Team size: Eight

Based on your experience, what is the key to collaborating successfully with business partners?

Understanding the business is crucial to being a successful business partner. Spend time in learning the business, go for meetings and pitches with customers, learn what your organisation means to their clients and what value your organisation brings to its customers. Learn from your business, what are their pain points and how can your contribution remove barriers. A client is only won when the contract is signed, make sure your business is enabled to be able to sign customer contracts effortlessly. Be part of the team executing a premiere customer experience for your organisations clients by being agile and flexible. Always listen to your clients’ needs and adapt.

India is an economy that is rapidly growing and expected to be one of the economic powerhouses of the 21st century. How do you see the role of GCs there changing in this environment?

The role of the in-house counsel in India has evolved rapidly in the last decade. Gone are the days when the in-house team only reviewed contracts or managed board meetings. The general counsel is not just a lawyer on your team but also a business leader who understands your business, can enable its growth, protects & defends when necessary and prepares the organisation for the evolving landscape in which we operate. As we evolve into one of the leading and rapidly growing economies, the role of the General Counsel becomes crucial to help navigate organisations through a variety of risks safely. Today, before you launch a new product or business or expand to a new market, you go to your in-house team to tell you what you need to do to be prepared. As General Counsels navigating this changing environment, it is critical to stay focused and agile to the evolving regulatory landscape while also advocating for laws that enable businesses to grow ethically and responsibly.