Team size: 25

Can you please give us an idea of the sort of work your team has done recently?

My team works on a wide array of matters as a fully fletched legal department and the go-to for all legal matters. In the last year, our most important transaction clearly was with ADNOC, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. We started a joint venture with ADNOC in 1998, named Borouge. Borouge is one of the leading producers of innovative and differentiated plastics solutions. Last year we agreed on an extension of the production complex (valued around $6.2bn) as well as the extension of the joint venture companies until 2057.

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

In my view you need to understand the business and manage to translate complex legal matters into language that is also understood by someone who does not want to spend hours over texts. This does not mean that our goal is to oversimplify but I note that successful colleagues manage to explain legal context in “common language”.

Also, as an in-house counsel you should be able to understand where the company related risks are and where lawyers can be pragmatic and enable solutions, thereby being part of the decision and not just an advisor who flags the risks.

If you had to give advice to an aspiring in-house lawyer or general counsel, what would it be and why?

I would say to learn the industry the company is in, let your colleagues from business and operations show you their operations, their plants and their business challenges. It is important to ensure that you are part of the business meetings to fully understand what the issues are and why and do not shy away from asking questions. Lastly, be pragmatic and try to find the solutions and not the problem.