How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience? 

I would not have been able to answer this question five years ago because no one imagined the difficult periods that we would have to experience from 2020, especially the Covid crisis of course, but also certain collateral effects of the geopolitical unrest that has arisen. These unusual events in our contemporary career have led us to deploy an unprecedented way of working: leaving aside current affairs, setting up extreme responsiveness of teams to analyse situations and contracts, putting into motion usually “sleeping” clauses e.g. force majeure, decryption of texts and circulars enacted exclusively during these periods, writing real-time memo explaining how to apply these texts, etc. All of this allowed us, in full support of our general management, to safeguard our activities as best as possible. In the construction industry, to restart works as quickly as possible while ensuring their safety and that of our employees. We will thus be able to mobilise the same working methodology tomorrow in the event of a new crisis, we are hoping however not to have to do it again.

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

The environment thus presents itself from several angles for us lawyers: measurement of environmental risk, compliance with our contractual commitments in this area, study of new regulations, and (as little as possible) treatment of liability risks. This theme is very conveniently aligned with the objectives of my group since the ecological transition is at the heart of the Eiffage group’s strategy. We are thus concretely committed notably to reducing our carbon footprint and preserving life in our construction and concession businesses.

Do you have a cause, business-related or otherwise, that you are passionate about? 

Yes. I have been active for more than 20 years in networks that promise women’s access to high level responsibilities in business or promote gender diversity. I’m doing it currently within Grandes Ecoles au Féminin, an association whose members are the associations former students of the ten largest French engineering, business and administration schools. I represent ESSEC there. This cause is particularly close to my heart to the extent that diversity and equality are undeniable factors for the progress of society in all its components and there is still so much to do.