How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?
The pandemic has been a great opportunity for general counsel to demonstrate our value as not only legal advisors but also strategic business partners by holding a more proactive approach. Allowing the business to move forward as needed, general counsel are required to take active roles of risk management at the decision-making table by minimising any impactful risks for the business.
What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?
We do not only focus on increasing monetary value for Holcim but also work towards developing our country through encouraging foreign investment which will generate increasing number of employment opportunities. Holcim legal Ecuador has recently been involved in contractual negotiations and other investment agreement deals.
Holcim has been an active participant in the Green Bouns scheme which is introduced by the government to encourage environmentally friendly policies in the corporate organisations. Given that Holcim is a Swiss company, we have the high standards in our green policy. We have obtained a range of ESG certificates provided in the country whilst receiving many prestigious green awards. As part of the company’s green policy, we implemented ‘geo cycle,’ promoting more environmentally friendly waste processing. Overall, Holcim Ecuador demonstrated our devotion to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and this has been praised by our local community.
In what ways do you see the in-house legal role evolving in your region over the next few years?
In-house roles are evolving rapidly in Ecuador and their analytical abilities are emphasised more than ever. Looking forward to the next few years, senior in-house lawyers will even be required to be strategic business partners. Having solid acumens kills will be essential for in-house counsel; and understanding business operation and ensuring its continuity will be required for any in-house lawyers throughout the country. However, it always needs to be done in a legal framework and our job as a guardian of the company cannot be ignored.
The ability to provide the information in the language your business needs is an important skill that general counsel must have. We need to be a translator to help our business colleagues to understand legal analysis better, translating legal knowledge into business language. Being tech-savvy is key to general counsel to free up their time to prioritise strategic analysis instead of mundane tasks.
