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

Our acquisition of the second largest builders’ merchant and distributor of building materials in the UK (Jewson and more brands) – today under the umbrella of STARK Building Materials UK – including the difficult carve-out from the seller, Saint Gobain UK.

What would you say are the unique qualities required to be successful as an in-house lawyer in your industry?

Business understanding and being close to our colleagues in the business. We operate a very complexed business with the fundamental believe that accountability sits with the activity and cost, so with more than 1,100 local branches and distribution centres, all of which are large businesses, delivering in accordance with that fundamental believe is crucial.

How have you fostered a closer collaboration between the legal department and your business counterparts?

By having clear responsibilities communicated to specific legal/compliance colleagues being also physically placed in the respective businesses. Further, by ensuring full alignment between our strategic initiatives, daily operations and legal/compliance requirements, this (among other things) by having legal colleagues in the management’s teams – and by me being part of our group’s executive board.