Age is no barrier for G4S’s youngest regional Head of Legal

Thomas Bardijn was just 27 when he took on the role of Head of Legal for the G4S cluster in Belgium France and Luxembourg. His career journey has been rapid, a reflection of the determination of his bosses to nurture talent and support career growth.

It’s a journey he doesn’t take for granted. “I try to treat every day with full conviction and dedication to learn as much as possible, and to optimally support our company as a legal business partner”, he said. “External people who don't know me are often somewhat surprised when they compare my job title with my age. I am very aware of that, but it doesn't bother me, on the contrary,” he added.

Thomas studied law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB Brussels) and, following some internships, began his career with G4S as a junior corporate lawyer.

It was a role he enjoyed. He said: “Security is a bit Rock 'n' Roll, even for a lawyer, and I like that. As my knowledge and skills grew, I was given more responsibilities, heavier files, more complex contracts, and new legal developments. For example, at that time, we had to adopt GDPR processes.”

He added; “GDPR in 2018 was a key moment for me. To get all our processes in order, I had to delve into the operation of all our departments, and that gives you a very good idea of the structure of the company.”

Thomas credits some of his career success to the support he received from colleagues. He said: “I was well guided by many strong people around me, mainly by our CEO and our CRO (Chief Risk Officer). They have guided me very well so far and taught me a lot. It is partly thanks to their guidance that today I can look back on my years as Head of Legal and call it a modest success.”

A typical working day for a G4S senior lawyer

Thomas is based in Belgium but also regularly works out of offices in Luxembourg. One of the things he likes most about his work is how varied each day can be.

He explained: “No day is identical. Every day brings new contracts, new files, and sometimes the craziest or unexpected things. The workload is high, so we have to prioritise. Consultation with our directors and our CEO is necessary and takes place daily.”

He added: “Personally, I like challenging files, the cases that make you think ‘oh, we haven't had that yet’. I prefer to work on positive matters, negotiating large contracts, developing advice on new activities, and improving internal procedures. It matters that we contribute directly and positively to our collective success as a company.”

He noted that his day-to-day role also involves working as part of a team, an aspect of collaboration that is important for the wider legal team. He explained: “I still want to be available for my team, to assist them, coach them and listen.”