What are the projects that you are most proud of working on over the past 12 months?  

It has been a year to bed down and support existing portfolio investments through follow-ons and mergers, while simultaneously planning for the future. With our main fund being open-ended, it’s great to be able to offer longer-term support, ensuring that promising companies receive the sustained assistance they need to thrive. Our driving force remains transforming the aquaculture industry – pushing towards healthy, sustainable, and affordable production with competitive financial returns. It’s a real privilege to work with visionary companies on the cusp of groundbreaking advancements. Over the past year, we have supported companies that have succeeded in proving their thesis and are likely to make a global impact on the production of sustainable protein. Knowing we are part of that change is personally hugely rewarding. The potential for impact over the next 10-15 years is massive.

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting? 

Prior to my training contract, I was fortunate to secure work experience on the Hutton Inquiry in London. As a junior member, working on background admin, I wasn’t privy to much information. However, I was allowed to sit in on the Inquiry the day that Alastair Campbell gave evidence. The Inquiry was held in a stiflingly hot courtroom in the Royal Courts of Justice; news cameras were on, but the proceedings and the heat made it difficult to stay awake. Just as Alastair was about to start his evidence, I found myself staring into his eyes, my own eyes glazing over. I froze. Fearing that falling asleep would put him off, I panicked, pulled myself together, and let out what must have been a massively warm smile – so much so that it made its way into his diaries as having settled his agitation!

What do you think sets you apart from other in-house counsel? 

My commercial colleagues (who like to poke fun at me in jest) would say it’s my eye for detail, but what truly drives me is a passion for identifying creative, forward-thinking solutions that help the fund move forward. I thrive in uncharted territory—when faced with novel challenges or scenarios. I draw energy from diving deep, extracting the pertinent and sometimes overlooked questions, and conducting high-level strategic research to assess risks, uncover opportunities, and determine whether external counsel may (or may not) be needed.

Beyond just providing legal advice, I take ownership. I’m not afraid to “hold the pen”—whether that means drafting key documents, leading cross-functional decision-making processes, or advocating for the best path forward. I believe it’s important for legal counsel to be not just a trusted legal advisor, but a trusted partner driving the organisation’s success.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?  

A willingness to adapt to the organisation’s needs and embrace the technological developments that are rapidly changing the way we work. Dealing with so many jurisdictions, I find it fascinating how AI can quickly help formulate and steer ideas for me to further develop. It’s like having a local sparring partner always at hand.

It’s also really important for in-house lawyers to share knowledge and learnings with their team and colleagues, working in a supportive and collaborative manner—far removed from the old, siloed way of working. I truly believe that working from home is no barrier to this. There is always more than one way to achieve something, and we can always learn from others around us, just as they can learn from us. Ensuring that knowledge is held by the many and not the few allows for new ideas to be generated and adopted organically.