About

Ari Bergman is the current chief operations officer for the property and asset finance division of Wingate, he took up the Melbourne-based post in October 2015 after 11 years role at Spotlight Group, where he acted as general counsel. ‘The law is only one – often limited – part of what an in-house lawyer needs to manage and deliver’ Bergman says. During his time at Spotlight Group, Bergman established a specialised legal function from scratch where sources praised his efficient and pragmatic management of a lean, five-strong team, supporting a ‘diverse and highly dynamic’ business. Bergman’s approach to external counsel is to use law firms sparingly. ‘There has been an increased value in bringing the bulk of work in-house, while still using external counsel for specialised work’, he says. This ‘three-dimensional perspective’ on the business was utilised by Bergman at Spotlight Group. When it comes to outside counsel, he would like to see ‘proactive follow-through’ on advice, and ‘increased sensitivity’ on the question of value for money.