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

Legal works as a trusted business partner across the whole organisation being perceived as an enabler of the business. An example of a project that we were deeply involved is the GSK demerge, the biggest one in the last 20 years, in the pharmaceutical industry, that ends up in the creation of a GSK Biopharma company and a totally independent company for the consumer business, Haleon. Other relevant and high impact projects are public private partnerships. Manage the risk through uncertainty during the pandemic was key for us, as well, mainly because of the complete shift from face to face to virtual, quickly adapting to the new environment.

As we live in a fast-paced world today, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

Agility, resilience and deep business knowledge, with an eye in the internal environment and another in the external environment, looking forward to proactively maximise opportunities and mitigate risks, while preventing those already known. Ability to deal with cross function teams, with a can-do attitude and an inclusive and diverse approach. Focus on what adds value and not on the tasks, taking advantage of the new technologies. Lifelong learning and creative thinking, as well as emotional intelligence and digital literacy.

How do you suggest in-house lawyers build strong relationships with business partners?

In my opinion, it’s all about being respectful, inclusive and a good listener. Deep business acumen and capacity to communicate, using business language skills. Go beyond your legal capabilities, with critical thinking and capacity to influence. Understand the industry trends and society values aiming to influence towards doing right thing and acting to prevent bad behaviours.

The unusual business environment created by the pandemic has been swiftly followed by other shocks. Are you now putting more emphasis on preparing for the unforeseen and, if so, what does this entail?

Yes, we need to be ready to read the signals for a faster reaction or action, and swift decision making. Learning beyond the legal field, from other industries, is key. Create a culture of collaboration, as empowering people to lead is a critical path for success.