Team size:13

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

We managed to settle securities issues of €1.3bn deal with shareholders whilst handling the following acquisitions: (i) the acquisition of a large stake in the Turkish Life Insurer and Private Pension Provider AvivaSA; and (ii) the acquisition of an additional stake in the Indian Life insurance joint venture IDBI Federal Life Insurance Company. Ageas signed the agreement with China Taiping Insurance Holdings to subscribe to a capital increase of its wholly controlled subsidiary Taiping Reinsurance Company.

How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?

As a group general counsel, I had to quickly adapt to the fact that there was no physical presence anymore around me. In the virtual settings, there were more technical difficulties than physical contact. This meant that I had to change my way of communicating when I virtually coach and motivate people.

What will be the main focus for the company in the next 12 months and how do you intend to assist with this?

Ageas’s main focus in the next 12 months will be probably some major transaction, and as a listed and heavily regulated entity, we need to put loads of time and efforts in the issue of ESG.

What do you feel are the pros and cons of an in-house legal role compared to a private practice one?

One of the most obvious pros of working in the in-house legal environment is that your legal advice is in line with the practical side of the company’s business, not merely reciting what law provides. Especially as a general counsel, you will be much more involved with the business than you will ever be in private practice. I see a little negative element for financial aspect of the in-house legal role compared to private practice. In a rapidly changing financial landscape with new phenomena such as fintech and blockchain, the legal team can assist the company to remain up to date by following the old saying: ‘if you cannot beat them, join them’.