Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?  

I care about sharing knowledge and positively influencing the business. It has always been my intention to make the legal team more approachable and legal concepts more accessible. 

In 2022, I introduced legal concepts training to the business in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore, covering topics such as confidentiality agreements, indemnities, duty of good faith, antitrust and fair competition. I instigated the opportunity for an international colleague to present on the well-publicised Ed Sheeran music copyright case. Each session has been presented in plain English, guided by one or two slides, with resources and video recordings shared widely. 

These sessions have produced tangible results at little cost to the business. The business now comes to the legal team with confidentiality agreements already marked up, contracts comprehensively read, and relevant questions prepared – making the review process faster and collaboration easier. Questions about fair competition practices are raised with us early, preventing potential issues down the track. The legal team is now seen as a true, transparent, and influential partner to the business, with open doors and accessible advice. 

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

The variety of work is endless and exciting when working for a global technology leader like ABB. On any given day, I can be reviewing ABB’s policy on conflict minerals, going on a site visit, confirming the status of a contract in Mexico, running a training presentation on dangerous contract phrases in Singapore and joining late night calls with colleagues in Zurich and Helsinki. 

I work with a diverse group of lawyers and commercial teams that complement each other to take on the challenges and opportunities that arise from such a workload. Most recently, we have finalised negotiations on several frame agreements with large Australian and international customers. Finalising a frame agreement is a big achievement as it is an investment in the future efficiency of the customer relationship. We have also settled a number of long-standing disputes with diplomacy and commitment to win-win outcomes. Currently, I am leading the negotiations on a large-scale public infrastructure opportunity with public and private stakeholders that will see ABB on the forefront of infrastructure innovation in Australia. 

My most important task at present is to support the local implementation of a new global integrity program. Working in a global company brings many challenges, most notably in the areas of competition and antitrust. To ensure the company is meeting a complex network of obligations, every employee is being empowered with more know-how to prevent and identify any wrongdoing. As part of our international legal team effort, I have facilitated training sessions and initiated the inaugural Singapore Integrity Week in 2023. I have also established intensive training sessions which have resulted in the doubling of our business integrity learning statistics. 

As a digital legal leader in ABB, I am currently exploring quantum computing and the law in order to share this knowledge with the global legal team. 

What is a cause, business related or otherwise, that you care about, and why?  

I support local, at home and at work. In my personal life, it is about supporting local businesses, buying locally crafted or grown goods and produce. It is my contribution to the community my family lives in and to the prosperity and future of the local economy. As a member of ABB’s Reconciliation Action Plan workgroup, I work with my colleagues to identify opportunities to make a meaningful impact in the indigenous communities in which we operate. I am also currently supporting a local content strategy for a major contract, which will see a significant investment in a local region’s employment and development.