About

Major legal advisers: Stephenson Harwood, Burges Salmon

What are the most important transactions, litigations or other major projects that you have been involved in during the last year?

Abellio is one of the largest passenger and rail operators in the UK. Covid-19 and lockdown had an almost immediate impact upon the entire franchise business model. Revenue dropped to UK Railways emergency funding arrangements for Covid-19, and the industry move from the long-term franchising model to a new commercial model.

Supporting Covid-19 measures for those passengers and employees still using and working on the railways and buses.

What were the main difficulties your company faced during the initial Covid-19 lockdown?

Ten percent of the usual passengers on the five main rail companies within the group and Government direction not to travel meant the business model became unworkable overnight. At the same time, the Government were keen to keep the rail and bus infrastructure in place and running in order to ensure readiness for the return to normal post pandemic.

How have you maintained your team’s cohesion when you have been unable to see them face-to-face as regularly as usual?

Face-to-face contact with the team has been a rare event in this role as I started at the beginning of Covid-19. As a function, I have until recently been a team of one. My role as general counsel for what was, pre-Covid-19, a £3bn-turnover business requires me to interact with people across our organisation on a regular basis, and Microsoft Teams and Zoom have been key here to build relationships. I interviewed for the role during Covid-19 via Teams, met all leaders and management via Teams as part of my induction and worked and maintain regular calls with all MDs, FDs, and Executive by phone and Teams. I am now blessed with an additional team member which has lightened the load somewhat. Much of our interaction has been by Teams but we agreed from the off that we need face-to-face time in the office each week. That has been a real pleasure after so long at home.

How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?

The pandemic has certainly meant that the role of the GC has become a need-to-have role rather than an optional one. In Abellio the pandemic led to the creation of the role of general counsel due to the new industry emergency funding measures and Covid-19 requirements for running buses and trains. Longer term, it will lead to a more central role in structuring the future business as a result of the crisis.