Annabel brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role, having worked in the streaming industry for many years and at CLIQ for over 10 years. After her law degree, she started her career at Sony Music, which is how she ended up where she is today: our Head of Legal Affairs. Alongside her team, she is responsible for reviewing contracts, providing terms and conditions, disclaimers, and privacy policies for all our services, as well as ensuring CLIQ complies with the duties required of a stock-listed company.
We are excited to hear about her experience working in the streaming industry and the challenges of the legal landscape. Let’s start!
Hi Annabel! What did you want to become as a kid?
A writer, because I loved and still love reading. It calms my mind.
What is your biggest strength and what is your biggest weakness?
My biggest strengths are that I’m a rational thinker, that I like challenges and that I stay calm under pressure. My biggest weaknesses are that I can be stubborn and a little bit too direct sometimes.
What does a regular workday look like for you?
A regular workday for me starts with cycling to work. As I live in the north of Amsterdam, I have to take the ferry – my favourite part of the day. When I arrive at the office, I have my fruit bowl with yoghurt while I read and answer emails. Then, I plan my day and prepare all meetings for the day ahead. My first meeting is usually a one-on-one meeting with a team member, and then I have some quick catch-ups or meetings with colleagues from other departments.
During lunch, I usually try to get some fresh air while grabbing a salad. I don’t like to have too many meetings in a day, so every afternoon I block some hours in my agenda to give myself the chance to either work without interruption or to catch up with my team. These daily routines help and enable me to keep a good overview of everything that is going on.
At the end of every workday, I cycle home again and have a few minutes to myself on the ferry to think and reflect on the day.
What was the biggest challenge you have overcome so far?
In general, I think it is always challenging to be a woman in a predominantly male environment. However, at CLIQ I’m very happy that our leadership makes inclusivity and diversity a top priority.
How do you define success?
Being able to make a living out of doing something you love, while also being happy in your personal life.
What is the biggest prejudice against the legal department that is not true?
That we always say no and delay things. But the opposite is true: we’re here to support you and make your life easier and help you avoid problems further down the road. I always try to explain to colleagues that the earlier they involve legal, the better we can help.
When was the last time you changed your mind about something important?
Yesterday – I try to keep an open mind as I think that is one of the fundamentals of working at CLIQ.
What makes you truly happy?
A glass of rosé in the sun with loved ones.
Describe how you envision a regular Monday in 5 years.
Hopefully still doing something I love!
What’s your personal favourite content on CLIQ at the moment?
The Blacknut cloud gaming section is really nice!