“The GC decided not to replace our boss and see what happened – total anarchy followed”

What’s your most vivid memory from being a trainee?  

Right from the start of my career I always loved M&A deals but I remember being totally clueless and too nervous to speak; and how I just had to get over myself early on as with deals you just have to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.  I love that!

In those days M&A deals happened much more in person and were a much more physical affair.

Early on there was a run of deals where things just kept going wrong and I began to wonder if I was cut out for them. There was one particularly difficult deal where we were selling a family business and the whole family had a massive argument during the final negotiations and disappeared off in various directions around the City. I was given the job of going off to find each one of them and talk them back into the room while the rest of the team kept the purchasers talking and persuaded them out of packing up and leaving.

In the next deal I was selling a UK newspaper to a French newspaper and the French buyers never acknowledged the bank details I sent them (which I thought was odd but didn’t follow up on) and they turned up to complete with a cheque made out to the firm for hundreds of millions and then refused to understand why we couldn’t accept it as cleared funds in the purchaser’s account and complete.

Tell us about a sliding doors moment when your career could have gone in an entirely different direction?

I don’t think there has been one.  I have sat on top of mountain ranges a few times having fought hard to get to the top and have thought to myself – this is what it’s all about! I need to retrain and do something outdoors with nature! But I think it’s usually down to the lack of oxygen and quickly forgotten when I get back down to civilisation.

What’s the hardest question you’ve ever been asked at interview, and how did you answer?

Not exactly a hard question but the only thing I can think of is – many years ago a female CEO interviewed me sitting with her feet up cross legged on her chair with her shoes off and hugging a cup of herbal tea and told me she had to finish on the hour as she was having her roots done. She looked me in the eye and asked me how was my Karma. I tried really hard to give her the benefit of the doubt but I just wanted to stop things right there – but of course I was too polite.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to get to where you are/do the job you do?

I would say that it can be a really challenging place to be – there are definitely easier ways to earn a living but I am super passionate about being a businesswoman with a background in law.

I believe passionately that lawyers can have a huge positive impact in business and I have seen that play out countless times in my career in multiple industries.

But as you become more senior you realise that a huge part of what you bring to the table – your experience, leadership, problem solving, judgement- are far more important than your core technical expertise. As long as you are curious about business and how things and people tick then you will do well in business.

I always knew I wanted to end up in industry and I couldn’t have asked for a more varied and exciting career.  I’ve travelled all over the world, worked with some brilliant (and not so brilliant) people and have been privileged to work with some talented lawyers and watch them grow into general counsels themselves.

I would say search out new opportunities in business. I run Government Affairs and ESG for Sonnedix as well as legal and compliance but I have also headed up health and safety, HR, crisis management and taken on project management roles.  Don’t expect your career moves always to be obvious or to be vertical and safe.  Be willing to take risks as long as you are still learning then there is nothing to be lost and everything to be gained.

I now count myself as extra lucky that I can combine my passions of leading legal teams and help save the planet by working for a company that is leading the energy transition by building and operating renewable energy power plants.  I think they call it finding your Ikagai.

Tell us about ONE former colleague who you miss, and why? (It doesn’t have to be a lawyer)

I have worked on and off with someone since I first went in house with BG (now part of Shell). I remember walking into his office on my first day and asking him if he fancied a coffee and telling me how on earth the whole in-house gig worked as I didn’t really know where to start to be honest. Our boss told us within about three days of us joining that they were off to another job somewhere else and that the Group GC was minded not to put anyone in charge and to just see how we all coped.

There followed a period of total anarchy in the team – but from really early on he and I stuck together and didn’t take any of it too seriously.  We just got on trains and in cars and went around visiting the various business units asking how we could help.  Nearly 30 years on and we still WhatsApp each other about things. He is doing a great job in the motor industry now but I think it’s important to have colleagues who know you and you can trust have your interests at heart.  He will always tell me when I am talking rubbish.