As Vice President and Senior Counsel, Development and Real Estate EMEA at Hilton, I am responsible for the legal aspects of Hilton’s development pipeline, the asset management of hotels and all real estate assets and interests (including joint ventures) within the region. I lead a team of ten and report directly to the SVP & Assistant General Counsel. I am also part of the three strong Watford office leadership team. I am a highly experienced commercial and real estate lawyer. I spent thirteen years at leading international and national law firms and have gained deep hospitality industry experience at Hilton. I have worked on management, franchise, time share and lease contracts across EMEA including a wide range of retention issues linked to such contracts. I have also advised on a variety of commercial contracts and operational issues including intellectual property, data protection and employment matters, managed disputes including a number of high profile litigation matters, developed legal and business precedents, trained the business on legal issues, managed outside counsel and led strategic legal team initiatives. I have advised on a broad range of commercial property transactions, including numerous hotel acquisitions and disposals, the sale and acquisition of large property portfolios, the acquisition of sites for development and their funding, the sale, acquisition and leasing of property for corporate and retail occupiers and institutional investors (including cross-border transactions) and property management.