Team size: Two 

Major legal advisers: Howes Percival, HCR Hewitsons, CMS, Birketts  

What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?  

We undertook significant M&A over the last year; acquired a laboratory business; and acquired another major occupational health business, Health Management. It was a complex transaction, but doubled our size to c.1100 staff now covering over four million UK workers.  

On the internal front, we have implemented CLM and GRC platforms in the last 18 months.  

What do you see as an opportunity or risk over the next six months?  

The key risk and opportunity for us right now is the integration of the two businesses. Fortunately, we have a solid programme involving a cross-section of the combined business led by a dedicated integration specialist, and I am actively involved.  

We have been advocating for workforce healthcare for 25 years now, but businesses have only recently started to pay real attention to the importance of keeping their staff healthy. We have a huge opportunity to service that need, particularly with the strain the NHS is under – which we can help tackle. 

As a general counsel, how do you anticipate and prepare for potential legal and regulatory challenges that may arise, particularly in light of emerging technologies and evolving business landscapes?  

As a sole counsel it can be easy to get bogged down in the nitty gritty. I attend a few key conferences to remain aware of innovations and challenges., speak to other general counsel and stay abreast of business developments. Making myself visible within the business has helped, as people come to me directly with legal, regulatory, and clinical news.  

What are some of the main trends impacting the industry sector you work in in the United Kingdom?  

Data protection is increasingly vital to get right – especially when dealing with health data. As a responsible healthcare business this has always been a top priority, however the public is now much more aware of its rights (though not necessarily always accurately!) and the ICO is active. Accordingly, we continue to invest in this area, employing more staff and introducing OneTrust.  

The other hot topic which is almost redundant to note is, of course, AI.  

What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company?  

We always had a CSR policy and now have ESG at the forefront of our corporate strategy. We hired a Head of ESG to lead our efforts and work together in data gathering and policy, and have started to make great strides in codifying and measuring our impact.