From Law to Aviation; how General Counsel Laura Pring is steering Flylogix towards business success and growth
As Flylogix accelerates following its recent investment by bp Ventures, Laura Pring is playing a crucial role in corporate governance, fundraising, strategy and keeping the business running smoothly.
Laura has been part of Flylogix from the outset. Having spent the early part of her career in Law, Laura pivoted 5 years ago, when she joined the new venture to assist with its first round of fundraising.
“It was hugely exciting getting involved with something brand new. I didn’t imagine that it would evolve into this; I don’t think I even saw beyond that initial investment which I worked on over a three-month period. I thought I’d just see how it developed. And here I am, 5 years on, right at the heart of a business that is rapidly creating a global footprint.”
Working for an agile startup can be liberating
“Working for a startup is very different. Previously, I’d worked in law firms where it was easy to feel like a cog in a wheel. They’re exciting places to work but are well-established and highly structured environments. Joining a startup, I found the freedom of being able to work autonomously liberating and fulfilling.
“Being a small team, we’re very agile. I like the unknown that working in a startup brings. I’ve enjoyed identifying a problem and seeking a unique solution by trying to do what no one has done before. We’re all utterly committed to the new business concept we’ve created, and that engenders a supportive and cooperative atmosphere, which is essential when work/life balance waxes and wanes”.
The whole team has been involved in Flylogix’s pioneering milestones
“I’ve been part of a lot of firsts. Even if I’ve not been directly involved with our engineering milestones, I’ve lived through them all vicariously. At the start, because the team was fledgling, I would often be found at airfields plane spotting and sporting a high vis vest!
“Working with Flylogix has been the proper startup experience you would imagine, where everyone has to roll up their sleeves. I’ve done jobs along the way that I never imagined from assisting at airfields to helping put planes together. I’ve acquired a whole new language and (almost) learned to love Gantt charts.
“This hands-on experience has been crucial for me, as it’s provided a fundamental understanding of the business and the foundation for my role today. In the early days, I was responsible for ordering parts and equipment, so it was important I understood what the engineers were talking about. I learnt about the constituent parts of our aircraft system, its ground station and communications structure. An understanding of how our service works and an alignment with our core business activities has underpinned the role I have today.”
The role of a Flylogix General Counsel
Laura’s role has changed significantly over the years – she now has a more defined position.
“Up until now, I’ve been responsible for legal, finance, HR, office management and overall administration. I’ve evolved into a more discrete role by carving off some of my responsibilities as the team has grown.
“My role as General Counsel is about increasing corporate governance, reducing corporate and operational risk, and any prospect of litigation – there’s a lot of risk management and compliance involved. I’m at the heart of the organisation and have had to get to grips with huge amounts of non-legal material as well as shifting to a revenue-based frame of mind. I enjoy being the troubleshooter and I’m relishing being involved in a team tackling the energy transition. As I sit on the board, I’m a part of the decision-making process from fundraising to strategy and expansion plans.”
How it feels to be a woman in a traditionally male-dominated sector
Laura plays a key role in the Flylogix team but working in a traditionally male engineering sector can be tough for women. However, Laura has always felt equal at Flylogix.
“I think it’s important that we acknowledge gender imbalance across the tech and engineering sectors as a whole. Until recently, I was the only woman on the Flylogix team, and I’m regularly the only senior woman in the room. It’s sometimes difficult not to feel daunted. There’s still a perception that engineering is a male space, but we don’t have a macho culture – everyone’s respectful and supportive of one another, and I’ve always felt like an equal with a voice”.
Joining the drive to bring more women into engineering
Flylogix is committed to increasing its diversity and, over the last 3 months, has recruited more talented women across the technical, commercial, and operational parts of its business.
“More young women are choosing STEM careers but recruiting them remains challenging, although it is not through lack of trying. We‘re a progressive company, and are doing all we can to attract more women to a dynamic and rewarding career.”
Flylogix is currently recruiting for a number of roles, seeking diverse and skilled specialists to join its mission. Our dynamic, sustainable business is set for rapid growth as we use unmanned aviation to make the world a better place. Find out more about our current opportunities here.
