About

Ina Berg-Winters had to face one of her biggest challenges upon her arrival at NORMA: setting up a legal department from scratch. ‘Prior to me joining, all legal matters that went beyond mere document administration work had been given to outside counsel.’ Since then the legal department has come a long way. Berg-Winters set up internal processes to meet the stock market law requirements listed companies are subject to, while mastering the task of ‘maintaining or increasing quality while lowering costs’. Specific to her role is the dual responsibility for M&A and legal matters. M&A transactions are a vital part of the future long term growth plan for the Hessian company with an annual turnover of €600m and 4,500 employees globally. In the past two years alone, the company has acquired and integrated entities in Australia, Italy, Poland and Malaysia. A particular legal challenge has been the transformation of the company in 2013 from a listed company (AG) in a SE, where during negotiations with employee representatives, Berg-Winters reached a ‘creative solution that was a success for both sides’. It was partly the ‘thorough preparation of corporate law subject matter that ensured a quick and smooth transformation’. Berg-Winters is the exception to the norm as she attends all board meetings and does not only cover legal matters but is also involved in strategy and company management. ‘Because I’m in charge of legal and M&A I continually work on the company’s growth, from finding suitable targets to the final signing’.