Front row L -R: Bailey (Lydia's black lab), Lydia Wallis, Ben Sullivan, Atlas (Ben's goldie), Sonja Begley.
Absent: Anna Burt (away) and Luke Robertson (based in London)
Could you provide a brief overview of your team and the role you play within Les Mills International?
The team of nine supports the day-to-day operations of our global business, assisting and advising market teams across the world as well as managing relationships with an international network of distributors, licensees, contractors, customers and stakeholders. In addition to providing general commercial legal advice and support, our team offers specialist legal expertise in music licensing, governance, privacy and intellectual property. Our goal? Helping LMI achieve its mission of creating a fitter planet, bringing innovative science-based fitness experiences to over 6 million people weekly in 100+ countries.
In-house legal are known to 'put out fires before they begin'. How does an in-house team mitigate and foresee risk before it arises?
LMI is an ambitious business that moves at pace – we sometimes describe ourselves as a 50-year-old startup. So, it’s important the team embraces an agile and enabling mindset alongside the typical risk-oriented way of thinking lawyers are conditioned to. We try to do this by asking questions, participating in the right conversations early on, seeking to understand the ‘why?’ and considering the ‘how?’. Sometimes fires are inevitable but an effective legal team can ensure the business is informed, equipped and ready to douse the flames.
What strategies do you use to demonstrate the value of the legal team's work to other departments and senior leadership?
Internal profile and relationship building are key strategies we focus on. The team boasts an impressive specialist legal skillset, covering music, film and media production, talent management, intellectual property, insurance, governance, privacy and technology to name just a few! We believe it’s vital that the business knows who to turn to for the right support and when. We position ourselves as business partners delivering commercial and pragmatic advice to our teammates. We also like to have a laugh which means we are a fun team to be around.
What challenges are on the horizon for the team, and how is your team preparing to meet them?
As a team of NZ lawyers based in NZ, we’re in a unique position servicing a truly international company, having to navigate global industry, economic and market challenges alongside an ever-changing legal and regulatory landscape. Becoming a leading fitness brand means understanding consumer behaviour and how market conditions shape consumer behaviour.
The global economy is currently in a sticky spot and the legal team will play a crucial role supporting the business through future marketplace unpredictability. LMI also continues to lean heavily into its digital and technology-related innovation strategy. This means our team needs to stay up to date on legal issues pertaining to artificial intelligence, privacy, digital assets, IP, data protection, security etc. We have established internal working groups to help guide and inform the business on these issues. With our early-stage intervention, the business can effectively navigate an evolving (and in some cases unsettled) legal environment whilst maintaining its ambitious vision for the future of fitness.
Are there any innovations or technologies you have introduced or are planning to introduce soon?
We’re really proud of our relentless and spirited approach towards creating world-class fitness experiences. Whether it’s developing a suite of LES MILLS XR virtual reality games, launching mixed-reality meditation, trialing competitive live-tracking in cycle classes, hosting epic live fitness events around the world for thousands of Les Mills fans, designing cutting-edge fitness equipment, or even cultivating homegrown music artists to support our fitness content, we’re always exploring new and disruptive ways to revolutionise the fitness industry. In New Zealand, you only need to keep an eye on the timetable at your local Les Mills NZ gym to have a ‘first peek’ at what’s simmering in the Les Mills innovation laboratory!