General counsel, head of legal and compliance | Schindler Aufzüge und Fahrtreppen
Eva Hickl
General counsel, head of legal and compliance | Schindler Aufzüge und Fahrtreppen
First, can you please give us an idea of the sort of work your team has done recently?
We have been involved in the internal restructuring of the Schindler Group AT, portfolio management of 16 group companies, M&A activities, contract management, management of court proceedings, and legal and compliance management of the business in challenging times. For example, we have experienced an increased number of insolvencies and supply chain challenges.
How does your legal strategy change during periods of instability or uncertainty?
Risk management, as well as portfolio retention, becomes the main focus during these challenging times. The focus shifts particularly to financial and operational risks, as well as everything related to cybersecurity. Another primary focus is revisiting our contracts in terms of force majeure clauses and termination rights, so that we can adjust future contracts accordingly. Furthermore, in recent times, we updated our crisis management plans, particularly in the area of external communication and public relations management.
Do you make use of any ‘legal tech’ products, and if so, for which areas of your job do you find it most useful?
I personally use modern technologies, such as AI-related tools, to boost my productivity. However, the broader company is more reluctant to use tech products in our field due to privacy concerns. As a result, tools are only used in non-client related activities.
General counsel | Schindler Group