About

Last year you told us that you began handling government affairs for the company. Have there been any significant lobbying activities you’ve been involved in since then?

It has been an interesting ride and I have experienced just how much the [legal and government affairs] disciplines complement each other, and throughout 2019 I was able to contribute to important, high-impact projects. Engagement with government entities consisted of a wide range of activities, such as bringing international expertise and advice to the law-making process; increasing our representation through participation on technical committees; improving company visibility through associations and settling differences when the need arose.

What will be the main focus for the company in the next 12 months and how do you intend to assist with this?

The company will be focusing on healthy growth in the upcoming 12 months. Legal has to play the dual role of partner and guardian to enable this operational target. We will be assisting and consulting our business teams when crafting business plans, growth strategies and possible actions. Having a place at the table early on will make sure our advice is well heard and integrated into these strategies, and we will stay vigilant to make sure that our code of conduct and pertinent laws are taken into consideration, our teams are well informed of risks and that the legal framework provides protection for the company if things turn sour.

Considering that you have quite a compact legal team, what challenges do you face when demonstrating the legal function’s value to the company?

Prioritisation and presence are two pillars that we build our value model for the company on.  Limited resources and time obliges us to understand the most high value or high risk projects of the business groups and making sure that most of our time and efforts are allocated to the same. Also by making time to accompany our business teams “on the field”, we keep our information up-to-date, get a realistic reading of the market conditions and fine tune our risk appetite accordingly.  In that vein, we believe that our contribution to the company is usually well recognised in 3M.  If our efforts were more on the theory side and had less visibility, it would have been much more challenging to show our contribution.

How much influence do you, as a general counsel, have on the diversity and inclusions policies of your organisation?

As a leader within the company, making sure that company policies are brought to life is an important part of my duties. Diversity, and especially inclusion, are subjects that in the spotlight for 3M.  We believe in the power of sharing ideas and giving voices to the silent ones in the room. We look for inputs from all stakeholders but not necessarily unanimous consensus in decision making. This is where the power of inclusion lies, the more informed and challenged a decision is at the incubation phase, the better its effect will be.  In the legal department, my word is not the final word, and I’m most comfortable when we arrive to a decision that was not my own at the beginning at the discussion. I therefore constantly challenge my colleagues to raise share their points of view.  This approach without a doubt extends to other forums in the company as well.  I constantly deliver messages empowering inclusion and underline that it is part of our culture and an indispensable element that makes our company so innovative and an enjoyable place to work.

What is currently missing from law firm services in Turkey that would benefit their corporate clients?

Increased involvement in law-making.  The attorneys in our law firms are part of the most prominent experts in their field.  However, their involvement in the law making process is usually very limited. Their proactive participation to these procedures would be immensely helpful for shaping the playing field, deriving insight from government entities on future laws but also for providing more accurate advice as they could be part of the conversation from the beginning.

Focus on: Legal department as force multipliers

The legal department is uniquely positioned in the company as it serves as a true nerve centre. Commercial deals, marketing programmes, channel activities, company procedures, HR strategies, compliance matters and board decisions all pass through the legal department in one shape or form.  Accordingly, the legal department can be the ambassador between management and employees on the frontline and also between different departments. Lawyers are [therefore] in pole position to bridge the gap between inefficiencies arising from less than ideal communication.

Many companies work within their respective silos when it comes to business management. Ensuring information flows between divisions and that the wheel is not re-invented over and over again is where a legal department’s multiplier effect can shine. To give an example a marketing campaign devised by one business group can be recommended to another through the legal expert which reviews the terms and conditions so that it can be replicated elsewhere in the company.  This means legal can act as a “force multiplier” which allow operational excellence and effectiveness.

Similarly, a legal way of looking into matters adds a lot to planning. The quality of business decisions can also be elevated when legal is part of it. This once again is a multiplier effect of the legal department; making sure non-legal ideas and decisions include legal thinking and action plans for possible risk scenarios makes them better equipped for future potential problems.

Last but not least the legal department can be a great multiplier for the workforce. We are usually entrusted to be the gatekeeper for company procedures and rules, and in many scenarios integrates or works very closely with the compliance function also.  Accordingly, we are entrusted to be good examples to our employees.  Being the best leaders we can be, guiding the workforce with good behaviours recommended by the company code elevates people around us to make them the best version of themselves from a professional and personal perspective.  Creative ideas flourish in an environment of trust and legal leaders are in a great position to nurture it.  Anything is better with a pinch of legal inside.