Q: How is the role of general counsel evolving, and how have you adapted?

A: For global companies like Bloomberg, the regulatory framework has become increasingly complex. The last year alone has seen some major pieces of legislation become effective in Europe such as GDPR and MiFID2 (with Brexit looming). The new regulations can have a significant impact on how a company does business. While we have always been viewed as a strategic partner on commercial matters, we also need to track global regulations, educate and partner with our business and support teams to make sure we have the most efficient regulatory strategies, some of which may also ultimately lead to business opportunities. These regulations carry much heavier potential penalties, which also further elevates our role as risk managers, and makes the function ever more central. We must be more visible (and fight for access), more assertive and more persuasive. It all starts with listening, effective communication, building strong relationships and understanding the business imperative. In this complex environment, these skills are just as important as substantive knowledge, and we hire, develop and promote with this in mind.