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

Our most significant recent work was the GSK Consumer Healthcare division becoming a standalone business. On 18 July 2022, Haleon launched as an independent company 100% focused on consumer health, completing its demerger from GSK in what was the largest demerger and public listing in Europe and the UK in over a decade. We had been preparing for this for several years, and the team stepped up, working closely with GSK, Pfizer and external advisers to deliver the listing.

I am really proud of the way the team has delivered separation and is now stepping up to take on new challenges.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most? Which have you found most useful in your legal team?

Technological advancements constantly present new opportunities for the in-house legal team. We recently embarked on a change journey of digital transformation to harness these advancements. But for us, digital transformation is far more than technology. Our digital transformation is a broad range of client-centric initiatives to modernise our service model to maintain agility, navigate complexity and manage constant change.

How has the increasing consciousness of climate change and sustainability affected your company and the team’s priorities?

Haleon has a unique opportunity to help break down the social and environmental barriers that hold people back from better everyday health. For the Haleon Legal Team, this has meant stepping up to the plate with speed and agility – each day going beyond – so that we deliver against our sustainability strategy alongside our internal clients.

The unusual business environment created by the pandemic has been swiftly followed by the Ukraine crisis, and attendant supply chain costs rising and rising inflation. Are you now putting more emphasis on preparing for the unforeseen and, if so, what does this entail?

It has been a challenging and unpredictable time recently! The Covid-19 pandemic impacted our operations, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has created significant operational and legal challenges. Our team stepped up to deal with these crises, balancing complex and fast-moving risks daily, ensuring we supported our colleagues and consumers as best we could. The Haleon legal team was on the frontline in crisis management. We learnt a lot through the process, dealing with sanctions, people safety, reputational issues, products designed for Covid, vaccinations, and constant remote working. We have evolved our crisis management skills and plans and are well prepared to face whatever crisis comes next!