Alexina, corporate lawyer
What is your position?
I am an acquisitions and disposals lawyer.
How did you get to your current position?
I did a dual degree in French law and Anglo-American law, specializing in business law. I passed the bar exams in New York and Paris. After four years working in law firms, I joined Arkema in 2015.
What is your job about?
The purpose of my role is to support the company's strategy from a legal point of view in its acquisitions and disposals operations. Furthermore, I am jointly responsible for the legal aspects of commercial contracts entered into by two business units and the company's procurement departments.
What is your typical working day like?
I take part in internal meetings to structure the company's acquisitions and disposals operations. Then I take part in the negotiations and draft the necessary documents. That means I have to go on the road to meet the different parties, as well as talking with them over the phone to identify what they need, and by email concerning the drafting of legal documents. I am in regular contact with the relevant BUs, as well as the strategy department and the finance department. I also coordinate the actions of the law firms that assist us if the case requires additional help. I sometimes have to travel abroad for my job too, given the company's international focus.
What do you like about your job?
It is a job where the tasks are very varied and different from my previous experience in law firms. My activity gives me a cross-functional perspective on the Group's business. I find it very interesting to be in contact with all the different parties, both from within the company and from the outside.
What qualities does your job require?
Apart from thoroughness and the ability to prioritize, I think you have to be open-minded and able to remain flexible. You have to make sure the company is legally protected, and at the same time maintain a pragmatic approach to help the business side to develop.
What challenges do you like to take on?
Innovating to offer the most pragmatic solutions to the company's needs, all within the operational departments' time constraints.
I really didn't know the world of chemistry at all, and I find the subject very interesting. In particular, understanding the manufacturing processes and the applications. Working in the industrial sector adds a very tangible aspect to my daily work. The size and organization of the company are such that, in my role, I take part in making decisions that have an impact on the Group as a whole.
What do you like about Arkema?
The visit to the Carling plant that was organized as part of the induction training for new recruits. I found it very enlightening to discover the different professions at the plant and to be able to speak with those closest to the manufacturing process.