Lisa Navarro
Partner, head of regulatory law at KPMG Law UK
Lisa Navarro leads the team that specialises in competition law and a range or regulatory matters at KPMG Law UK. She shares her passions and interests with The Brief.
How do you like to start the day?
I’m not a morning person, so an early coffee is a non-negotiable! Usually with BBC Five Live on in the background for the mix of proper news and more entertaining sports chat.
What’s your favourite object in your office/home office?
In our open-plan hot desk world, my favourite object would be a free chair and screen! But at home it’s the bunting we hung up during the last Rugby World Cup to teach the kids about the flags - it has remained in place and is often a talking point on video calls.
Who is your closest colleague?
Anyone serving coffee in our in-house cafés! I couldn’t get through the day without them.
Do you have a favourite family heirloom?
My siblings would claim the top heirloom in my parents’ house is a ceramic frog (a long story for another time) but for me it’s the long-service award paperweight my Grandad was given by Rolls Royce for his career there as a chemical engineer.
What’s your favourite song of all time?
“Mr Blue Sky” by the Electric Light Orchestra. As a girl from Coventry and a life-long member of the Sky Blue Army, it’s part of the soundtrack of my childhood.
What’s your favourite play?
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – I’ve seen it a couple of times now, first with a friend and now with my kids, and the transformative magic of it is wonderful. I will be sad when it stops being a two part show.
Who’s your favourite movie star?
Tom Hardy – you can’t go wrong with someone who can cover the range from the Krays through to CBBC bedtime stories!
What’s your favourite book?
Catch 22 by Josef Heller – I remember reading it as an eager 17-year-old and being struck by the twisted logic at the heart of the story. As an aspiring lawyer, that ability to build an argument to prove a point struck a chord.
What book are you reading right now?
The Rose Field by Philip Pullman – I had delayed reading this as I don’t want to reach the end of the stories about Lyra Belacqua, but it’s such a wonderfully imagined world, it’s a delight to read.
What book do you wish you had written?
It’s still an ambition to write a book one day (a cliché I know!) so I will think about the possibility of what I might produce in the future rather than laying claim to someone else’s efforts.
What’s the greatest invention of all time?
Sticking with the literary theme, the printing press should be up there. The ability to record words, ideas and democratise access to reading materials shouldn’t be underestimated.
Is there a sport you wish you could play?
I wish that it had been normal for girls to play football when I was growing up. Having loved playing at uni and in work teams, I like to think I might have been much better if that opportunity had been available at school.
Who inspires you in business?
I had the good fortune to benefit from a strong mentor who, during the circa 20 years we worked together, inspired me to pursue excellence and an entrepreneurial mindset, whilst always leading from the front with a willingness to roll his sleeves up and get stuck in. His positive and collaborative style of leadership is something I have tried to emulate for my team.
In the office do you dress up, dress down or somewhere in between?
I do love dressing up and am a sucker for statement jewellery, but you can’t beat comfort for the long hours we can pull. But I’m secretly proud of the fact that I don’t own a single “boring” suit.
Where do you go to relax?
Anywhere with a good book – I love the feeling of setting aside reality and the “to-do” list that constantly ticks over in my mind, and disappearing into another world.
What country have you always wanted to visit?
I would love the opportunity to take a road trip and explore Canada.
Besides your phone, what do you always have with you?
A bracelet my daughter bought me on holiday with the infinity symbol – I promised I wouldn’t take it off!
What’s the best part of your job?
The challenge of getting to grips with a new market and understanding what makes it tick. You can’t apply competition law without getting under the skin of the business. That’s what keeps it fresh and interesting.
How do you unwind after work?
Sitting in my back garden, enjoying the early evening sun after a day at work, listening to the birds in the woods behind us and the sound of my kids giggling as they bounce on the trampoline – instant relaxation!
Finally, what’s your guilty pleasure?
Hogging my kids’ karaoke machine!
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