Susie is a qualified solicitor and former Group General Counsel with 45 years of global legal and commercial experience. As a FMCG specialist and innovative thought leader, Susie provides clarity, strategic oversight and independent judgement to multinational organisations that require measurable results through cross-border transformational change. As a result of long-standing networks, powerful communication skills and the ability to listen, Susie fosters trust and instils confidence across diverse stakeholder groups, guides C-suite leadership and mentors teams. She adds gravitas to critical negotiations, constructively challenges traditional thinking and analyses ways to improve performance against corporate goals and objectives. Susie’s executive career started in Sydney as a solicitor in private practice, before moving in-house in Sydney with The Coca-Cola Export Corporation, and then to Hong Kong as Division Legal Counsel and Company Secretary, focusing on growth opportunities and market penetration across Australasia and the Central Pacific. After several cross-sector projects, Susie relocated to the UK and joined CPC (UK) Ltd as Group Legal Counsel and Company Secretary where she optimised European M&A transactions, brand rights and delivered practical legal solutions that surpassed revenue targets. In 1996, Susie was approached by Guinness Plc to overhaul and embed consistent intellectual property frameworks, maximising global commercial leverage and protecting interests. In 1999, Susie transitioned to The Body Shop International Plc delivering strategic guidance and support to executive leadership. Initially headhunted for Group Intellectual Property Counsel, Susie quickly progressed to Group General Counsel and transformed the company into a highly organised and profitable organisation. Before retirement at the end of 2018, Susie led global teams, external service providers and £MM budgets across the legal and secretarial functions, as well as oversight of 45 subsidiaries in 70 countries. During her tenure, Susie created an efficient, people-centric culture that drove commerciality, built capabilities, ensured best-practice compliance and placed Legal at the heart of strategic decision making. Susie is an accomplished presenter at international events and has won several awards during her career, including a World Leaders International In-House Excellence Award for her work in Asia Pacific, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Law Society England and Wales Gazette, and Member of the Year award from the Association of Corporate Counsel. Today, Susie leverages her professional credentials in an advisory capacity and is currently exploring potential Non-Executive Director roles.