Team size: Four

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

We are still supporting the expansion and automation of our warehouse as regards an integrated solution. The final licensing processes and considering we are dealing with a new reality, all contracts linked to the project are of great importance. The legal department supported the negotiation of hyper care, maintenance and others linked to the project, after leading the negotiations of the project itself. The entirety of the solution includes the Automated Dynamic Picking System (ADP), the Automated Tote Picking System (ATP), Invar Warehouse System (IWS) software solution to integrate IKEA host system, and Invar project services to provide an engineered, installed, commissioned and fully integrated solution.

We are supporting in the implementation of IKEA Group sustainability policies, namely for the material ongoing investments in the conversion of parking areas into energy production facilities (e.g. solar panels) to provide renewable, green and sustainable energy to the shopping and stores, for a global projected investment in expansion, reconversion and energy consumption efficiency. We are advising on possible new solutions in regards to sustainable solutions and projects linked to energy. The department’s role comprises the definition of legal and contractual solutions, licensing and construction procedures to implement these multiple innovative projects to prepare all stores and shopping, including legal due diligences to assess new investment risks.

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

I work in Retail, so considering my experience, get to know your business. Spend a lot of time in the stores, with several functions, with people. Understand how you can support and bring value not only when people request your support, but with your own initiatives.

Put a lot of effort into prevention and not correction. Also, Success in business requires an understanding of the Law. Consumer Law is ever more addressed by customers as a normal topic, as several public entities are working hard to empower consumers and to give them all the information, they need to feel safe when buying goods and services. Consequently, legal functions must equip colleagues from all areas to deal with day-to-day topics that can arise and to act consciously when creating new processes and building new projects. We have implemented a serious of legal training for all business areas, from property to sales and marketing, building a partnership with professors of the most respected Universities in Portugal and public entities and Authorities. It was a success, and it is replicated on a yearly basis.

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

Fostering closer collaboration between the legal department and stakeholders from all different areas is essential to our role. This is now overcoming I would say. We are now visioned as a business partner and not only as an adviser. Business is nowadays involving legal early in the planning stages of any projects or initiatives, and this shows that this is a two-way movement as all stakeholders see the legal function as a partner and not just welcomed support. We are not consulted; we work together to develop projects.

Do you have a cause, business-related or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

I’m currently involved in our diversity and inclusion teams as an ambassador for our central office. We aim to develop initiatives and foster an environment where all employees feel valued, respected and included. We promote the awareness of the importance of diversity in the workplace and organize training sessions and events to educate share information about diversity and inclusion issues and unconscious bias. Also, supporting employees with a minority background is a crucial aspect of diversity and inclusion efforts in our company and in my current role and due also to my own background we establish a connection providing guidance, support, and career advice.