William-James Kettlewell 

Counsel 
Baker McKenzie 
Brussels 

A significant matter I have worked on 

One of the most technically and legally intricate matters that I’ve advised on involved the structuring of a sustainable aviation fuel project for a leading EU energy company. The project required navigating a ‘3D puzzle’ of industrial realities, commercial constraints and regulatory frameworks across borders. The project offered a unique opportunity to put EU energy and climate law to the test in practice, shaping its application to a groundbreaking production pathway, together with EU authorities. 

Advice I would give to my 25-year-old self 

Emotional intelligence is at least as important as analytical precision. The ability to read a room, to understand what people need just as much as what they ask for and to communicate clearly can matter more than technical depth. 

Don’t fall in love with complexity for its own sake; people typically want just enough detail to make sense of a topic. Learn to simplify without distorting: that’s how you build trust and drive decisions. Of course, this is easier said than done! 

Everyone’s talking about… 

The Trump presidency and its implications for sustainability are dominating many conversations at the moment. In my view, while President Trump’s policies are, of course, significant shifts that will have an important impact on the world, they do not change the fundamentals of climate change and clean energy growth at a global level. What the Trump presidency really underscores, for me, is the importance of consensus building for a sustainability vision in any given jurisdiction. Without it, any sustainability policy or strategy remains inherently fragile. 

What’s next in ESG/sustainability law? 

Continued adoption and implementation. In the EU, the last legislature was mainly about ambition: adopting new climate targets, new greenwashing rules, new sustainability disclosure rules, new carbon pricing policies, etc. By contrast, this legislature is about consolidation and simplification, while adapting EU law to new geopolitical realities (especially in terms of competitiveness and defence). For the private sector, the challenge now is taking these new legal frameworks and making them work for real-world projects and business models. That means translating legal ambition into operational reality. 

A pivotal decision I have made 

After completing my master’s degree in engineering, I decided to study law and become a lawyer. Although this type of pivot may not be so rare in the US or UK, in Belgium this was far from a well-trodden path. Nonetheless, for me, switching from engineering to law was a defining moment. Engineering gave me maths, system-thinking and precision, but it also taught me how rigid and inaccessible that mindset can sometimes be. Law opened a more strategic and human-centred way of thinking. It allowed me to engage with complexity in a way that is both analytical and adaptive. That shift did not just change my career, it changed how I approach problems, people, and my place within society at large. 

Reference 

“I strongly support William-James Kettlewell’s nomination for the Forward 40. As his colleague and mentor in our Brussels team over the last seven or so years, I’ve seen him translate complex EU climate, energy and sustainability rules into clear, workable strategies and advice for clients by combining his profound knowledge of the law with an uncommon technical acuity. He has played a pivotal role on many important projects. William-James combines rigour, pragmatism and multilingual communication to deliver impact. He is precisely the next-generation sustainability lawyer the Forward 40 aims to recognise.” Christopher Jones, senior energy and competition consultant at Baker McKenzie, Brussels.