Sashnee Maistry is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in legal, compliance, and corporate governance. With a strong foundation in law, Sashnee has demonstrated her expertise across various industries, including real estate, Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) and corporate advisory.

Sashnee has a proven track record in managing regulatory requirements, overseeing complex transactions, and supporting organisational goals through practical and thoughtful solutions. She has also been instrumental in establishing effective risk management practices and ensuring adherence to local and international standards.

Sashnee’ s proactive and methodical approach, coupled with exceptional leadership skills have earned her recognition as a trusted advisor, particularly in managing high-profile projects and fostering collaborative relationships with stakeholders. Her leadership style is measured, collaborative, and supportive, fostering teamwork and a productive environment. She is able to navigate complex regulatory landscapes and deliver practical solutions for her team.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

South Africa exemplifies a naturally volatile market. In the property industry, where business performance is closely tied to credit fluctuations, market and funding liquidity, political instability, and risks such as riots and strikes, legal teams play a critical role in ensuring organisational resilience. Our approach centres on staying fully aligned with the challenges facing the organisation and attuned to its needs. This is achieved through:

1. A thorough understanding of the organisation’s goals, operational priorities, and long-term strategy, to ensure that the legal team operates as a strategic partner rather than a reactive function.

2. Proactive risk management:

2.1. Identifying and analysing potential business risks through a robust risk management framework, where:

2.1.1. Risks are regularly triaged and reassessed to account for changing conditions;

2.1.2. Targeted work plans address risks categorised as high or moderate, with actionable mitigation strategies;

2.1.3. Management integrates these strategies into daily operations to ensure alignment and effectiveness.

3. Tailored Business Continuity Planning (BCP): Designing and implementing a resilience framework that addresses the organisation’s core focus areas and prioritises the most critical risks identified. The BCP is adapted to ensure it remains practical and relevant during crises.

By developing a comprehensive understanding of the business’ operational landscape, the legal function becomes better equipped to anticipate challenges and provide tailored, strategic support, and enables the organisation to maintain continuity during periods of instability.

How can general counsel foster a corporate culture that supports ESG principles and compliance across all levels of the organisation?

General counsel plays a pivotal role in fostering a corporate culture that aligns with ESG principles by integrating these into the organisation’s strategic framework. This begins with devising a robust governance and compliance structure that reflects the ESG objectives and ties seamlessly into the overall business strategy. Regular engagement with internal stakeholders ensures alignment, secures management buy-in, and embeds ESG considerations into operational decision-making. Simplifying the process for employees to engage with ESG initiatives – such as using digital dashboards for tracking and visualising progress – further embeds these principles across all levels. Additionally, linking the legal team’s KPIs to ESG deliverables ensures sustained focus and accountability, positioning ESG at the heart of the organisation’s culture and operations.