Team size: 60
 

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? 

Legal Europe has developed an application designed to collect and categorise critical legal risks, at all levels, to which the company is susceptible. The application also generates legal risk dashboards, presenting information in a manner that facilitates discussions with the business. This, in turn, provides value by assisting in the avoidance, prevention, and mitigation of legal risks. Developed in-house, the solution comes with no associated costs and is fully scalable. We expect some positive impacts on EBIT and Cash Flow. The improvements stem from the proactive and enhanced management of key legal risks inherent to each business unit in each territory. This initiative is fully aligned with the legal department’s strategy and resonates with the ambition to evolve into a proactive advisor and strategic business partner, working collaboratively to prevent or manage key legal risks.
 

Can you foresee any key developments to the way general counsel work over the next five years? 

There are two macrotrends significantly impacting our operations – digitalisation and generative artificial intelligence. To excel the best-in-class general counsel, it is imperative to leverage the potential of these two macrotrends, in order to become more cost efficient and amplify value generation. We should be able to delegate transactional and lower-value tasks to technological tools, thereby allowing us to concentrate our efforts on major opportunities and risks. By adopting this approach, we will be recognised as strategic partners by the business.
 

How do you prioritise diversity and inclusion within your legal department, and what initiatives have you implemented to foster a more inclusive and equitable work environment? 

We are convinced that diversity is a key enabler in fostering development and innovation. The European legal department spans across 44 countries and comprise a team of 60 lawyers spread throughout Europe. Our team boasts a rich blend of cultural backgrounds, languages, genders, and age groups, reflecting our commitment to diversity. We are committed to upholding fair, inclusive, and transparent processes for selection and promotion, and we regularly assess our advancements in gender diversity among our teams and leaders monthly. We promote several initiatives aimed at raising awareness about the value of diversity. Our company stands as a true “diversity champion,” with local teams established in 220 countries and territories, we are not just a company but a truly diverse and interconnected global community.