For Madan Mohan K R―Director of Legal & Compliance and Member of the Executive Board, Air Liquide Global E&C Solutions India―the world was never a place of happy accidents; it was a vast, intricate machine governed by an invisible framework. His interest in the legal field was not merely professional. It was deeply rooted and exploratory. He noticed that the majority of individuals view the law as something that only exists in a courtroom during a trial. They do not recognize the fact that the law is ingrained in our day-to-day affairs. Everything from a simple transaction to a complicated engineering operation is based upon a rule, statute, or process being in effect.
His initial inspiration came from seeing the devastation that ensued when this framework was disregarded. People would ‘end up in trouble’ simply by neglecting these essential compliances. Madan saw not a tedious field, but a high-stakes battleground. He found tremendous opportunities and challenges in the realm of Corporate Legal Matters and knew he had to venture into this field to stop the self-inflicted sabotage.
Forging the Business Enabler
Madan’s success was predicated on a one-word doctrine. It was simply, ‘Passion.’ He understood that no individual or anything was perfect; however, achieving success required continuous work toward the pursuit of being perfect. The one challenge—i.e., the ‘trick’—was making the business reality and technical understanding work legally. He knew this road would be full of difficulties and criticism, as lawyers are often seen as obstacles rather than accelerators.
His most intense education began here. It took him a couple of years to acquire the necessary business acumen, a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application that is typically not the cup of tea for many lawyers. He had to learn the rhythm of engineering, the language of the commercials and financial statements, and the techno-commercial feasibility of projects within the organization he belongs to . His ultimate target was clear: becoming a Business Enabler. This status, he knew, was the only way to earn a seat at the highest table.
The Irrefutable Blend
The moment of truth arrived during a high-stakes, multi-million-dollar EPC Contract negotiation at international level. The deal—critical for growth and expansion. The business team was locked in a stalemate, and the standard legal advice was to pull the plug, citing unmitigable risk. Madan stepped in, not with a standard legal defense, but with a blend of legal and business needs that was technically and commercially irrefutable.
He didn’t just identify the risk; he proposed a legally compliant, strategically innovative solution that solved the business problem while preserving the deal’s value. He found the precise adjustment, the perfect clause, that made the aggressive commercial reality work legally. The skepticism and critique he experienced previously dissipated, and was replaced with tacit recognition of his contributions. The verdict was clear: the contract was signed, his value was confirmed, and the target was achieved. At the end of several such instances in different organizations and levels, Madan could secure a position on the Executive Board, one of the highest distinctions a lawyer could achieve, adapting the Business Enabler approach had changed the course both for himself and the organization.
The Strategic Edge of Compliance
For Madan, the world was a high-stakes battlefield where a company’s credibility and credit rating hinged entirely on compliance. He firmly positioned the Legal Department not as a bureaucratic obstacle, but as a strategic lever, emphasizing that ethics and compliance must take the lead. His mantra was to steer the organization from uncertainty to certainty, a goal that demanded a blend of business orientation—managing return on income and risk—while maintaining an unwavering commitment to integrity. Clients were not just demanding; they were dictating the pace. Madan knew that an approach ‘beyond the industry trends is a must,’ requiring him to experiment and take risks to find legally and commercially viable and acceptable solutions. In the face of ever-tougher cost competitiveness, cutting-edge solutions removing waste in the process became unavoidable.
The Legal Department as a Profit Centre
Madan fundamentally rejected the outdated notion of the Legal Department as a mere support function and expense centre. Under his leadership, it was transformed into a Profit Centre. The Key Result Areas (KRAs) were explicitly set to make the team’s contributions measurable in terms of money, time and operating cost under the cricketing philosophy: ‘every run saved is a run gained.’ By finding ways to minimize cost and financial outflow, the team could contribute directly to enhance the company’s bottom line. His leadership style was one of practice, not just preaching. He believed that while differences of opinion are healthy, once a decision is made, working ‘as a team towards achieving that option is sine qua non.’ He held that the Customer is King, and because the organization depended on the customer, their satisfaction became the team’s ultimate satisfaction. This active, practicing application of principles was the only way a General Counsel could earn and maintain their place on the Executive Board.
Navigating Geopolitical Crisis
Madan defined real success as ‘doing things right in the face of an unexpected and unforeseeable event.’ His most transformative experience came during a geopolitical crisis that felt like an ambush. Sharing one of his best experiences in his professional life was that the company he was working for was executing a major project in a foreign country when it was suddenly hit by severe embargoes and sanctions from multiple international bodies. The entire system froze. The banking channel got frozen, sub-suppliers demanded payment, and the customer could not pay. Madan’s team was plunged into chaos. They had to ensure no violation of the sanction principles while simultaneously dealing with sub-suppliers who ‘don’t care what happened to your investment.’ He personally took charge, leading the legal gymnastics: interpreting the obscure sanction conditions, identifying restricted goods, and support in pursuing with bankers to perform the required financial transactions legally. His objective was clear: minimize the exposure and mitigate the risk to achieve an amicable settlement. In this moment of intense financial and political pressure, the Legal Team proved its pivotal role, taking legally valid and acceptable actions that salvaged the situation—a feat of legal excellence he remains proud of.
The Digital and Ethical Foundation
To manage this complexity and meet client expectations in the digital age, Madan championed technological integration. He recognized that technology was pivotal for enhancing efficiency, cost reduction, and informed decision-making. His team leveraged automation for standard document review, contract cycle management, and license renewals. Furthermore, technology became vital for conducting robust due diligence, checking for anti-trust status, anti-bribery issues, and human rights compliance among stakeholders.
This technological drive was seamlessly coupled with a strong focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors. Madan understood that poor legal governance and ethical standards put a company’s sustainability in question, regardless of its business performance. His team promoted ESG by creating awareness, setting up compliance measures like vendor approval mechanisms, and even exploring incentives for stakeholders to maintain high standards. Through this rigorous integration of legal wisdom, technological efficiency, and ethical compliance, Madan ensures the organization he works is positioned not just to compete, but to lead.
Jurisprudence in the Digital Age
Madan fully embraces the reality that digital and virtual advancements now drive legal practice. He asserts that in this digital world, the Legal Department’s services must be fully aligned to meet challenges like digital evidence, cybercrimes, and data privacy. This necessitates having specialized lawyers, supported by the right tools and technology. For any organization, this means being able to troubleshoot and resolve issues regardless of the global location, a critical capability supported by appropriate digital tools.
The Evolution of Gender Diversity
Addressing the topic of gender equality, Madan acknowledges the existing gender diversity gap in the Indian legal sector. He points out that the profession demands traits like tenacity, long hours of working, and a strong mindset. While the legal field attracts women, their participation has historically lagged. However, he sees the tide turning. Initiatives like the Women’s Reservation Bill and the ‘work from anywhere’ concept in the corporate sector are significantly reducing the gap, particularly in multinational companies where maintaining diversity is often a KRA for managers. He anticipates this trend will continue to improve.
Advice for the Next Generation
For young aspirants, Madan’s advice is direct: a successful corporate lawyer must have as much commercial acumen as they know the law. He notes that the legal industry is undergoing significant growth, driven by litigation and the demands of the corporate sector for enhanced ethical and compliance processes, especially around ESG norms. This strengthening of legal teams means the need for skilled lawyers will only increase, assuring significant growth for those who enter the field prepared to connect the law directly to business strategy.
A Vision of Ethical Excellence
Madan Mohan’s future vision for the Indian legal landscape is one where ethical behavior and compliance are the uncompromisable norm. He recognizes the current shortcomings in the pace of justice delivery, which sometimes leads to a lack of respect for the profession. However, he believes the best brains will increasingly be drawn to law as the industry modernizes. His personal commitment remains the same: to continuously upscale the Legal Team to ensure they can not only advise the management but insist they follow the route of ethics and fairness. He concludes that while it won’t be easy, ethical compliance is the only viable option left for sustainable business going forward.
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