Lawyer of the Month - April 2007
Our Lawyer of the Month is Deepak Malhotra, Vice President & General Counsel for InBev Corporate & Western Europe Legal. InBev is the world's largest beer company, with leading international brands such as Stella Artois, Brahma, Becks, Leffe and BASS.
Deepak was born in London in 1969. In 1988 he attended the University of London to read Medicine, following in the footsteps of other family members, including his older brother. Within a year he felt that Medicine was not for him but decided to give it at least two years by completing the pre-clinical aspect before making a firm decision. He still felt the same way in the second year and decided to read Law instead. For him the pre-clinical experience was a fantastic training that has stood him in good stead and taught skills that he has been able to put to good use as a lawyer. His parents were supportive of his change but told him that, as in everything else, he must give it his 100%.
He read Law at the University of Westminster and graduated with a first class honours degree in 1993. He went to the College of Law in London to do the Solicitors’ Finals which he thoroughly enjoyed and passed with Commendation in 1994. Deepak did his training at the City Firm Denton Hall (now known as Denton Wilde Sapte) and on qualifying as a solicitor in 1996, he joined the City firm Berwin Leighton (now Berwin Leighton Paisner) where he remained for two years until 1998. He was particularly enthused by the clients he saw who were operationally focused with clear strategic views. He knew then that an in-house role was for him as he wanted that kind of experience.
In 1998, Deepak joined Gillette, a well-known household name, as Legal Counsel, a role he described as “exciting” as it involved lots of operational experience, travelling, meeting a lot of different people and exposure to different cultures and varied corporate practices. His role within Gillette evolved and by 2002 he had gained experience as Legal Counsel to the Oral B brand, and for various parts of the business across the UK, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.
In July 2002, he joined InBev as its Director of Legal Affairs. In 2004, Deepak became the Director for Legal, Corporate Affairs & Property Management and in March the following year he became InBev’s Vice President & General Counsel for Western Europe. From January 2007, his role now combines his responsibility for Western Europe with responsibility for the Corporate legal team based in Belgium, handling IP, competition, labour law and M&A on a global basis.
Deepak is in charge of an annual legal budget of several million euros and he has led on a number of Mergers & Acquisition deals, outsourcing arrangements and major contracts. He is described as "energetic" and, to illustrate this, when he closed a deal for the rights of Becks UK for nearly 100 million euros at 1am, he still made it to Lille, France, for a well-received presentation at 8am the same day. As there were no flights, Eurostar or Le Shuttle in the early hours of the morning, he drove to Dover and caught the ferry arriving well in time for his delivery, surviving on pure adrenalin.
Deepak is passionate about InBev: its brands, its values, and the people he works with. He has learned a great deal in his career with the company, and believes that the "ownership" mentality of InBev is unique in his experience of major organisations. That InBev’s people have tremendous drive and the company’s mission of being the best in the industry, coupled with its unique culture, makes it stand out.
Outside of InBev, Deepak is the Chair of the Commerce & Industry (C&I) London Region for in-house lawyers, (www.cigroup.org.uk) a group which has grown significantly under Deepak’s leadership and which now has over 300 active London in-house lawyers attending its events. He has also spoken and written extensively on various topics such as corporate governance, crisis management, legal risk and the challenges facing the in-house legal profession. Deepak was Co-Chair of the C&I Corporate Governance Committee until March 2005, which oversaw the publication of the first guidelines for in-house lawyers on best practice corporate governance.
At the Legal Week Awards in November 2006, the InBev legal team won the Global Legal Team of the Year, and Deepak received a commendation as the General Counsel of the Year.
Deepak is married with a baby daughter.
Below is our interview with Deepak:
BLD: What was the best career advice you were given?
DM: This was given to me by a life coach: "Enjoy what you do."
BLD: What career advice would you give to others?
DM: Never over-promise and under-deliver. The reverse, however, is great!
BLD: If you were to choose another job/role, other than what you are doing, what would it be and why?
DM: Be the England Football Manager. If all goes to plan, we’d win the World Cup. If not, I’d sit at home earning £13,000 a day. By contrast, the law is boring!
BLD: Who is the person you most admire (dead or alive) and why?
DM: I do not admire just one person but lots of people – sports people, celebrities and professionals. I admire people who re-invent the wheel, doing ground-breaking stuff either because it is right to or to advance a cause. I also admire those basic human characteristics like being decent, honest and ethical.
BLD: How do you think the role of in-house lawyers has changed in recent years?
DM: It has changed enormously in the last few years in many ways: first, in-house lawyers are now more highly valued by the commercial unit of the business than at any other time; they are making tremendous contributions and have many skills. Second, they are seen more than ever as the critical custodian of corporate governance and risk management and third, in-house lawyers are moving out of law into management, making them into more rounded business managers and changing perceptions. The latter is more so in the US but it’s starting to happen in Europe. Furthermore, the talent pool of in-house lawyers is stronger and more diverse with different perspectives and views. I strongly believe that the more diverse the team, the stronger and better rounded it is.
BLD: What do you think are the current challenges facing in-house lawyers?
DM: There are lots of challenges. We have to figure out the future model, particularly where we add the most value for our internal customers. There is the pressure – pressures of work, doing more with less, general management and budgetary pressure, and we need to focus. There is also the relationship with the external lawyers we use. An in-house lawyer is only as good as the external lawyer used, as it is not just about providing a service and billing, but partnering. By partnering, I mean sharing risks on ideas and innovation, looking at our role and what our internal customers want and delivering what our customers want and need. Also supporting each other on our respective learning curves, that is our training and development by jointly shaping and delivering innovative programmes. I am also in favour of reverse secondments, whereby the in-house lawyer works at the external firm.
BLD: When compiling/choosing/reviewing your panel of external legal advisers, do you also look at their diversity records, amongst your other criteria?
DM: No, not in a formal way but diversity is important for us. Our advisers reflect our values and have always come to us with diverse teams. Our own global team is very diverse in every sense. For me diversity is your approach, how you reflect this day-to-day in who you work with and how you conduct yourself, not just a tick box exercise. I could not work with anyone, including a team of external legal advisers, who do not have a philosophical commitment to diversity. I believe that diversity in a legal team – internally (us) and externally (the external advisers) – makes for a stronger and more effective team.
BLD: How do you juggle work, family life etc?
DM: Through discipline at work. I am not sure I have many strengths, but organisation is one.
BLD: What are you most passionate/happiest about?
DM: My family. I am nowhere without my family.
BLD: What are your dislikes?
DM: Getting bored. I love challenges.
BLD: Tell us your professional high point(s).
DM: I have been lucky and have had a few. Every job has been a challenge and a stretch, but I think the real highs are the people I work with.
BLD: What was the most famous/interesting case(s) you have handled to date?
DM: In the last three years, probably the Becks deal in the UK. I really enjoyed bringing together the different people, the negotiations and being part of the team that made it happen.
BLD: Any professional regrets?
DM: None at all.
BLD: If you could rule the world for a day what would you change/do?
DM: I would create a “no-moaning day”. I can’t stand moaning or cynicism.
BLD: Please tell us about your family life.
DM: I am married with a baby girl. It is just the best.