Tell us about your early career and in-house background
I qualified at Clifford Chance into the Company/Commercial department and loved interacting with clients and understanding their business challenges and context. That made me realise that my future would be in-house.
I was very fortunate in that several clients and colleagues I had worked with approached me with opportunities one of which was United International Pictures (a joint venture between MGM, Sony and Universal). I joined them and it was incredibly exciting entering the world of film and television.
I not only worked on a variety of agreements but also, went to related premieres and met many famous actors. I got to see all the work that goes into getting something on the big screen. The role came with regulatory challenges that tapped into my competition law background and enabled me to travel and experience cultural diversity as I worked with various people from different backgrounds across the world.
This led to further senior legal roles in the film and media sector with Turner Broadcasting and later Discovery Communications Inc, both of which were international and allowed me to draw on my commercial, regulatory, acquisition and JV expertise. I was involved in both businesses during a growth and expansion phase and it really was a privilege to be part of that strategy, travelling all over the world with a fantastic team where we supported and learned from each another. That was really important especially as we sometimes spent a significant amount of time together in our offices in Asia, Latin America, India and Europe.
It was so much fun building and leading an international legal team across many jurisdictions. I still recall those days with much fondness. These experiences in turn opened up other opportunities to develop leading to a hybrid commercial and legal role with Scripps Networks Interactive where I got involved in negotiating commercial deals, business development and strategy.
After Scripps, I spent around seven years as GC UK and Ireland at Virgin Media. Here, my remit expanded further to include other areas including public affairs, sustainability, security and regulatory which highlighted further how integrated strategic thinking can be. Language we frequently used to illustrate that was to “join up the dots.” In other words, bring together all the different and related strands of thinking that can often create hooks for one other to create a joined-up strategy.
Doing that with an incredibly talented team and colleagues was fun and energising. I still remember the adrenaline rush associated with thinking outside the box and the epiphany moments that invariably resulted from doing that.
How did your most recent role as General Counsel and Company Secretary at Heathrow Airport come about?
I was introduced to the CEO (John Holland-Kaye) and CPO (Paula Stannett) of Heathrow Airport and as we talked, we realised that we had a lot in common in terms of shared purpose and parallels between what I had previously done and what Heathrow was looking to do.
I was looking for something that was important to the UK and Heathrow definitely ticked that box. As well as being a great brand, I was drawn to the people-centric culture and the opportunity to add value in a number of areas where I could draw upon my varied experience. They were interested in me as a person and also in the coaching and people development I was doing. The interview process was unique and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I was also drawn to the diverse board at Heathrow (consortium of seven shareholders at the time). I saw the role as a fascinating learning experience and an opportunity to develop further. Heathrow is like a city, with so much going on at all times where all the different parts need to work together. That means you are learning all the time.
I was also mindful at the time I joined Heathrow that should I decide to step away from executive roles and take up NED work in the future, that my experience with Heathrow would be a great step towards that.
What would a day as GC at Heathrow look like?
It can involve anything from crisis management to board, executive committee and team meetings. I may be involved in chair succession, attending a strategy day or assisting with the planning of Board agendas as the Company Secretary.
Risk and Internal Audit were also an important part of my remit so naturally time was dedicated to engaging on that. Another day I could be walking around the airport wearing a purple fleece and assisting passengers on a “Here to Help” shift. That can be very fulfilling.
I’m a curious person and am fascinated in how everything works around the airport, from baggage transfer and retail to air traffic control – even learning about the intricacies of resurfacing a runway! As GC you really are across all of it. You see how everything comes together like a jigsaw to create a seamless operation with safety and security at the heart of it all. It’s fascinating.
And I always tried to ensure that I spent a minute or two each week watching the planes take off and land and taking advantage of the fabulous view of the runway. Particularly at night or in the evening it is quite spectacular.
What was the biggest challenge you faced when moving in-house?
The cultural shift was the big one. In private practice it’s quite hierarchical. Your work is checked; you're on the advisory side and driven by timesheets.
In-house you’re embedded in the organisation more as a business adviser who just happens to have legal training. I had to transition to that very quickly and embrace a culture where decisions are made and acted on at pace. In-house your value is measured more by what value you create or contribute, rather than by reference to timesheets or billable hours.
How is AI changing the GC role?
By making legal teams assess how they can use AI and provide what it cannot. This means stepping back and identifying what people do better than technology and what tasks machines can safely take on. It boils down to sound judgment - sifting through lots of information and understanding what matters most in the context of the organisation’s goals. To do that you need a commercial perspective and a deep understanding of the business.
I'm seeing many in-house lawyers shift from being advisors to commercial enablers using risk assessment as a tool. Instead of saying, ‘Here are the many risks you need to worry about’ they’re saying, ‘Let's make a risk-based decision based on what we can mitigate, what we can't and what the residual risk is.’ In doing so they enable the business to focus on the opportunity and ultimately on better prioritisation of investment decisions.
Tell us about your independent executive coaching work.
I coach clients who work in all sorts of disciplines, such as technology, HR, commercial and more. Some of them are new to C-suite roles while others have made a lateral move. You learn a lot about yourself when coaching and it’s so fulfilling to watch someone evolve.
I coached somebody who was at risk of being exited from their business and who then went on to get promoted. That was purely the result of their willingness to do the hard work that was required to grow. There are many beautiful epiphany moments when you're coaching someone. You see them stop and come alive because you have asked a question that has unlocked a critical thought or realisation that transforms their thinking.
Many members of my team have heard me quote the poet David Whyte who in his poem Sweet Darkness, wrote, “Anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you.”
I believe that coaching should enable that.
What are three essential skills and behaviours for in-house lawyers today?
Curiosity is crucial. It’s important to understand the business and why things happen the way they do. The more questions you ask the better equipped you are to contribute to business strategy.
Character and integrity are important. By this I mean the courage to speak truth to power in a way that is influential and impactful.
Communication is also key. When you’re with the board, speak the language of the board. When dealing with the C-suite speak their language, and so on. Keep your written and spoken communications simple and always use plain English. Self-awareness and emotional intelligence particularly come into play here. That’s also where coaching can make a big difference.
How do you relax away from work?
I love walking in nature or along the river where I live. It’s where I do my best thinking and problem solving. I also love reading and am about to start Elif Shafak’s latest book, Rivers in the Sky. The language she uses is so colourful. It’s as if she can actually taste the words on the page!
