Mondelez International's Asia Pacific chief counsel on the difficulties of redundancies and doing the right thing

Why did you become a lawyer?

I wanted to be a management consultant but I got the marks to get into law and it seemed like a good idea in the face of mountains of ignorance of what I was getting into.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career?

So many! I have been blessed to have a number of truly inspiring role models over the last 20 years. If I had to name one, it would be my dad. Dad first educated me about what it meant to run a business and has been my sounding board across my entire career and always with the implicit message that he has confidence I can do it.

What's your proudest professional moment?

Completing the acquisition of the Kinh Do snacks business in Vietnam this year is certainly one of them. It was an achievement on so many levels and in particular being part of a truly outstanding professional team who could manage with grace through the wide variety of uncertainty and unpredictability of Vietnam's M&A landscape.

… and worst day on the job?

When I had to tell a really great lawyer that we no longer had a role for her – how do you reconcile the need for the organisation to stay competitive with the need to appreciate and inspire great lawyers who consistently give more than it might be reasonable to ask for? I have never really got comfortable with that.

What made you choose in-house over private practice?

I like being part of the team making the decisions and then seeing things through. It's one thing to love the adrenaline of the deal, it's another to be patient and nurture the seed of a good idea through growth. (Perhaps why I love gardening as well.)

What's your strongest characteristic… and worst trait?

Perseverance…and stubbornness!

What advice would you give to young lawyers starting out?

You are stepping into a howling storm. You can't see it, and sometimes it will feel like you are skipping through sunny fields of gold, but there's a howling storm with 100 knot winds pushing against every step you take (apologies to Sting!). Cling on, treasure every one of those steps forward and don't worry that sometimes the next one looks impossible, just keep going.

What's the best part of your job?

Discussions about what is the right thing to do. Feeling like I can make a difference in realising our aspiration to show integrity in everything we do.

What impresses you most when law firms pitch for work?

New ideas and pragmatism around managing expectations. What would really impress me is a pitch that focussed on what the firm is doing to make its people more productive – still waiting for that one!

… and where do they most often slip up?

Honestly, I have been lucky that our panel rarely slips up. The misstep with the biggest impact I have experienced is when the firm advises us in a way that makes me suspicious they do not have our best interests first and foremost in their advice. I suspect this is usually a failure of communication rather than an actual conflict of interests, but the fact that we lose faith, whatever the reason, can be toxic.

What's the most common misconception of in-house lawyers?

That we work less hours than external counsel! It was the case once, it isn't now. I suspect it is because we have a little more control over our time than our external colleagues (but not much)

What's the most memorable deal you ever have worked on and why?

Well, the Kinh Do acquisition in Vietnam certainly ranks as a highlight. But then so did the work I did many years ago on the sale of some of Victoria's electricity assets and the work we have done over many years in managing a highly successful joint venture in South Korea. But to be clear, in the end it is seeing my team members grow and flourish that makes for the best and proudest memories.

Do you see yourself having a career outside law?

Yes, I would love to go back to university and pursue a research career in psychology, maybe specialising in corporate behaviour. The more I read about the behaviour of tribes and how groups have managed the conflicting obligations of loyalty, the more I think we haven't yet cracked an ideal governance structure for large organisations.

What's your favourite item of clothing?

My beads – all of them! Even the $10 ones are beautiful.

It's midnight and you're in the office for the night. Where's your takeaway from?

Ahh, well, I have a stash of chocolate (Cote D'Or or Milka for preference) and to ensure a balanced diet I have my Jacobs crackers and some instant Miso soup (Ok, we don't make the miso soup!). But I confess, it's the chocolate that gets me through the night.

What are your desert island discs?

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast (I know, I am dragging the definition of 'discs' into the 21st century), TED talks, Cat Empire and Stone Roses. And my son for a continuous flow of new compositions!

Favourite box set?

A box of Cadbury! Or if I am still on that desert island the complete works of Terry Pratchett.

Cathy Heeley is chief counsel, Asia Pacific at Mondelez International. She is speaking at Legal Week's Corporate Counsel Forum Singapore on 22 October.