Team size: Eight

As we enter the next decade, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

Over the past decade, we have seen in-house legal gaining more prominence in companies’ top management positions, for all the right reasons. To retain that seat at the table, effective partnering and collaboration, together with an in-depth understanding of the business, will be ever so relevant to succeed. Further, being effective communicators and stalwarts of integrity and reliability will continue to be necessary traits for an in-house legal team.

In addition, we need to be mindful that what got us here, will not get us there. Adapting our skillsets and priming ourselves for the future will require embracing more accountability and increased agility and pragmatism. Legal teams need to have a good blend of specialists and generalists and be well-skilled, nimble and willing to lead, no matter the nature of the impediments that come their way. Adopting measures such as leveraging technology to minimise time spent on low impact work, in addition to keeping the team engaged in the right amount and kind of work will be crucial.

What is the biggest risk facing your industry now and how are you preparing your organisation to deal with this?

We are operating in the backdrop of an increasingly challenging macroeconomic environment that continues to put stress on supply chains and trade. Dealing with unanticipated changes requires flexibility and creativity, which in turn leads to a renewed focus on compliance and acting lawfully. We continue to enforce the highest ethical and professional standards in terms of anti-corruption, anti-trust regulations, data security and privacy. Given the nature of our business, we also prepare for changing regulatory requirements in terms of customs compliance and export controls. Keen attention is paid to contractual obligations in addressing risks, and litigation claims are handled strategically.

With people being at the core of our operations, labour and employment matters are treated with utmost regard, including workplace safety and health, and wellness of our team members. We stay aligned with, and work towards, the company objective which is to ensure a workforce that is safe, efficient and highly engaged to stay and grow with the company. Additionally, with the current impetus to digital transformation, we also take adequate precautions on risks attendant to technology-based initiatives.