Monika Gupta, Legal Business Partner at Bayer Crop Science, shares her career journey from starting in company secretarial and governance roles to leading legal and compliance strategy across multinational operations. In this conversation, she reflects on her early experiences with leading organisations, the transition from governance to legal advisory, working across Asia and Africa, and the evolving role of in-house counsel as a strategic business partner in highly regulated industries.
This interview has been published by Anshi Mudgal and The SuperLawyer Team
What first inspired you to pursue a career in corporate law and company secretarial practice, and how did your early professional experiences shape that decision?
My journey into corporate law and governance began organically. I was inspired to pursue the Company Secretary qualification because my brother was studying for it at the time. Observing his progress sparked my curiosity about the profession, even though I did not fully understand where that path might eventually lead. In retrospect, that early inspiration quietly influenced my career trajectory.
After completing my company secretarial finals, I joined Tata Metaliks as a management trainee, where I gained exposure to the internal audit function. That experience provided valuable early insight into business processes and organisational operations beyond regulatory frameworks. My first manager, Mr. Arijit Roy, often reminded me that to succeed in this profession, one must understand the business first.
After spending approximately six years in governance and company secretary roles, I felt the need to deepen my understanding of the legal foundations underpinning my work and pursued law. That transition eventually led me into broader legal advisory roles and informed my development as a business-oriented lawyer who approaches law through the lens of governance, commercial realities, and strategic planning.
How can pursuing both Company Secretary and law qualifications benefit young lawyers, and how has this combination shaped your career?
Pursuing both Company Secretary and law qualifications provides a comprehensive understanding of how organisations function within legal and regulatory structures. Whilst legal training develops analytical thinking and statutory interpretation, the company secretary qualification offers practical insight into governance mechanisms, board processes, and regulatory compliance.
In my career, starting in the company secretary function gave me early exposure to governance and board-level decision-making. When I later pursued law, it enabled me to connect legal principles with the governance structures I had already been working within.
This combination has shaped my approach to legal advisory as one that goes beyond technical interpretation of law and focuses on how decisions are taken within organisations. It has also helped me evolve into a non-traditional, business-embedded lawyer, where the objective is not just to advise on legal positions, but to enable informed and balanced decision-making.
How did your early experience working with leading organizations shape your understanding of corporate governance and regulatory compliance?
My early experience with organisations such as the Tata Group and later Monsanto helped me understand governance beyond theory. At Tata, I was exposed to structured, process-driven ways of working, which reinforced the importance of discipline, consistency, and accountability in governance frameworks.
At Monsanto, the scale and global nature of operations added another dimension. I saw how governance and compliance frameworks need to operate across jurisdictions while remaining aligned to common standards.
These experiences demonstrated that governance extends beyond regulatory compliance to encompass building systems that enable responsible organisational conduct. It also requires close coordination between legal, business, and operational teams.
Over time, this reinforced my conviction that governance is most effective when embedded into business processes rather than functioning as a separate control layer.
What key moments during your transition from consulting to global corporations strengthened your expertise in governance and multinational compliance frameworks?
My consulting experience provided a valuable external perspective on governance and compliance. Working across different organisations allowed me to observe how companies approach regulatory challenges and risk management, often in a more structured and advisory-driven manner.
However, a key realisation during that phase was that whilst consulting offers breadth, the real impact of governance and legal functions is experienced within organisations, where legal professionals are closely involved in commercial decisions and operational realities. That insight was instrumental in my decision to return to global corporations.
Working within multinational environments then deepened my understanding considerably. I witnessed how governance and compliance mechanisms must operate across multiple jurisdictions, diverse regulatory expectations, and varying business contexts, whilst maintaining consistency.
That transition enabled me to move from observing governance structures to actively designing and implementing them, strengthening my ability to approach compliance not merely as a function, but as an integral component of business strategy.
Having worked across jurisdictions in Asia and Africa, how did cross-border governance responsibilities influence your approach to corporate legal strategy?
Working across jurisdictions in Asia and Africa highlighted the variation in regulatory maturity, enforcement approaches, and operating environments. It became evident that governance structures cannot always be applied uniformly, even when organisations adhere to global standards.
One of the key shifts in my approach was learning to apply judgement in navigating these differences; understanding where consistency is critical and where flexibility is necessary. In many situations, the challenge lies not in the law itself, but in how it is interpreted and applied across jurisdictions.
These experiences also underscored the importance of anticipating how regulatory developments, local market conditions, and evolving policies can influence strategic decisions.
Over time, this exposure cultivated my approach to corporate legal strategy as one that is practical, context-driven, and mindful of the trade-offs inherent in operating across diverse regulatory environments.
Looking back at your journey, which phase would you describe as the turning point that shaped your leadership in corporate legal functions?
A defining turning point was the transition from governance-focused roles in the company secretary function into broader legal responsibilities. My early years in governance provided a strong foundation in board processes, compliance structures, and regulatory oversight. Over time, I felt the need to deepen my understanding of the legal principles underpinning these decisions, which led me to pursue law and gradually move into legal advisory roles.
This transition was further accelerated during the Bayer–Monsanto merger, where I had the opportunity to assume a larger and more complex role. At that stage, my manager recognised both my interest and capability and encouraged me to take on a broader mandate.
The scale of the transaction and the challenges involved required a more integrated approach to governance, compliance, and legal strategy. It strengthened my ability to navigate complexity, exercise judgment, and operate with greater ownership, all of which have shaped my approach to leadership in corporate legal functions.
In your current role, what have been some of the most challenging matters you have dealt with, and what complexities arise whilst managing legal strategy in highly regulated sectors?
Working in highly regulated sectors often involves navigating matters where legal, regulatory, and reputational considerations are closely intertwined. Some of the more complex situations I have been involved in include supporting aspects of glyphosate defence, which has been subject to significant global scrutiny and evolving regulatory and litigation landscapes, as well as contributing to the divestment of the environmental science business.
The divestment, in particular, required integrated, end-to-end legal oversight across multiple workstreams—spanning entity structuring, regulatory licensing, contractual transitions, real estate considerations, and ultimately the transfer of the business as a going concern. It involved coordinating across jurisdictions and ensuring continuity while navigating regulatory and operational complexities.
Such matters are challenging not only because of their scale, but also due to the need to manage diverse stakeholder expectations, heightened scrutiny, and evolving external developments, all while maintaining consistency in legal approach.
In my experience, legal strategy in such environments is less about arriving at a definitive answer and more about exercising judgment, navigating trade-offs, and enabling outcomes that are legally robust and sustainable over time.
As a legal advisor to senior leadership, how do you see your role, and the broader role of corporate counsel, evolving in the coming years?
The role of in-house counsel has evolved significantly and today extends far beyond providing legal interpretation. Legal advisors are increasingly expected to contribute to strategic decision-making and help leadership navigate complex regulatory environments.
In my view, the seat at the leadership table is not automatic. It has to be earned through credibility, sound judgment, and a genuine understanding of how decisions are made. Business leaders are often looking for solutions, not simply legal positions.
Over time, as trust builds, the role of legal becomes more deeply embedded in decision-making. When boards and senior leaders begin asking, “Has this been aligned with legal?” before moving ahead, that is not hierarchy; it is credibility.
Equally important is understanding the external environment in which organisations operate. Geopolitical developments, regulatory shifts, and economic dynamics increasingly influence industries and business strategy, and legal advisors must help interpret these shifts in a meaningful way.
What advice would you offer to young lawyers aspiring to build leadership careers in corporate governance and compliance?
One of the most important things young lawyers should focus on is developing a mindset of continuous learning, even as they grow into more senior roles. The legal profession is constantly evolving and staying curious and open to new perspectives is essential.
I would also encourage young professionals to invest in leadership development beyond pure legal expertise. Understanding how organisations function, how decisions are made, and how different teams collaborate becomes increasingly important over time.
Equally valuable is gaining exposure to broader business and external environments. Factors such as industry dynamics, regulatory shifts, and geopolitical developments increasingly influence decision-making.
The role of technology, particularly AI, is also reshaping the profession. As routine tasks become automated, the value of lawyers will lie more in judgment, interpretation, and strategic thinking, making it important to remain adaptable and continuously upskill.
I would also encourage young lawyers to actively seek out mentors and learn from people around them. Some of the most important shifts in my own journey came from guidance and conversations that helped me see my role differently.
Ultimately, credibility in this profession is built over time through consistency, sound judgment, and the trust you earn from the people you advise.
Get in touch with Monika Gupta –
