A trio of high-profile in-house counsel appointments in the UK and US this month has seen accountancy giant EY and global investment bank BNY Mellon fill their senior general counsel (GC) roles as publishing house HarperCollins promotes its director of legal affairs Simon Dowson-Collins to UK GC.
EY has promoted its Americas legal chief Michael Solender to global vice chair and GC, which will see him carry out a global reorganisation of the EY legal function and integrate EY’s internal legal operations worldwide, a statement said last Thursday (17 April).
A former partner at US firm Arnold & Porter, Solender has served as EY’s Americas vice chair and GC since 2009.
Solender will remain based in New York but will spend significant time with the executive team in London. He is succeeded by Ron Hauben, who previously served as deputy GC.
Solender said: ‘I look forward to the opportunity to advise EY’s leadership and head the legal function around the world. This opportunity comes at a pivotal time for EY as we implement our Vision 2020 plan to make EY the leading global professional services organisation.’
Elsewhere HarperCollins announced last Wednesday (16 April) that Dowson-Collins will take over as GC of the company’s UK arm, adding oversight of compliance and government affairs to his existing responsibilities. He will continue to report to group managing director Simon Johnson.
Johnson said: ‘Simon has led the legal and contracts teams to consistently deliver an outstanding service to our business and our authors. They are increasingly front and centre, adding huge value to our most important commercial negotiations. I’m delighted to be able to recognise the contribution Simon has made as well as formalising the additional responsibilities he has been undertaking in recent months.’
Meanwhile, global investment bank BNY Mellon also last week promoted its senior deputy GC Kevin McCarthy to senior executive vice president and GC to succeed Jane Sherburne, who has decided to leave BNY Mellon to ‘consider opportunities in both the public and private sectors’.
A statement from BNY Mellon said: ‘[Jane] was instrumental in helping the company successfully navigate a broad range of complex issues and respond to historic changes in the global legal and regulatory landscape.’
McCarthy will now report to BNY Mellon chairman and CEO Gerald Hassell and become a member of the executive committee.
McCarthy joined BNY Mellon in 2010 from publicly-traded investment bank and financial services firm Cowen Group where he served as GC. From 1996 to 2004, the former Wilmer Pickering Hale and Dor litigation partner held several leadership roles at Credit Suisse First Boston, including as global lead of litigation.
On the appointment, Hassell said: ‘Kevin has deep market knowledge and expertise in our global businesses. He has worked closely with me, our board and senior management on our most critical legal and regulatory matters, and has become a trusted advisor to all of us.’
sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk