“Building relationships with other GCs can provide perspectives on common challenges.”

An interview with Julian Bergerat, Seconded to PRefChem as Member of the Management Committee, General Counsel and Company Secretary at Aramco in Malaysia.

How would you describe the state of the GC Community in your region? How has it changed since you first moved in-house?

I have been moving quite a lot since I transitioned to in-house in 2007, and I can assert that GC communities can be very different from one region to another. Regarding Southeast Asia and Malaysia in particular, I have to admit that the GC community is very active. There are lots of events organised which enable GCs from different industries to share views on various topics such as compliance, AI, latest legislations or ADR. Within the last three years, I have been invited to many events but I have to decline some of them as there are so many. Similarly, the opportunities to contribute as speaker are numerous and diverse. 

Why is expanding your network important to you?

Expanding my network as GC is essential for the following reasons:
– It allows me to receive valuable insights into emerging legal trends, regulatory changes and best practices that can help shape my approach to legal challenges.
– It allows me to be part of discussions shaping industry standards.
– It allows me to identify external experts, advisors or contacts within governmental authorities.

What kinds of connections or discussions would be most valuable to you?

The most valuable connections and discussions revolve around strategic legal insights, industry trends and leadership growth. Building relationships with other GCs can provide perspectives on common challenges like regulatory compliance, corporate governance and managing external counsel effectively. Similarly, engaging with professionals outside of legal but within the same industry can help anticipate regulatory shifts, emerging risks and trends impacting business strategy.

What do you want to achieve by collaborating with other GCs and senior in-house lawyers? Are there specific topics, challenges, or experiences you’d like to share or learn more about?

There are some areas of the law where in-house counsel could contribute to define and shape best practices. To name a few:
– ESG,
– AI and related cybersecurity risks,
– sustainability reporting obligations or
– defining the future of the profession
I am convinced that the position of General Counsel has already significantly evolved: we are no longer management’s advisors, we are part of it. We are expected to make decisions instead of solely providing advice. Our scope as well has changed with compliance becoming more and more important and regulated. Fields like risk management, insurance or sustainability tend now to fall under our scope leading legal departments, already in charge of corporate governance and compliance, to become risk departments. If this is the future we are heading towards, being part of a community, sharing challenges and experiences will help us shape what will become our tomorrow.