Team size: Six

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

Artificial intelligence is often talked about as a huge technological advancement that will impact legal teams, and I believe that this will be the case in the mid-term. However, in the short term, we see the impact of automation across our entire business as a driver for change in the delivery of legal services. As the business works more with automation, they also expect the delivery of legal services to follow the same pattern. As such, we are working hard to ensure that we can keep up with the pace of change.

What is a cause, business related or otherwise, that you care about, and why?

As a member of Jumeirah Group sustainability committee, ESG initiatives are something that occupy a lot of my time. We are particularly focused on looking at the real ESG footprint of our business and seeking to address the major issues, as well as the quick wins that all companies are addressing. I think if there is one thing we can do as leaders, it is to seek to make some form of lasting impact in our community, through sustainability efforts. We will hopefully be able to make that happen.

What would you say are the unique qualities required to be successful as an in-house lawyer in your industry?

One quality I believe is essential is to be a good listener. Only through listening and observing the changes in our evolving hospitality industry can we seek to deliver solutions that are relevant and valuable to our business partners.

What can law firms do to improve their service to the legal department?

The law firms that we enjoy working with the most have a genuine interest in our business and employ people who are open and engaging. They support us not just on big transactions, but also on the small day to day queries that arise. The open and approachable nature of service providers ultimately dictates their success in obtaining repeat instructions and referrals.