Ilse De Loof
GROUP GENERAL COUNSEL
LBC TANK TERMINALS GROUP
MECHELEN, BELGIUM
06.45
I get up and try to wake up my three teenage boys. The number of attempts required increases with their age. Once the boys are awake, the house sounds like a dance festival. The first negotiation of the day starts: lower volume and only one playlist at a time!
07.15
LBC Tank Terminals Group has operations in Asia, Europe and the United States, so I check my email to see if any urgent matters have commuted to Belgium overnight.
07.30
During the boys' breakfast I finish up last minute off-to-school activities: lunch money, document signatures and other things they did not think about the evening before.
08.00
The dust settles. The boys leave the house and I can finally take a shower, get dressed and "put the war paint on."
08.30
I listen to the news during my drive to work. Depending on my mood, I might switch to classical or electronic music.
09.00
Arrive at work, review emails and check in with my PA and the legal department to see if any priorities have changed. The day's plan resets if necessary (it usually does ... ).
09.30
While the workdays overlap, I have a short conference call with China/Singapore. The final version of an incorporation document of a wholly foreign owned entity is reviewed, and a first draft of a memorandum of understanding for a new joint venture in the PRC is prepared.
11.00
A cup of tea helps before my daily meeting with the Group CEO. We go over a couple of current matters and discuss the risks of a new investment opportunity in the Middle East.
12.00
Respond to a couple more emails and answer a "walk-in" question from our treasurer about one of the steps of an equity push down through several entities in Europe and the United States.
12.30
Eat a salad at my desk while checking the New York Times and De Tijd online as well as my personal mailbox.
13.00
Meeting with the European human resources manager. We review the strategy on a few individual employment and termination agreements in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal.
14.00
Prepare the agenda and plan for the upcoming Topco board meeting. Update the claims and litigation register for the audit committee and draft the legal section for the board report.
15.30
Have a meeting with my legal counsel to review a liability issue in a storage agreement from a core customer in France. Answer her questions on preferred approach in outstanding files.
16.10
My youngest son calls to say that his brothers all biked home safely. He reminds me to not forget to pick him up from his dancing class this evening.
16.15
A conference call with a US outside counsel regarding the progress on an easement agreement for a pipeline in Houston. We also discuss a few clauses in a construction agreement for a new dock we are building.
17.00
Join the weekly Group Executive Leadership Team meeting between Europe and the United States via webcast.
18.00
Update my to-do list for tomorrow and get those last few emails answered before I leave the office for the day.
18.30
I drive home and pick up my youngest son from his hip-hop class. Mission completed.
19.15
We all arrive home at about the same time. The two older brothers just returned from hockey practice. I manage a family dinner with my partner and sons while we catch up on the adventures of the day.
20.30
Take a last glance at the email to see if anything has come in from the United States that needs attention in "their today." Respond to a couple of emails to allow my colleagues to be productive first thing tomorrow in Asia.
21.00
Sit down and have a glass of wine with my partner. We watch an episode of Breaking Bad and check our personal emails.
23.00
Off to bed to be fully rested for another "day in the life" tomorrow.
