"Covid19 has changed the way we all do our work and business but there is no substitute for human interaction". Abhijit Mukhopadhyay, President (Legal) and General Counsel, Hinduja Group, Lon

Mr Mukhopadhyay, would you please take us down the memory lane. What motivated you to pursue law as a career? Tell us about your education and life in India before moving to work with the Hinduja Group in London. 

I have done my B.Com (Honours), LL.B  and Company Secretaryship (CS) in India. I have also done my Law and Chartered Secretaryship from the U.K. I am a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators, U.K. (FICS) and a Fellow of The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (FCS). 

I chose the profession of law and Company Secretaryship because I thought these professions would grow in future. It was a sheer intuition.  

In India, I had worked in eight companies in Calcutta, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi. These companies belong to the public, private and joint sectors as also in the multinational category. Some of them are Gestetner (India) Limited, HMT Limited, Indian Aluminium Company Limited, Dunlop India Limited, Maruti Suzuki Limited and Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited. There I occupied the positions of Director (Legal & Secretarial), Chief General Manager & Company Secretary, Vice President (Legal) & Company Secretary and Chief Legal Officer & Company Secretary (all positions just below the Board level). I had also been non-executive directors of several companies. 

Thereafter I was contacted by the Hinduja Group who gave me an opportunity to join their global headquarters in London and I joined there around 19 years back. Since then I am based in London. 

What are the challenges of managing a promoter-driven global group like Hinduja? What does a day at work as Group general counsel of a global company look like? What are your roles and responsibilities? 

My role is very challenging. Our Hinduja Group is a multi-billion dollar global Group with 150,000 people working in more than 50 countries and we have eleven business verticals almost all are in the core sectors. As GC sitting in the global headquarters in London, I am in the decision making position which calls for extensive interaction with the Group companies around the world. Since my reporting is direct to the promoter family, my role and advice both to the Group companies and the promoter family become very critical. I am on the Boards of several companies in seven countries. My role also demands extensive international travelling.  

Who have been your mentors and role models in the legal industry? Who are the people that have helped you in shaping up your illustrious global legal career? 

Since I have worked in many companies and fortunately always reporting to the Chairmen and Managing Directors, I was fortunate enough to work under the guidance of some of the best-known industry leaders in India and abroad.  Working in a promoter-driven multinational Group (my current employer) has given me an opportunity to learn and mould my thoughts more towards business than remain a typical legal professional!

Sir, you have a background as a company secretary. What are the unique legal, non-legal, governance and compliance risks involved in managing a large global group? 

It is very challenging especially if your businesses operate globally. In our Group, it is critical because the reputation of the Group and promoter are involved. We have certain ethical standards that we follow which were propounded by the founder of the Group more than 105 years back. We take global compliance and corporate governance very seriously and have definitive policies to follow. 

What changes do you see in the functioning of corporate legal departments in the UK and India? How crucial it is gain an understanding of multiple legal systems for an In house lawyer today? 

Of late India has of late become integrated with the globalized world. However, that was not the case 30 / 35 years back. From a service department typically looking after the legal and secretarial work, the function has become more commercially savvy. India is also no exception. However, in terms of professionalism, I still rank the UK several notches over India because of a variety of factors. Be that as it may, Indian companies are also catching up fast. 

How has your company responded to a global pandemic? Did you face any operational difficulties? Since business travel got a little restricted how challenging it was to coordinate with external counsels and other stakeholders globally? 

Covid19 has changed the way we all do our work and business. We are forced to become technology savvy. We have realised that working from home is not fun but very taxing/demanding! However, at the end of the day, there is no substitute for human interaction. If it does not happen, then the business is bound to suffer. Degree of suffering depends upon the industry sector. 

What do in house legal departments of the future look like? From LMS to document management systems. Is there a tech toolkit every company can adopt? 

In brief, the future legal department needs to be technology-driven, small, located in several jurisdictions and most importantly need to deliver value-added and result-oriented services to the operating businesses. Sir, you have a background as a company secretary. What are the unique legal, non-legal, governance and compliance risks involved in managing a large global group? 

It is very challenging especially if your businesses operate globally. In our Group, it is critical because the reputation of the Group and promoter are involved. We have certain ethical standards that we follow which were propounded by the Founder of the Group more than 105 years back. We take global compliance and corporate governance very seriously and have definitive policies to follow. 

What are the biggest challenges for lawyers in the coming 5 years?  Do you see more T shaped lawyers in the future? 

We are witnessing a change in the legal profession. Lawyers need to be more business-oriented and tech-savvy. The world economic forum’s report on reskilling revolution emphasizes the critical and widespread need to reskill and upskill.

In short, the answer is the in-house or external lawyers need to be commercial-minded and business savvy. They should understand the commercial necessities and advice accordingly keeping in view the compliance regime. 

What lifestyle changes have Covid 19 brought for you? Are you enjoying the new normal? Do you still find time to follow your hobbies and creative pursuits? Any book, movie or work of Art that has had a profound influence in your life? 

In short, the answer is ‘yes’. I have huge external activities. I am in the Law Faculty of QM University of London’s Advisory Council shaping up its postgraduate and doctoral studies in Law, an executive committee member of CII UK’s IBF, secretary to the Corporate Counsel Forum of the International Bar Association as also ICC’s Arbitration Commission Member. (I was their global Vice-Chairman until recently) I speak in many international seminars across the world and write articles in global magazines and am on the Editorial Board of an international magazine. Now that I can not travel globally, I speak in many webinars, give interviews, write articles and interact with legal professionals. So I am quite busy and these are all in addition to my high-pressured job as GC! 

What will be your message for aspiring and future lawyers? What qualities would you like to see in upcoming lawyers? What will be your golden advice for Indian lawyers looking for global career opportunities? 

Improve your knowledge every day, learn how to motivate others and be motivated, become commercial-minded and problem solver, be articulate in your expression and develop clear thought process as also learn the art of getting well with others. Above all, be a good human being since this is what life is all about! 

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