About

‘The most important thing is to produce solutions, support the business and not create a barrier or bottleneck. You have to be able to use your tools and make it valuable for the business’, says group general counsel Rikke Alsted Houlberg who together with Kristin Assaad forms the heart of the legal department at Cembrit Holding. The organisation is a prominent figure within the European manufacturing market; they specialise in the production and sale of multi-capability fibre-cement building products. The legal department is valued as a key partner to the company and has drawn praise from peers and clients alike for its ability to swiftly handle a wide array of issues in a clear and concise manner. The team has developed a structured approach which substantially improves the establishment’s legal level, particularly in regards to intellectual property (IP) and global compliance. In addition to IP strategy and a proactive compliance approach, the legal department at Cembrit is also implementing an effective contract management system. The updated system ensures the simplification of various processes, from a risk assessment perspective. Furthermore the team has also provided a substantial contribution in order to ensure the use of uniform agreements and clauses by the organisation, as well as management approval of key contracts. The legal team has played an integral role in the protection of personal data, managing competition law and the introduction of a reformed code of conduct.