‘The Real Challenge Is Managing Risk at the Speed of Innovation’: Expereo GC Sujata Kukreja

Why It Matters

The piece illustrates how modern in‑house legal functions are transforming into strategic growth partners, a model essential for tech firms facing rapid AI, data‑privacy and ESG challenges.

Key Takeaways

• T‑shaped legal team balances generalist coverage with specialist expertise
• AI tools target 30% of routine work, freeing lawyers for strategy
• Goal to reduce lead‑to‑cash time by 20% through legal integration
• ESG manager added under GC to drive sustainability and social strategy

Pulse Analysis

In‑house legal departments are no longer back‑office cost centers; they are now central to a company’s ability to innovate at pace. Expereo’s approach, led by GC Sujata Kukreja, showcases a T‑shaped structure that maximizes coverage with a small headcount, leveraging time‑zone advantages from Amsterdam and London. By aligning legal priorities with corporate goals—network‑as‑a‑service expansion, digital transformation, and EBITDA growth—the function becomes a trusted advisor to the CEO and board, ensuring risk is managed before it materializes.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping routine legal work, and Expereo is at the forefront of that shift. Deploying AI to draft NDAs, populate RFP responses and field basic compliance queries frees up roughly a third of the team’s capacity for higher‑value activities such as contract negotiation and product‑development oversight. This efficiency drive dovetails with a concrete metric: a 20% reduction in the lead‑to‑cash cycle, demonstrating how legal automation can directly boost revenue streams. Simultaneously, the creation of an ESG manager under the GC signals a broader integration of sustainability into corporate risk frameworks, reflecting investor and regulator expectations.

The interview also underscores how the GC role varies by geography yet converges on strategic risk stewardship. In Southeast Asia, the focus is on cross‑border expansion; Europe demands board‑level governance and GDPR compliance; the Americas prioritize commercial strategy and M&A. As regulatory landscapes evolve—particularly around AI policy and data sovereignty—general counsel must adopt a proactive, cross‑functional stance, embedding legal insight at the inception of product and market initiatives. Companies that emulate Expereo’s model will likely navigate the regulatory maelstrom more resiliently while unlocking new growth opportunities.