Corinne Ong – CEO at Engie (GDF Suez – leading independent power company)
“If you have the opportunity to work in-house, take it”
1. How did you come to be the G-C at GDF Suez?
In 2004, a friend recommended that I apply for an in-house counsel position at International Power’s Australian business, an independent power producer that was expanding its operations in Australia. Within a year, I was promoted to General Counsel for the Australian business. In 2011, GDF SUEZ combined its international energy business with that of International Power and I was appointed as the General Counsel for the Australian business. The Australian and Asian regions of the business were merged in July 2013 and I was appointed as General Counsel for GDF SUEZ Energy Asia-Pacific.
2. The role of the General Counsel is diverse and multi-faceted. What have been the major challenges you have faced in this role?
The diversity and breadth in the role was what made the role exciting and interesting. Significant challenges that I have faced in my role include:
- Managing the introduction of the Clean Energy Act, a change in law risk that was potentially terminal for our brown coal business and at the same time managing the refinancing of over A$1.75 billion of project finance debt (total commercial value was just under A$3 billion);
- Managing legal and ethical issues in more than 12 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, which involved jurisdictions with different cultures, languages, laws and legal systems; and
- Developing a high performing legal team that is a trusted partner of the business and works across all areas of law (starting from a team of two in Australia and growing to fourteen across Asia-Pacific.
3. What are the challenges/benefits of working in a multinational company?
The main benefits are the diversity of opportunities and experiences that are available within the Group and the resources (both financial and non-financial) of the Group. Travel is also a benefit and allows you to meet different people and experience different environments. However, it can also be challenging as roles across regions can involve frequent travel and require coordinating work in different time zones.
4. What have some of your career highlights been?
Some of my career highlights include:
- My first year at International Power, where we acquired Edison Mission Energy’s international assets, started an electricity retail business in Victoria and negotiated an energy retail joint venture with EnergyAustralia (when it was still owned by the State of New South Wales);
- My role as General Counsel for Asia-Pacific, where I had the opportunity to work in many countries across the Asia-Pacific region;
- My recent transition to Head of Strategy, Business Development and Regulation, where I have the opportunity to develop new skills, experience different areas of the business from a different point of view and to challenge myself in different situations.
5. You have recently moved into a commercial role in the business. What is the role and how did you make the move?
My new role is as the Head of Strategy, Business Development and Regulation. In this role, I am responsible for the development and monitoring of the business’ strategic plan, the management of its business development and regulation activities. As General Counsel, I had the opportunity to be involved in many different areas of the business. It was vital in that role to understand these different areas to ensure that the legal advice provided was not only legally of a high standard but also strategically and commercially valuable to the business. This helped me gain an excellent understanding of the business as a whole, which allowed me to transition to my new role. Over the years, I have also built up my commercial, financial and management skills and have participated actively in the regional management team. I have shared my interest in the broader business with my managers, sponsors and mentors and these have helped open new opportunities for me.
6. What career advice would you give a young lawyer wanting to work in-house?
If you have the opportunity to work in-house, take it. In-house counsels are in a unique position to use their legal skills and their intimate knowledge of their company to add significant value to the company. The quality of work is potentially excellent. Make sure that you choose an in-house team that suits your personality and is in an area that you are interested in.
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