Team size: Seven direct reports responsible for 25 countries and global network

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

Our legal team has been engaged in several critical activities that have had a substantial impact on our operations. We have been involved with ensuring support for business continuity during tensions in the Middle East, which required proactive and innovative solutions to continue serving our markets effectively. These conflicts affected every aspect of our business, witnessing boycotts, bans on products, trade barriers, and rising concerns about the safety of our employees and supply chain.

We have worked on promoting a culture of fair competition and adherence to compliance regulations within the company. The legal team and I have also been navigating through regulatory reforms and tax amendments, advocating for the company’s interests to optimise our business approach under new legislative frameworks.

Being at the forefront of legal considerations surrounding the expansion of our digital footprint, ensuring the implementation of the right operating models complying with relevant laws. Furthermore, guiding the company through the legal aspects of advancing our sustainability goals, ensuring that our initiatives meet regulatory standards and contribute positively to environmental stewardship.

Finally, we have worked on fostering a network way of working, which is pivotal as it involves a collective effort of various team members ensuring alignment and execution of our business strategies.

What strategic priorities are guiding you and your team in 2024?

In 2024, our strategic focus aligns with several key objectives. We aim to advocate top-line growth by defending the Company’s license to operate and protecting its rights and property. Additionally, we seek to enhance the legal service delivery model by exploring efficiencies and implementing new technologies. Moreover, we are committed to improving our skill set and expanding digital competencies to keep pace with the evolving digital landscape.

As part of behavioural changes, we aim to transition into more of a business partner, prioritising leadership over pure legal counsel to guide the business ethically. Furthermore, we are dedicated to driving culture transformation through the development and deployment of an integrated culture plan, embedding and recognising our identity and work ethic. In this part of the world, our priority lies in nurturing a team that embodies the dual roles of being both warriors and dreamers.

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

I have a deep-seated drive to cultivate a high-performing team to deliver exceptional performance, where an overarching enterprise mindset is adopted. Agility is key, alongside a networked approach to collaboration, with a deliberate emphasis on prioritising work that matters the most and delivers the highest value, thereby maximising our collective impact on business expansion as well as personal and professional development.

Moreover, I am eager to deepen my comprehension of digital technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, and explore how we can harness its potential to spur innovation and enhance productivity.