ntegrity, Allyship & Stepping Into the C-Suite: Katja Fenton on Leadership at Fugro

Season 8 of Lessons I Learned in Law continues in partnership with Wordsmith AI, the legal-AI platform built for in-house teams.

This week, Scott is joined by Katja Fenton, General Counsel and Executive Team Member at Fugro, the global geo-data company supporting safer infrastructure, offshore wind development, cleaner energy, and sustainable cities. Remarkably, Katja joined the conversation during her first 90 days, a pivotal moment when lessons feel sharpest, transitions feel largest, and instincts matter most.

Katja reflects on the early months of stepping into C-suite leadership while taking on responsibility for a global legal & compliance function of around 60 professionals across four regions. Her first lesson, integrity is trusting your gut, even when it’s uncomfortable, comes from a defining moment early in her career, when she turned down a high-profile international assignment because the work didn’t align with her values. She shares how that instinct has shaped her approach to ethics, leadership, and decision-making ever since.

Her second lesson explores the quiet but transformative power of allyship and sponsorship: the people who open doors for you when you’re not in the room. Katja discusses the individuals who have championed her career, from a sixth-form teacher who changed her university path, to leaders who offered opportunities at critical moments and why she now feels a responsibility to pay it forward.

Her final lesson reframes imposter syndrome as evidence of growth. From Dubai’s major construction projects to stepping into the executive team at Fugro, Katja describes how feeling out of depth has consistently signalled the start of her biggest periods of development.

Katja also speaks candidly about global mobility, returning to Europe after years in Asia, building diverse teams, raising three young children in the Netherlands, and the importance of curiosity as a core legal skill.

Guest Recommendations

The First 90 Days – A practical guide for transitions into new roles.
The Culture Map – Essential reading for navigating multicultural teams.
The Moth – True storytelling, live and unscripted.
Lessons I Learned in Law – Katja’s go-to podcast on her commute.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Wordsmith AI — visit https://wordsmith.ai/ to learn more.

About Heriot Brown:

Heriot Brown is a leading global recruitment business specialising in the in-house legal market. We help lawyers find fulfilment in their careers by matching them with exceptional in-house opportunities, while fostering a thriving community of legal professionals who share insights, experiences, and growth.

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