Could you share with us the story of your path to becoming an in-house counsel? What motivated you to choose this career path?

My decision to pursue a career path as an in-house counsel was deeply influenced by my early professional experiences. Starting my career in a law firm, I had the privilege of representing large-scale companies across various transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, project finance, and commercial contracts. This exposure provided me with a unique vantage point to observe the multifaceted role that an in-house counsel plays within a corporation.

It became increasingly clear to me that the position of an in-house counsel is not just about providing legal advice, but also involves a collaborative effort with the commercial and finance teams. This interdisciplinary approach appealed to me greatly, as it offered the opportunity to not only apply my legal expertise but also to broaden my understanding of the financial and commercial implications of legal decisions. The prospect of being at the intersection of law, business, and finance, where I could contribute to strategic decision-making and directly influence the success of the organisation, was a compelling factor in my decision to transition into an in-house counsel role.

This path has allowed me to leverage my legal skills in a dynamic corporate environment, ensuring that the legal function supports and enhances the business objectives.

In your role as an in-house counsel, what are the main responsibilities and tasks you handle on a day-to-day basis?

As the lead counsel for the contracts and project finance department of the legal team, I am mainly involved in project finance transactions, contracts related to any investment including international acquisitions and new projects or tenders.

As the in-house counsel responsible for the project finance transactions of the group companies, I work on the structuring, negotiation and drafting of parts of the new transactions, and along with the finance department, undertake the management of previous transactions, including the continuance of securities and undertakings of the group companies.

On the parts of the business development and investments, I am involved in the negotiation of agreements between potential business partners, shareholder agreements and purchase agreements along, with the finance and commercial departments of the group. I am also part of the team evaluating the project contracts, negotiating the terms of the tendering documents and any securities for new tenders.

For intra-group tasks I coordinate the mergers between group companies and procedures for establishment of new companies. A key aspect of my role as in-house counsel involves managing and coordinating engagement with external law firms. This includes overseeing their budgeting and operational control. Given that in-house counsel act as clients to the external law firms, it is essential to ensure that their services are both high-quality and cost-effective.

What are some of the key challenges you have faced as a rising star in-house counsel, and how have you overcome them?

As a rising star in-house counsel, my main challenges were associated with maintaining a delicate balance between managing legal risks and optimising commercial benefits. An in-house counsel is mostly tasked with determining the legal structures, not only to minimise legal exposure, but also to ensure alignment with and support for the company’s commercial and strategic goals. This necessitates a thorough understanding of the company’s commercial needs and strategies, requiring the legal team to broaden their perspective.

Another challenge that I could mention would be the task of operating within an ever-changing legal and regulatory landscape. This requires in-house legal teams to stay informed about new laws and regulations that could affect the business.