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Godrej Industries Limited and its Associated Companies (GILAC) an Indian business behemoth of about ` 15,000 crores+ consist of 5 businesses segments viz., (i) Oleo Chemicals manufacture through Godrej Industries Limited; (ii) Consumer Products through Godrej Consumer Products Limited; (iii) Real Estate development through Godrej Properties Limited; (iv) Agri inputs, dairy & palm plantations businesses through Godrej Agrovet Limited and its subsidiary companies; and (v) Gourmet food retailing business through Nature’s Basket Limited.
The mandate I handle while heading the Corporate Legal Department of the GILAC companies is for managing the portfolio of in-house legal services required for the Consumer Products business (both domestic and international), Oleo-Chemicals and Nature’s Basket businesses. In line with GILAC business 10X10 (10 times growth in 10 years from 2010) and 3X3 (Focussed business growth in 3 categories in emerging-world geographies) strategies, Godrej Consumer Products Limited has grown its consumer products businesses in India as well as outside of India specifically in (A) Indonesia, (B) several African countries (viz., South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Angola), (C) South American countries (viz., Chile & Argentina, Peru), consumer goods trading business in Middle East (through Dubai offices), (D) SAARC countries (viz., Bangladesh, Sri Lanka), besides (E) United Kingdom; and (F) more recently (2016) in Savannah, Georgia State, USA.
My professional journey began with a distinction of being the 1st person from the 5-year law stream enrolled as an Advocate in 1988 in the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad. In 1991, sensing the opportunities arising out of change in regime at the Centre & the liberalisation agenda of India, I chose an in-house counsel role in Hyderabad starting with a Non-Banking Finance Company. Over a period of time, I moved on as an in-house counsel in different industries, donning roles as (a) a farm land acquisition counsel, (b) mobile telecom infrastructure and distribution business counsel, (c) agricommodity international trade advisory counsel, (d) business advisory counsel for (FMCG) Fast Moving Consumer Goods, with focus in indirect taxation, (e) merger and acquisition in-house counsel and business counsel for agri-commodity, branded foods and FMCG, before settling down as (f) Generalist leader for the Godrej Corporate Legal team.
As explained, the different roles I transformed myself to perform over the last 2.5 decades summarise the evolution of a General Counsel role in my case. My experience has shown that the industry/business in India has adopted over time, the habit of institutionalising the inhouse counsel role. This became a necessity since the forward march to ensure Indian business growth and its momentum could remain protected with all cautionary work with preventive steps being laid out to navigate through landmines of de-growth be it in either litigation or in Industrial policy quagmire only with an quality inhouse counsel sailing along with the business. There is substantial growth in scale of economy of business enterprises and valuations of the Indian businesses in these past 30 years. Now the attitude of every business enterprise in India irrespective of the question of leadership style for the enterprise whether being institutional/public-enterprise or majorityfamily-controlled, is to seek out a trusted advisor. Thus the role of General Counsel has become indispensable.
Rapidly changing technological evolutions in business and enabled services attached to it, need for continuous speed in execution in every sphere of business activity, relevance of every-day changing business concepts which are at times challenging the current-day or even pastday laid out regulations, transparency of governance and administration to enable globally competitive business environment, leadership in anti-corrupt anti-competitive behaviours coupled with focus on business growth are all situations today, which are laying out a red-carpet welcome to capable legal minds to take position and lead as General Counsel. General Counsel are now considered as partners and value-drivers who go hand-in-hand with business leaders to partner rocket-propelled strategic growth in a highly competitive environment.
One key challenge for the General Counsel of today is to maintain a formidable knowledge-driven team committed to the global vision of the organisation, apart from keeping pace & advising the business management and leadership as to reformative changes in commercial and economic impact laws/regulations. The varied nature of dynamic legislative reforms, be it in taxation, critical resource impacting fields such as land, water, labour, environment protection, foreign investment, policy positions on infrastructure, mining, telecom, power, drugs, airports, institutionalised good behaviours such as competition, governance, anti-corruption, quickly understanding the dynamics of regulations affecting the flow of goods and services in international trade remain the challenges for the globalised businesses to quickly appreciate the changed legal nuances.
The synthesis of work-output and service delivery as between the in-house legal teams and the Law firms comes about when they both appreciate and envision a common goal of ensuring top-quality legal services for the business needs and walk together beyond the time and fee concepts. Being the best-friend is what the law firms have to commit to, with the in-house legal teams to make the partnership work in the direction of delightful services of the client, ie., the business management.
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CLE is an important aspect for every inhouse counsel which should be a personal agenda to professionally shine and serve. Apart from studying the latest trends in law and policy, precedents and judgments, being a student to adapt technological solutions for betterment in quality execution of in-house legal services for management information systems (MIS) to be upto-date is a necessity for today’s General Counsel. Inquisitive as well as participative behaviour, besides being someone willing to share her/his knowledge will augur well for General Counsel as a tool for continuous learning. IT tools for contract management, IPR and litigation management are aspects which the General Counsel must learn to use as key tools for enhancing their own efficiency as well as team efficiencies.
Now is the best time to chose a legal career as an in-house counsel provided you have as qualifications besides a law degree, of impactful analytical ability to understand business processes and application of law in such processes, patience and perseverance for ensuring quality legal services delivery, of being a highly positive, proactive and participative team member with willingness to serve its current-day business as well as anticipated future growth.
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