What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

Renault Group carried out a major operation consisting of the sale of the research, development and production of combustion and hybrid powertrains for motor vehicles in favour of a joint venture between Renault Group and Geely.

Starting this year, this venture expects to reach a total of €15 billion in annual revenues and a production of c. 5 million powertrain units per year, having a complete portfolio of state-of-the-art powertrain technologies for global partners including hybrid systems, internal combustion engines, transmissions, and battery solutions. The partnership with Geely will enable it to build a comprehensive range of products covering more than 80% of the market and position it as a key supplier in the global automotive industry. In Portugal, a factory in Aveiro, Cacia with 1100 employees was displaced to HORSE.

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

The automotive industry faces nowadays lots of challenges, notably in the connectivity and digitalization with the integration of vehicles in the digital ecosystem, offering seamless connected experiences.

Moreover, the EV & digital revolutions, the shift from selling cars to selling mobility services, and the urge to make our industry sustainable are radically reshaping the automotive sector. To turn these challenges into growth opportunities, new value chains are being explored and of course all at high-speed. That increases and discovers new legal risks that must be considered. Therefore, working side by side with the business on each new project is fundamental.

As an in-house lawyer in the automotive industry, several key qualities contribute to success such as effective communication skills, proactivity and strategic thinking contributing to business decisions and identifying opportunities.

How have you fostered a closer collaboration between the legal department and your business counterparts?

Building a strong collaboration between the legal department and business counterparts is essential for success. This includes always being part of the business, sharing risks and solutions and leveraging know-how and experience towards a unique common business goal. Being proactive, solution-driven and practicing the “open door policy” is key for a close collaboration.

Do you have a cause, business-related or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

The technology ethics area considering the rapid advancement of technology and its resemblance with science fiction old movies is becoming central. In fact, there’s a growing need to ensure ethical use, privacy and responsible AI development, seeking balance innovation with responsible use, ensuring that technology benefits humanity without causing harm.