What has been the number one challenge that has impacted you over the past year?

On July 18th 2022, our company was born, something that happened after the joint venture between GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer. The spin-off to become an independent company was challenging, exciting and well managed and gave us very important and impactful professional and life lessons. Today, Haleon is the biggest OTC products company in the world.

In which ways have you attempted to bring the legal department closer to your business colleagues?

The role of in-house counsel and corporate legal departments has changed significantly. Lawyers no longer need to be solely focused on the law, but also on other non-legal tasks. Our department is without a doubt rebranding our role and position in the business, as we generate and deliver a strategy for success and a clear business plan for the wider team. Bottom line, this means running the legal department like a business within a business. We not only focus on the correct legal handling of cases but also visit the markets, talk to our local business partners, getting involved all the time in different areas of discussions and provide our point of view to teams that consider all areas to make proper decisions.

What are some of the most significant cases and transactions you have been involved in recently?

The demerger and listing of Haleon during 2022 was, without a doubt, the most important challenge during the past year but there are other local important cases for the region that were very challenging for us. To mention some: (i) The due diligence we executed with all distributors and business partners on the different countries and markets to select the correct partners for the new business model; (ii) the incorporation of Republica Oriental del Uruguay as a new export market and the considerations around the market authorisation for our products on such market and the selection of our new local distributor to conduct business with under the local rules without forgetting about the Mercosur rules and regulations for the market. (iii) The constant legal advice that is necessary to handle correctly our business service centre for the Americas, located in Costa Rica, and (iv) the constant legal advice and guidance we provide for the correct operation of four different legal entities among our markets, in which we handle: corporate services, commercial operations, manufacturing sites and regulatory departments, all focused on corporate goals and in respect of local and international rules and regulations.