Sonja Herzog

Executive Legal, Commercial & Risk Leader | Head of Legal | International EPC & Industrial Projects |

Graz, Styria, Austria

About

As Head of Legal of an international industrial group, I combine legal expertise with commercial, operational and strategic decision-making in complex international projects. My focus is not limited to legal advisory work. I actively support executive management in managing contractual, commercial and operational risks throughout the entire project lifecycle – from tendering and contract negotiations to project execution, claims management, dispute resolution and corporate governance. Over the years, I have gained extensive experience in large-scale industrial and EPC projects across Europe, working with multinational clients in the energy, paper, steel, chemical and infrastructure sectors. My areas of expertise include: ▪ International contract negotiations (EPC, FIDIC, NEC, bespoke industrial contracts) ▪ Claims and dispute management ▪ Corporate governance and group legal management ▪ Strategic risk management ▪ Commercial project support ▪ Mergers, acquisitions and corporate transactions ▪ Compliance and regulatory matters ▪ Insurance and liability management ▪ Cross-border project execution ▪ Executive-level stakeholder management I am particularly passionate about translating legal complexity into practical business solutions and enabling organizations to make informed strategic decisions in challenging project environments. My objective is to contribute as a trusted business partner to executive management, combining legal, commercial and operational perspectives to create sustainable value and manage risk effectively.

Experience

  • Executive Legal, Commercial & Risk Leader, Head of Legal at Christof Industries
    Jan 2022 - Present · 4 yrs 7 mos

    Executive Legal, Commercial & Risk Leader | Head of Legal | International EPC & Industrial Projects | Claims, Contracts, Corporate Governance & Strategic Risk Management Responsible for all legal, contractual and corporate matters within an international industrial group operating in the fields of energy, industrial plants, paper, steel and infrastructure projects. Key responsibilities include: ▪ Leadership of the legal function across multiple jurisdictions ▪ Contract negotiations with international clients and consortium partners ▪ Management of high-value claims and dispute resolution processes ▪ Corporate governance and group-wide legal support ▪ Risk assessment and mitigation strategies for major projects ▪ Executive management advisory on strategic and commercial matters ▪ Coordination of external counsel and litigation strategy ▪ Support of M&A and corporate restructuring activities ▪ Insurance and liability management

  • CEO Herzberg Consulting GmbH at Self-employed
    Feb 2020 - Dec 2021 · 1 yr 11 mos

  • Group General Counsel at Silicon Austria Labs
    Feb 2018 - Jan 2020 · 2 yrs

  • Senior Legal Counsel at ams OSRAM
    Oct 2016 - Jan 2018 · 1 yr 4 mos

  • Senior Legal Counsel CEE at XXXLutz Österreich
    Jun 2009 - Sep 2016 · 7 yrs 4 mos