economic or regulatory changes impacted your work? How are you dealing with this?

The pandemic and the socio-political situation have impacted our personal and professional lives over the past two and a half years. The role of general counsel has expanded significantly, requiring their increased involvement by the board and senior management on diverse topics, such as employment and labour practices, AI and legal tech, hybrid working models and diversity and inclusion. It has been an opportunity for the legal teams to utilise their legal and commercial expertise in efficiently handling many new challenging issues never faced by industries thus far.

How has the increasing consciousness of climate change and sustainability affected your company and the team’s priorities?

Credit Suisse is striving to create innovative sustainable investment solutions, backed by signature content and thought leadership on the economy, markets and super trends. The sustainability team is setting the sustainability strategy and ambition for Credit Suisse, and partnering with the divisions, regions and functions, to deliver on the sustainability commitments, including expanding the wealth management product shelf, investment banking financing offering and net zero deliverables.

Credit Suisse organises Sustainability Challenge, aimed at helping educate and inform its employees and engage them in dynamic learning modules, hands-on volunteering, podcasts, financial giving opportunities, and other activities that align best with Credit Suisse’s and its employees’ interests and schedule.

What is the biggest risk facing your industry now and how are you preparing your organisation to deal with this?

Economic slowdown and regulatory and legislative changes. Credit Suisse has modified its targets and budget to address the concerns arising from the economic slowdown, making budgets realistic. The ever evolving regulatory and legislative change has required Credit Suisse general counsel and compliance teams to be more vigilant and apprised of latest developments and in turn updating internal teams and front office colleagues.