Team size: 50-100

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

Acquisition of three businesses totalling over €1bn in the field of lighting for the automotive industry (VLS AMLS Osram), automotive modules and electric propulsion. Set-up of joint ventures to power Hydrogen powertrain, with a strong innovation content, one in Germany and Austria (EKPO) and in China (PO Rein), as well as one in France in a breakthrough technology for ADAS.

Contracting with customers winning orders overs €10bn in North America in H1 2023, along with the issuance of a bond for a private group of investors (€400m). Additionally, the setup of a new software activity for mobility services and data management. Lastly, supporting the Energy PPAs aiming at covering a large part of our energy consumption with renewable sources of energy at an affordable cost.

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?

As we designed an organisation for the legal support of operations, I decided to act on three leviers: design “native” regionalised teams, to fully adapt our footprint to the organisation of the business, thus laying a very strong ground for enhanced cooperation and having legal teams as local “business partners” (this was also an opportunity to improve the management of the teams, empowering them and managing teams which are not always located in your geographical surroundings) ; Increase diversity. Plastic Omnium is present in 28 countries; we have about ten different nationalities in our team and 55% of women at all levels; Digitalise which came at a very bearable cost considering the right sizing and hard work put in the definition of needs. The result: better cooperation, empowerment, more exciting tasks for the teams, better quality time to address new topics

How do you see the general counsel role evolving in France over the next five-ten years?

The GC role will evolve to even more. Being a strong partner for the business will be key, as well as raising the general counsel role to a new level. Not only to defend the company’s interests but also to partner in building its future. Embark all aspects of ESG and values: this applies to the governance, with more emphasis on the ESG board committee for example, but also in gathering solid teams around positive values inside and outside the company (including external legal firms). Of course, compliance is also a growing sector in my general counsel activity.

Embrace innovation: awareness on new trends is key in many changing sectors, this is also the case in the automotive. Having a proactive approach and head start on regulations is a strong plus when looking ahead at the future framework shaping the business. And of course, the use of digital and now AI in legal work is definitely a great opportunity to focus teams on tasks embedding the highest added value.

Partner with stakeholders, internally and externally, including external lawyers with whom we want to build a lasting relationship based on in-depth business knowledge, expertise and values

What are some of the main trends in the industry sector you work in in France?

The decarbonation of the automotive industry, a major trend that strongly impacts our business as of today and in the future. CO2 emissions of the cars is key (and by the way driven by regulation notably in Europe), but recycling of materials, water resource or biodiversity are very strong drivers of the business for the future. This is a mega-trend, positive, which embarks practically all aspects of the sector.

The importance of data, as illustrated by Tesla and various initiatives dealing with ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), as well as on board entertainment and radar technologies for enhanced safety.

Awareness on supply chain robustness and relocating, associated to the need for regional autonomous or semi-autonomous production processes. Adapting skills to a changing environment: industrial excellence needs to go hand in hand with innovation, software, agility, paving the way for new and adaptable profiles.