General counsel, corporate secretary, Transurban North America, Tysons
General counsel, corporate secretary, Transurban North America, Tysons
Virginia Business// June 27, 2024//
Lakshmi Williams’ 30-plus-year career as a lawyer has run the gamut in terms of industries she’s worked with, including software, nonprofit, energy, and transportation. But she finds her role as general counsel and corporate secretary at toll road operator Transurban North America in Tysons, which she’s held for nearly a dozen years, to be particularly rewarding since transportation and traffic are such critical parts of our daily lives.
“You’d think that transportation is a bit sleepy [or something that just] needs to be done,” Williams says, “but it really couldn’t be further from the truth. Transportation really lies at the core of [current hot topics],” including autonomous vehicles and ride sharing. And Williams gets to be at the forefront of investigating these issues from a legal perspective.
Outside of her role at Transurban, Williams also served as chair of the board of directors of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and as a board adviser for the Association of Corporate Counsel Leadership Academy. She also serves on the board of directors for BlueDot, a tech company that provides geofencing for Transurban’s mobile tolling apps.
While some mid- and late-career professionals relish the idea of retiring early, Williams says she’s more motivated than ever by her work.
“I personally feel a sense of excitement about whatever this next stage is going to bring,” Williams says. “I’m ready to try to conquer whatever messy, complicated challenge is thrown at me.”