Filip Lahaye

 

After completing his law studies at UGent, Filip Lahaye joined the law firm Stibbe in Brussels in 2007, where he gained valuable experience thanks to the expertise of his colleagues and the diverse and complex cases. In 2016, he decided to leave the legal profession due to limited opportunities for advancement and a desire to be involved in a specific project for the long term, leading to his transition to a role as in-house counsel at Otary, a wind energy company in the North Sea.

 

 

After completing my law studies at UGent, I started working at the Brussels based law firm Stibbe in 2007 (public law practice group). The following years proved to be an excellent learning experience for my future career. Two important ingredients were decisive. On the one hand, the people I closely collaborated with; each of them experts in their field, combining a strong theoretical legal knowledge with a critical and pragmatic outlook, and above all, very down to earth and grounded in life. On the other hand, the complexity and especially the enormous diversity of the cases I encountered (even after many years, it still occurred that a new issue landed on my desk leaving me ‘puzzled’ where to start). Especially the latter provided me - much more than a thorough knowledge of specific legal matters - with agility, flexibility, and problem-solving skills, strengths that continue to serve me well each and every day.

 

In 2016, I was ready for a new challenge. On the one hand, there was the realization that within a business law firm with a traditional pyramid structure, the 'top' layer becomes saturated relatively quickly, limiting career opportunities. A more significant motivator to exchange the job as a lawyer for something different, however, was the fact that I felt that - in my role as a lawyer – I often only worked briefly with certain clients, in the context of very specific cases or issues, and I looked forward to contributing to a particular project/company in the long term, getting to know all aspects of that project thoroughly. So when I was asked whether I was interested in a position as in-house counsel at a company on its way to build wind turbines in our North Sea, the choice was quickly made.

 

 

During the discussions preceding my start at Otary, what particularly appealed to me was the team’s enthusiasm and drive. And the promise of a 'wild rollercoaster ride’, which has certainly lived up to all expectations.

 

Over the past years, I was able to witness the company through various stages, each with its own particular dynamics. Initial phases of project development and preparation (raising financing, permitting and subsidy processes, negotiating a multitude of contracts with contractors and numerous other stakeholders) alternated with intensive monitoring of the fabrication of wind turbine components across locations in Belgium and Europe, and eventually the actual offshore construction, followed by the transition to an operation & maintenance organization. When I joined Otary in 2016, the ink on the contracts for the construction of our first wind farm was barely dry; less than 5 years later 100 wind turbines spread over 3 concession areas were injecting green energy into the Belgian electricity grid.

 

Each phase comes with its own specific challenges in my role as in-house counsel. Leading to an interesting mix of tasks and responsibilities. In addition to being the point of contact for typical legal and compliance matters, I also manage our insurance portfolio, assist internal teams in contractual discussions often with a commercial dimension or sometimes very technical approach; I am also involved in matters relating to financing, subsidies, permits, etc.

 

During certain project phases, additional legal support was brought in, but apart from that, the legal function within Otary is mostly filled as a solo legal counsel. It goes without saying that there are rarely 'quiet' moments. When I started at Otary, many processes were still in their developmental phase, and a good dose of common sense and 'gut feeling' often proved to be the best guide to address certain matters and optimize processes. Additionally, I am fortunate to be able to rely on a team of highly committed colleagues who are well-equipped to independently manage certain risks and at the same time have the reflex to seek assistance when necessary.

 

 

A 'typical' workday usually ends with me realizing that I got only halfway through my day's to do list, due to various unexpected matters that have arisen. However, it is precisely this diversity and constant variation that makes most workdays so fascinating.

 

The workweek is generally a combination of remote and office work, virtual and physical meetings, both with internal colleagues (financial, commercial, data analysis, planning, technical specialists) and various external contacts (contractors, insurers, financiers, port and other authorities, etc.).

 

Whenever the day’s schedule allows, I’ll try to go for a run alongside the beach over lunchtime, together with some colleagues, before diving back in.

 

A few years ago, I also had the opportunity to participate in an offshore 'Basic Safety Training' (a combination of climbing training, first aid, sea survival techniques, basic firefighting, etc.) and since then I have accompanied our technical offshore teams on several occasions to participate in e.g. inspections on wind turbines or transformer stations. The experience of feeling the wind turbine 'sway' in the wind, whilst being more than 100 meters above the water surface in the middle of the sea, and being able to witness numerous technical details from the 'front row' (some of which were the cause of ingenious contract provisions or subject to dificult cost discussions), makes what I do in my job all the more 'tangible', providing me with important additional insights and, above all, loads of enthusiasm to continue to fully engage.

 

 

Otary develops, finances, builds, and operates offshore wind farms. Otary is a Belgian company with shareholders with a strong local presence, who are active in the field of renewable energy. Certain shareholders mainly take financial participations, others develop themselves various activities in renewable energy (either as marine works contractors or as developers and owners of onshore wind projects) and in that capacity also bring a certain technical expertise to the table.

 

Otary has around 65 employees and is located on the East Bank in the port of Ostend, near the lighthouse. So the sea is literally at our feet. From there, it's just over an hour's sail to the wind farms. Today, Otary is responsible for the operation of the offshore wind farms Rentel, Seastar and Mermaid. Otary is the majority shareholder in 2 separate project companies, Rentel NV and SeaMade NV, which hold the relevant domain concession and permit rights to build and operate the wind farms and on whose behalf various agreements for the initial construction and service and maintenance are concluded.

 

 

Given the (rightful) global attention to the climate issue and the accelerated transition to renewable energy, there is undoubtedly still a lot of work ahead for companies and professionals active in the renewable sector. The current 9 Belgian offshore wind farms account for approximately 2.2 gigawatts of production capacity, and by 2030 the current capacity of offshore wind power will need to triple to around 6 gigawatts, through the construction of 3 new wind farms in the Prinses Elisabeth zone. There is definitely a clear ambition to contribute to that.

 

A personal challenge within that broader context is to continue to strive for even greater efficiency, in various aspects of the support to various stakeholders within the company. Every gain in that respect – be it small or large – is certainly welcome as a solo legal counsel within the organization. As part of that, I see a potential for growth in our legal team in the foreseeable future, opening up opportunities for someone with equal ambition to contribute to the energy transition.

 

 

In addition to a busy and interesting work schedule, I absolutely try to maintain a healthy work-life balance, something which Otary is also very supportive in towards its employees. I like to spend my free time on a (moderate) dose of sports, a good glass of wine together with friends, and together with my family I mostly enjoy setting out with our converted camper van, seeking out a tranquil spot in nature, as often as we can.