In today’s competitive business environment, where organizations are grappling to thrive and to keep pace with the evolving legal and regulatory landscape, many leaders are establishing agile and transformational leadership. Recently Women Entrepreneur magazine interviewed Arpita Duarah, Legal Head, ADM India, where she detailed about her life and leadership career. Arpita is a leader having expertise in Corporate Laws, IPR, Dispute Resolutions, M&A, JVs, Employment & Labour Laws and Food Laws. Like many other women leaders of today, she has carved a niche for herself in a predominantly male-dominated profession.

Take us through your early educational journey and the prior industry experience.

For me, life has been the biggest educator. I have learned the most valuable lessons and skills from my various life experiences and by observing and interacting with the people around me. I grew up in a progressive family where I was encouraged to be independent and self-reliant from an early age. While growing up, the sky was the limit for me.

After school, I went on to do my Graduation in Economics. Thereafter, I pursued LLB from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi. I am the first and only lawyer in my family, so in the professional sphere there was no torchbearer for me. During the first few years, I practiced law before various courts in Delhi. In 2008, I joined Hindustan Coca-Cola as an in-house counsel and this initiated me into the corporate domain. In 2013, I joined Carrier Midea India, which is a leading manufacturer of air-conditioners in India. This role broadened my professional horizon further and laid a strong foundation for my leadership journey.

Introduce us to ADM. What are the different responsibilities you shoulder as the Legal Head of ADM?

Archer-Daniels Midland Company or ADM, is a US MNC headquartered in Chicago. It is a food processing and commodity trading company. It has presence in around 33 countries including India and connects crops to markets on 6 continents. In India, ADM has a diverse business portfolio including oilseeds, human nutrition, animal nutrition, and commodity trading.

As the legal head of the company in India, my primary responsibility is to protect the interests of the company and to give correct and pragmatic advice to the management. My role also includes overall legal compliance, general corporate work, filing and defending cases, client interaction, advisory, building and maintaining processes and relations with various teams, interacting with and advising overseas colleagues etc.

Throw some light on the most critical challenges you encounter as a legal professional. How do you overcome them?

As an in-house counsel, I have to balance many interests. Sometimes there are no black and white answers to a problem and I have to tread the delicate middle path to find the best possible solution. The judicial delays, leading to lengthy court proceedings and business uncertainties are also a significant challenge. It is rightly said ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’. Getting a good lawyer or a law firm in non-metro city, having the right expertise, professionalism, and mindset is also challenging. These coupled with administrative red-tapism, obscure laws, and the complex and fluid regulatory framework also makes the role hugely challenging.

"If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path"

Tell us about the important milestones of your professional journey. What has been your success mantra?

My decision to join the legal profession and getting a law degree was the first and most empowering milestone of my life. Gaining legal knowledge has enabled me to make informed choices in my life and has evolved my thinking forever. Landing my first corporate job in 2008 was another significant milestone in my professional journey. Transitioning from litigation to corporate was a significant decision, and it opened up a whole new area of interest and redirected my career on a new path. Continuous learning and upskilling have enabled me to transition to different roles and responsibilities effectively. During the 19 years of my career, I have navigated successfully between different practice areas, different industries, and different businesses seamlessly.

As a leader, my success mantra has been to reinvent myself continuously and be on top of the game by continuous learning. I am also extremely conscious of the commitments I make to others and always endeavour to live up to them.

What is your take on the current state of women’s representation in the Indian legal landscape? How do you foresee the scenario evolving going forward?

Earlier, Law was not considered a suitable and lucrative profession for women due to various reasons. But today with declining societal biases and prejudices against women lawyers, advent of corporate jobs, better pay packages and a considerably better work-life balance, many women are getting encouraged to join the profession. Today many law firms and legal departments in top corporations, have women at the helm of affairs. But having said that, the actual representation of women in this profession is still not at par. I have encountered many women who even after getting their law degree have not joined the profession or have quit the profession due to adverse circumstances. But with the changing economic landscape of the country there is an acute need for expert and dynamic legal professionals in every sector. I am hopeful that younger generation women would seize this opportunity and come forward to fill the void.

What advice will you give to aspiring women leaders/entrepreneurs?

I would like them to know that there is no shortcut to success. So never shy away from hard work ever. Sometimes the results may not be immediately discernible, but persevere in the face of challenges and roadblocks.

Arpita Duarah, Legal Head, ADM, India

Having a graduate degree in Economics and pursued LLB from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, Arpita has expertise in multiple areas of Law and in her current role she gives legal and regulatory advise to the Management