Team size: Over 250
 

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

Within our network, EMEIA, refers to a geographic area comprising more than 120,000 people across 97 countries in Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa, with combined revenues of over $15bn. The EMEIA legal team was at the forefront as legal advisers to those teams planning major strategic organisational changes in the global EY network. My team also manages and advises on several high-profile and significant cross-border litigation and regulatory matters, and recently we advised on and executed the separation from the EY network of the Russia and Belarus member firms.  

Can you foresee any key developments to the way general counsel work over the next five years? 

With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools, general counsel (GC) will have to not only adopt new technology with a view to providing quicker and cost-efficient advice, but they will need to navigate the complexities of data management and risks to data security. There will also be a significant push towards accommodating the requirements of a digital native Gen Z workforce. Organisations will need to showcase their credentials in sustainability, diversity and climate change to appeal to this important cohort of new talent. 

What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company?
 

The professional services industry, and EY, are very much committed to helping businesses understand and strategically address sustainability challenges, ensuring that companies are equipped to operate in a responsible and ethical way across a wide range of metrics. EY continues to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, is carbon negative, with a strong commitment to decarbonisation and net zero, and took an active part in the COP26 and COP27 summits.
 

The ever-changing role of the GC has become of increasing importance as transparency and environmental regulations get tougher and reputational risk is heightened. Even in cases where these issues were traditionally not the GC’s purview, a focus on risk identification and mitigation has now positioned the GC as a key player in many strategic decisions. Gone are the days of advising on narrow interpretations of black letter law, the GCs of today and tomorrow will be expected to advise on much outside the legal scope.  

As the legal landscape evolves, what steps are you taking to foster a culture of continuous learning and development within the legal team, ensuring that they are all well-equipped to address future legal complexities? 
 

To foster a culture of continuous learning and development within the legal department, a general counsel must lead by example to demonstrate the importance of professional learning.